OFFICIAL OPENINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 243, 14 October 1929, Page 15

OFFICIAL OPENINGS.

NINE CLUBS STARTED. FOURTEEN KEXT SATURDAY. TOURNAMENTS AHEAD. (By TRUXDrfER.) 3owlers could not have been better iserved in the matter of weather conditions for the numerous club openings last Saturday, for a few misty showers in the morning gave way to a perfect afternoon, warm and calm. Consequently it was no surprise to find large gatherings on every green, thoroughly enjoying real bowling weather. The largest assemblies were at Epsom and Onehunga, the former club having so many players in attendance that a good many of the local members had to sit out. This disability did not exist at Onehunga, where all three greens were opened, so there was plenty of room for all the players, although altogether there ■were nearly 500 people to afternoon tea. The president, Mr. R. Buchanan, must be congratulated on the excellent arrangements carried out, ably assisted "by Mrs. Buchanan and her friends, for it was the largest gathering that has ever attended the opening of the club. The centre executive carried out their usual arrangements for visiting as many greens as possible. The president, Mr. S. Coldicutt, went to most of the city and suburban greens with a small party; the vice-president, Mr. J. M. Thomson, went to Waiuku; and the others divided out among some of the more distant greens. Next Saturday fourteen clubs will officially open for the season. Arrangements are well in hand for the social in the Epsom pavilion to-morrow 1 evening for the Nomads.

"Summer Time" came in yesterday, without unduly troubling people, although it started a week earlier than it did last year. It continues to the same day, the third Sunday in March, so for the next five months and a week everybody except tie farmers and the "idle rich" will have to get up half an hour earlier, or else do half an hour's less work before breakfast. Farmers and the idle rich have always pleased themselves in the hours they keep, 60 presumably they will continue to do the same during the summer, whatever the clock says. Summer Tournaments. ! ' The New Year tournament at Remuera will be larger than ever this season, but there is little doubt that a full entry will be received, if one may judge by the large number that have been disappointed in previous years through the list being over-subscribed. The open tournament will be limited to 48 teams, •played in six sections of eight, and all the section play will be finished on the two regular holidays, January 1 and 2, as -there will be four games of 16 heads on the first day, and three games on the second. If there is time, the first round of intersection play will also be run off that afternoon, leaving only the semifinal and final for the following Saturday. This is an excellent arrangement, for it will eminently suit those who cannot play in the centre's Christmas tournament, owing to business engagements on the days that are not regular holidays, and the Remuera committee must be complimented on their enterprise in again filling a distinct want. In order to ensure the completion of the programme promptly, any ties in the section play will .be decided by one extra fiead, 'but if two or more teams tie as winners of a section there will be no play-off. These will be decided by totalling the margins, plus or minus, an arrangement which will presumably bring about keener play throughout the whole tournament. In addition to the open tournament of 48 teams, there will be also a club tournament of 16 teams, making 64 in all, which is the largest tournament ever put on by a bowling club in Auckland, and therefore probably the largest in the world. No other club is in a position to do this, not having the accommodation, 'but Remuera will still have four rinks free, and these will doubtless 'be occupied >on both afternoons by those members who do not care to compete in * a (tournament. If this takes place, there will be 28S bowlers playing on the Epacious Remuera grounds. Entries nominally close on December 28, but m active practice this will probably mean that as soon as the requisite entries are received the list will close. There will be no dearth of opportunities to play elsewhere, for a similar two-day tournament will be staged at Edendale, Onehunga, Ponsonby and St. Heller's, and Henderson will hold a tournament on New Year's Day only. A notice is also to hand for a large tournament conducted by the Jsorth Auckland Centre. This will commence Jwith rinks on New Year's Day and pairs on the 3rd. Those who like to go rfnrt/her afield may be assured of an enjoyahlii function, for all who have previously competed at Whangarei and the neighbouring clubs have come back wifen verr favourable accounts of the arrangements. Rotorua in February. There is also to hand a poster for the Rotorua tournament, commonly known e& the most popular clu'b tournament in the Dominion. The first tournament opens on February 10, and the second on February 24. The conditions seem about the same as usual, but there as one that will 'be noticed with special interest this year, in view of all the defaults at the Dominion tournament in Wellington last January. Except lor Alness or other justifiable cause all members of any team which, after commencing play, (fails to complete its tournament engagements, will be debarred from taking part in any future tournament of the Rotorua Club. It will be remernbered that the usual cash fine was not enforced in Wellington. but this was because the bad example was set by the visitors from Australia, where a default is recognised qs quite a common .procedure. ■

MT. EDEN TOURNAMENT.

The final in the recent Mount Eden tournament resulted as follows: J. Harlock, R. Sutherland, W. Howerdar, C. A, Lindberg (Onehunga) 29, v. Tyndall, May, White, Knight (St. Helier s) -1*