EMPIRE GAMES TEAM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 57, 8 March 1934, Page 8

EMPIRE GAMES TEAM.

Rink Leaves This Evening. r J lie Auckland players comprising the Xew Zealand rink who will compete iu the Empire Games, commencing in London on August 5, will leave by the Limited express for Wellington this evening. They will embark 011 the Ruahine, timed to leave that port at daybreak on Saturday. The party from the city are Messrs. H. Grocott, G. G. Pollard and G. H. Carter, all members of the Carlton Bowling Club, and at Frankton they will be joined by Mr. W. W. Dillicar, of Hamilton. Taking advantage of a clause in the regulations which states that "the programme will follow closely upon that adopted at Hamilton (Canada) in 1930." they expect to be allowed to plaj" in the pairs and singles, as well as the rinks, although the invitation asked for seven separate players, apparently with the idea of running off the three events concurrently.

Last Saturday the Carlton players were given an official farewell by the members, and. yesterday the departing president of the club, Mr. Pollard, returned the compliment by entertaining the members at afternoon tea. This afforded Mr. W. Coltman. vice-president of the club, an opportunity to convey to the prospective competitors the best wishes of their fellow members for success In the Empire Games and an enjoyable time during their stay in the Old Country. He also thanked Mr. Pollard for his kindly hospitality. Inviting Mr. James Pascoe to supplement his remarks, the latter remarked that he felt sure they would enjoy their visit to Great Britain, judging by his own experiences four years ago. On his way back, passing through the United States and Canada, it was his good fortune to be in Hamilton during the Empire Games and he watched the bowling matches rather carefully for three or four days. If the standard there exhibited was a fair specimen of the few countries represented by actual champions, he thought that there would be quite a reasonable chance for the Auckland rink to win in London, if the greens suited them. During the afternoon the tourists played an exhibition game against some of the officials of the club (Russell, Fletcher, Rowc, Coltman), but unfortunately it was interrupted by rain. The mail this week brings some more details of the ninth Australian Bowling Carnival, which was to commence in Adelaide last Monday. There are CIS entries in the singles. 502 in the pairs and 230 in the rinks. The numbers do not convey much meaning, unless measured against a recognised yardstick, and the most convenient is the record number in the Dominion tournament, the one held in Auckland in 1927, when the corresponding entries were 272 singles. 230 pairs and 170 rinks. The Adelaide entries are rather surprising, for the 230 rinks have been exceeded only once, and that was in 1927, when there were 314 in Melbourne, including five from New Zealand. This is the first tune that pairs have been included in the Australian programme, and the 502 entries will probably be considered highly satisfactory. The number signifies that there are four more players in the pairs than in the rinks, and this is also a surprising feature. considering the popularity of rinks in Australia. However, it seems sure to result in the pairs being included in all their future tournaments, and this is a further compliment to Xew Zealand, for it is being played in sections, like the rinks, and the rinks were only played in sections for the first time three years ago, when the tournament was played in Brisbane. WHAKATANE V. TANEATUA. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHAKATANE, this clay. The fourth match in the Francis Cup bowling tournament, was played at v\ hakatane yesterday and resulted in a win £or Whakatane by SS to 60. Kink results. WhaKatane sVlps first— Sloane 21. v. (». Peebles 19: Chalmers 25, v. Ferguson 13: Caislny 21, v. Itac 25; Currnh 21, v. Moody 12. The Feathers were retained by Taneatnn, Turpin, 17, being defeated by Campbell, 22.