BOWLS AND BOWLERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 46, 24 February 1931, Page 15

BOWLS AND BOWLERS.

CHAMPION RINKS TO-DAY.

PENNANTS ON SATURDAY.

OFF TO TARANAKI NEXT WEEK.

(By TRUNDLER.)

The threatening rain kept off nicely on Saturday, enabling the clubs to get on with their matches. In most cases the singles championships seem to be v.-eil forward, as a result of a good run of fine Saturdays, and there are no suggestions that any will be unfinished when the champion of champions tournament begins on March 18, for which the entries close on the previous Friday. During this week those who propose to play in the open pairs tournament, to commence on March 10, will require to complete their plans, as the entries close next Monday. The pennant matches are to be resumed next Saturday, when the fifth round will be played. The following Saturday, March 7, will be taken up with the second round, postponed from November 15 on account of wet weather. Section A is robbed of a good deal of the interest that usually increases towards the end of the season, for Carlton has such a dominating position as to be regarded as a moral to win. By such a pronounced victory over Epsom and Rocky Nook in the previous round, Carlton now stands on 72 per cent, with New Lynn 62, and West End on 54, so the only chance of a material change seems to be in the final round on March 7, when Carlton meets West End.

Section B is quite different, as any out of half a dozen clubs may win Onehunga leads at present with 61 per cent, but ten wins to Ponsonby in the previous round brought that club up from 51 to 58 per cent, and Grey Lynn is still a close third at 54 per cent, a tie with Manurewa and Papatoetoe. 6t. Helier's is sixth, on 53, and no less than four clubs are on 50, viz., Auckland. Edendale, Mount Eden and Takapuna. As most of these have to meet each other in the remaining two rounds, there are still plenty of opportunities for big changes, and it will be interesting to see how the various selectors meet th' position. The Rink Championship. The fine condition of the Epsom green this year has doubtless been responsible for its choice as the venue .of the centre's rink championship tournament, originally known as the Bendigo Bowls, which commenced this morning at 9 o'clock. The same number competed last year, 22 rinks, and it took eight rounds, so the tournament should finish comfortably on Thursday, if the weather keeps fine. Last year the tournament was won by T. Cook, H. Svkes, K. Lippiatt (Otahuhu),*who defeated J. Sinclair, A. Wa.tson, W. Cox, F. J. H. Ellisdon (Devonport), by 20 to 17 in the final. This match w as rather sensational, for Devonport were only one down when they commenced the last head, and the issue was in doubt until the last bowl was played, Ellisdon just missing a trail when Otahuhu were lying two. The previous year there were 24 entries, and it ran out in eight rounds also, the winners being the Auckland-

rink (W. Ure, H. R. Allan, J. F. Bailey, C. Muston), who defeated Otahulm in the final. The rink championship will claim most attention during the next few days, but probably there will be sufficient released by Thursday to assure a full entry for the open tournaments at Mangere and Rawhiti. The Tournament Next August. The Australian Bowling Council is to meet in Melbourne next week, under the presidency of Mr. E. J. Shaw (Brisbane), when doubtless the final arrangements for the carnival next August will be confirmed. A little misunderstanding seems to have occurred in regard to the decision to play the rinks in sections on that occasion for the first time, on the New Zealand system, some of those who were at the social in the Scots Hall during the Dominion tournament last month being under the impression that Mr. John Scott was so taken with our system J that he was taking it to Brisbane. However, what he said was that it had already been decided. Probably his good report of the tournament in Wellington two years ago was an important factor in influencing the Brisbane executive to make this great change, but in Australia the council leaves details of this kind to the local people where the carnival is to take place. An Australian visitor to the Auckland green last week was Mr. Naylor, of the Mount Lawley Club, Perth. This is the club that is adorned by Mr. R. Rogerson, who visited Auckland two years ago, after playing in the Tests in Wellington, where his rink was the only one on either side to get three wins. According to the "Referee," the Australian competitors who were here last month have received indications of a strong party going to Brisbane in August, and one has mentioned that there will probably be sixty.

Another visitor to the Auckland green last week was Mr. Newbegin, of Napier. Just at present Napier bowlers are of particular interest on account of their experiences in the earthquake. Probably not many were more exciting than that of Mr. P. Smith, who was playing at the Onehunga green on Saturday. His narrowest escape was when he pulled a lady out of a house, just missing by inches the crash of a 400-gallon tank. Mr. Smith belongs to the Wairere Club, whose pavilion has received wide publicity through having to serve as a post office and money order office during the time that all the banks were closed. This fact was mentioned by Mr. I. J. Sutherland, the Onehunga president, in welcoming Mr. Smith at the tea adjournment on Saturday and congratulating him on getting safely through the upheaval at Napier. He will be returning to Napier in a few days, after taking his wife and family to stay with relatives at Whangarei. Those who propose to take the Taranaki trip next week will require to give in .their names to the secretary of the centre, Mr. G. L. Gladding, this evening. HAMILTON EAST V. TATJPIRI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TAUPIRI, Monday. Playing on their own green on Saturday, Hamilton East defeated Taupiri in all of the five rinks engaged. Details of play follow. Taupiri names being mentioned first: Gorman, Catley, Horwood, Jackways IS, beat Kingston. Tyler, Brown. Jordan 28: Powell. Walter. Murphy, Wilson 15. lost to Quill. Jenkins. Cole. Keenan 38; Whitehorn. Day, King. Garry 16. lost to Hy'nes, Felix. Carter, Lyniburn 29; Buss, Waring, Gleeson. Seatli 19. lost to Lovegrovo. Clague, Curry, Hitchcock 23. First Year Players. — Tapper, Stanley, Wii.-son, Hunter 13, lost to Wilson, Stuart, Mclntyre, Coombes 26.

ROTORUA SECOND TOURNEY. FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) ROTORUA, Monday. Play in the second bowling tournament commenced this afternoon on greens thatwere sodden with heavy rain, which had fallen during the night and early morning. Under the influence of the sun and drying winds they greatly improved by the time the second round started. Results are:— FIRST ROUND. Section A.—Rotorua (Westlake, Ilslev, Downer. Tapper) 19. v. Rotorua (Herd. Richards, French, Pakes) 17; West End (Thomuss, Sykes, Handley, Needham) 20, v. Poverty Bay (Blackburn, Roberts, Crowley. Wilkinson) 13; Rotorua (Webber, Loflley, Fowkes, Butt) 24, v. Rapanui (Hutchins, Goldstone, Corley, Handley) 16; Rocky Nook (Oughton, Young, Tongue, Loram) 24, v. Frankton (Lafferty, Anchor, Garvey, Baker) 19; Epsom (Moyle, Furnell, O'Callahan, Nash) 22, v. Palmerstou North (Wilson, Boon, Nash, Fraser) 8; Huntly (Barclay, Watson, Thompson, Turton) 21, v. Henderson (Norcross, Firth, Thomas, Higginbotham) 14.

Section B.—St. Helier's (Main, Davey, Cottrell, Smith) 20. v. Seatoun (Kean, Estall, Kielson, Wyatt) 10; Auckland (Hardie Neil, Matbeson, Do Launay, Walker) 26, v. Waikino (Hudson, Pascoe, Collins, Franklin) 12; Rotorua (Stonehouse, Lundon, Cottrell, Budd) 28, v. Rotorua (G. French, Polglase, Fitzgerald, Lindsay) 10; Rocky Nook (Henderson, Wash, Smith. Eagleton) 16, v. Taumarunui (Vujcich. Boles, Todd, Sarah) 13; Newtown (Lee, Chegwidden, Thompson, Whiting) 18, v. Carlton (Hill, Montgomery, Wishart, Gordon) 14; Levin (Smaill, J. Brown, G. Brown, SutatT) 20. v. Thorndon (Perry, Tapp, Munro, Sherriff) 19. SECOND ROUND. Section A.—Handley 22, v. Loram 16; Butt 23, v. Tapper 9 ; Fraser 26, v. Pakes 21; Necdham 20, v. Baker 16; Wilkinson 17, v. Higginbotliam lo ; Nash v. Turton, unfinished. Section B.—Eagleton 17, v. Wyatt 15; Lindsay 32, v. Whiting 6; Franklin 22, v. Sutan 17; Gordon 22, v, Sherriff 14; Smith 18, v. Budd 17 ; Walker 24, v. Sarah 19. ONEHUNGA CLUB. The state of the various competitions to date is :— Championship (four rounds completed).— Two-lifers : F. Livingstone, H. A. Robertson, J. Kerr. One-lifers : S. Vella, V. McGuire, J. Macklow, W. Flowerday, E. Wright. j Champion Pairs (three rounds com-pleted).—Two-lifers: R. Sutherland and C. Macfarquahar, S. Vella and F. Livingstone. One-lifers: A. Gatland and E. Gatland, W. Flowerday and H. A. Robertson, W. Moore and H. Welham, T. George and A. A. Kenny, R. Fordham and R. Allen, S. Brown and J. K. Ross, L. Bray and A. Brown, R. Green and E. V. Sutherland, V. McGuire and J. Macklow. Handicap Singles (three rounds com-pleted).—Two-lifers: S. Brown, L. Bray, Saker, S. Hardley, G. Kennedy, A. Coutts, 10. Foote, C. Skinner, G. Vazey. One-lifers : R. Fordham, H. Welham, Chalmers, Poll, W. Moore, F. Walsh. Handicap Pairs (three rounds com-pleted).—Two-lifers: Walsh and Wigginton, Hickman and Fordham. One-lifers: Pole and Kennedy, Robb and A. George, Keeling and Foote, Vazey and S. Brown, Milne and Welham, Thorp and Richardson. President's Fours (Final). —L. Handlin, S. Brown, J. _K. Ross, C. Macfarquahar v. G. Keeling, C. Skinner, R. Fordham, H. A. Robertson. OHAKUNE V. TAIHAPE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) TAIHAPE, Monday. Rinks from Taihape visited Ohakune yesterday to play matches in the Rangitikei Shield contest and the Ruapehu Junior banner. They were heavily defeated on aggreg."-te scoring in the former, but won the latter. Shield (Taihape names first).—Bowie, C. Cherry, Bond, Murphy 10, v. Young. Curra.n. Clemett, Havler 27: Marsh, Loader, Armstrong, Ryan 10, v. McWilliains, Thomasen, Curtis 20. Junior Banner.—Winchcombe, Auld. W. McDonald, Gledhill 26, v. Roberts, Channing, Kirker, Taylor 15. Walsh Cup Final.—W. McDonald, Gledhill 24, t. Roberts, Taylor 9.

MOUNT EDEN CLTJB. A tournament amongst the members was held on Saturday afternoon. Five games of seven heads were played, the following team being successful with five wins:— Cordes, Fogerty, Oatridge, I. W. Turner. The following skips had 4 wins and 1 loss: Vivian, >A. Jones, H. Elliott. ThOße with 3 wins and 2 losses were: Hull, Fraser, Miller, Morrison, Gatenby. Those with 2 wins and 3 losses: Bainbridge, Baker, Gill, Tutt. The following had only 1 win with 4 losses: J. Smith, R. H. Bourke, H. Surman, H. Walton and W. Bigelow. INTER-CLUB GAMES. BUCKLAND'S BEACH V. ELLERSLIE. At Buckland's. (Ellerslie names first). — Hill, McKenzie, Hay, Harvey 26, v. Hill, Baster, Couly, Fawcett 0. BUCKLAND'S BEACH V. GREY LYNN. At Buckland's (Grey Lynn names first). Shaw. Hutchison, Emirali, Preston 28, v. Molloy, Nick, Bland, Buckrell 30; Smith, Buckley, Hale, Binns 21, v. Marlow, Fisher, Safe, Inder 20; Teague, Maguire, Brown, Raildon 12, v. Smith, Maud, Leach, Brooke 23. TAUMARUNUI CLUB. During the week end four full rink games were played on the Taumarunui Bowling Club's green for the Meßride Cups. The following are the results: — Stevenson, Munro, Smith, Henry 26, v. Stringer. E. Pearson, W. Girvin, Gilpin 18; J. Brown, V. Girvin, Baker, E. Gardner 2T, v. Maud, Davys, Seaton, Johnston 12; Gill, Neary, Forbes, Melrose 16, v. Logan, Mitchell, Dryland, Lawler 16; Maher, Doughty. D. Gardner, Peters 31, v. Hewitt, Rogers, Reed, Robson IS; Dryland, Doughty, D. Gardner, Mattar 27, v. I. Wilson, V. Girvin, Bone, E. Gardner 16.