BOWLING.

Auckland Star, 9 July 1928, Page 14

BOWLING.

ANOTHER WET SATURDAY.

PREPARING FOR SUMMER.

THE TEAM IN ENGLAND

(By TRUNDLER.)

Another disappointing day was experienced on Saturday, a north-easter bringing up the usual steady rain. However, before it became too heavy, a start was made in the Edwin Stars challenge at Rawhiti, between the local holders (H. J. ScelTy, F. Stubbs, W. Chiplin, A. Macpherson) and the Auckland challengers (J. C. Duncan, G. J. Mackay, C. Muston, P. J. Scantlebury). Only seven heads were played, and the score was five all when rain compelled the competitors to abandon the game, so the whole 21 heads will be played next Saturday. The visitors were cordially welcomed by the president of the club, Mr. J. B. Paterson, and Mr. Mackay responded, as past-president of the visiting club. Mr. Mackay .took the opportunity to congratulate the local team on their success in winning these historic trophies the previous Saturday, and also on their display in the few heads played that afternoon. Another Progressive Club. It is not surprising that the annual report at Grey Lynn makes generous mention of the devoted work at the new pavilion and grounds accomplished by various members during their leisure hours. The very small cash outlay for paid labour on the pavilion, and such necessary work as the drainage and water supply, together with the gas and electric light installations, will always stand as a monument to Messrs *F Baildon, E. Buckley, J. Lye and Binns', while associated with them in the Saturday work—often running also into the evenings—were Messrs. R. Caddy, G. Fletcher, A. Lye, J. Reed, S. Smith and S. Thomas, besides other willing workers who have helped in special operations in the grounds. It is admitted that the club are also indebted to the social committee for the various functions carried out, yielding a net profit of £352, and also to the gurantors of the bank overdraft, who added £-300 to the sinews of war.

The club are indeed fortunate in having so many members who cheerfully rose to the occasion when it beca le necessary to move to new quarters, und all will wish them the reward that sweetens labour, in the form of an enjoyable season during the coming ye ir. Two greens will be available, the second one now showing a fine growth of now grass, and the club have apparently entered upon a new era of prosperity. Getting Business Started Early.

It is very pleasing to know that the Wellington centre is heartily supporting the movement initiated in Auckland last year, for electing the council earlier. Probably they now realise that they should have pushed much harder for this at the meeting in Christchurch last September, for it would not have been very hard to convince the die-hards that there is everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by holding the election earlier. Now the Wellington executive will be left with the difficult task of making all the arrangements for the tournament in four months, whereas the Christchurch executive will have had verv little to do for seven months and a-half. Besides being late, the election itself is far too slow a progress. A Match Against Champions. The following forecast of the Test match against England (played on June 7), appeared in the London "Referee" of May 20:—"England's Test team iquite strong enough to win comfortably, but the E.B.A. took no chances on the weather improving between now and then, and the greens becoming keen and likeable by the overseas men, who pre fer a fast surface. Every man in the English team is an international, and with the exception of the extreme Northerners all the members will have been up against the visitors previous!v in their county engagements." As it happened, however, England did not win so very easily, for we won two rinks out of the five, A. J. Parker's and J. D. Sole's, and J. Grant held a tie but the aggregate score was 13 points' against us. * Give a Dog a Bad Name. It is very disappointing to see th. disparaging remarks made in England regarding the performance of our touring team, and unfortunately the sentiment has been echoed here, without giving much attention to the actual position. No less than three papers in London published the following telegram from Cardiff on May 21:—"After a poor show made by the New Zealanders in Wales during the week, it came as a surprise to the Welsh team, in the Test match at Dinas Powis on Saturday-, to iind the visitors with a lead of 16 at half-time. Only big efforts on three Welsh rinks saved the game, Wales winning by 116 to 115."

What was the poor show? We certainly won only two of the nine matches played, all Tests except one, but the scores were so near that we aggregated 970 points against 1116. The commentator omitted to compare it with the record of the British touring team who came here in 1925-2ti, when they did not win on a single rink, although they cut down their usual eight rinka to four, whereas our party have alwuys played their full six rinks except twice. The record in Ireland appears to be fairly good, for we won five of the ten matches played, if the cables are correct, and on the aggregate we were three points up, at 1097 to 1094. In Scotland there is also an improvement, for we made up for the loss on the whole six rinks in the Test at Glasgow by defeating Perthshire on every rink. Apparently we won four of the seven matches played so far, and the aggregate #core is in our favour at 891 to 850. KENSINGTON CLUB. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent! WHANGAREI, this day. The annual meeting of the Kensington Bowling Club was held with Mr C V. Stringer presiding. The treasurer's statement showed that the year had been a record one, and although there had been several non-recurring items, totalling about £40, the financial position of the club was better by £9<>. Prizes were presented as follow: Club champion, F. Home; percentage fours, E Fulljames, D. Dindust. . Tibbits; champion pair. Tibbits and McMagh. ' Officers were elected as follow: Patrons Messrs. W. Jones. M.P.. D. J. Murdoch and L. J. Brake; president, Mr. L. M. Staple: rice-presidents, Messrs. D. H. Curtis and F. M. Simons; secretary and treasurer, Mr. W. Sword ; ground superintendent, Mr. B B. Stringer: committee, Messrs. W. Jack B. Pearce. F. Home, C. H. Steadman. and E. G. W. Tibbits: match committee, Messrs. Simon. Woollcy and Stringer. It was decided to appoint a selection committee of three members, instead of a sole ■elector.