WINTER BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Issue 154, 2 July 1934, Page 12

WINTER BOWLING.

PLAY ALMOST ABANDONED. VETERAN BOWLERS HONOURED. TO APPROVE OR NOT TO APPROVE. (By TRUNDLER.) The weather conditions on Saturday were just what bowlers don't like, cold, wet and windy, instead ot warm, dry and calm. In consequence of this the results in another column show how few thought it was worth while to venture out into the squalls. It was all very well for "young fellows" like Mr. Sam McMaster (Onehunga) to risk a cold, lor he is not much over 80, and he won his game! But most players preferred their cosy pavilions for the afternoon, and hardly any even watched the few games that were played. The only challenge match played was for the Diggers' Badges, and they have moved on from Ellerslie to Grey Lynn, the score being 19 to 12 in favour ol : A. Mason, J. Cunningham, R. C. Caddy, J- C. I'i'eston. Next Saturday the new holders will meet R. T. Shcppard, W. Davidson, T. H. Stringer, G. N. Sainty ('llillsboro'J, followed by W. Urc (Auckland), C. Russell (Ponsonby) and L. 11. Campbell (Mount Eden). It has been suggested that Mr. Dickson knew something in designing his badges round, to go round, for only once have the holders managed to retain them. However, it will be all the more interesting if they continue to go round, and this geems to be expected by the eligible players, for the list is still growing, there being now 17 challenges entered, still to play. This interest appears to justify the suggestion of the new president of the Auckland Centre, Mr. F. A. llosking, that it ought not to be difficult to arrange a tournament for returned soldiers during the summer. All the other challenge matches arranged for last Saturday, as notified in this column on Tuesday, stand postponed till the coming Saturday. Intending competitors are invited to make themselves acquainted with the rules governing these challenge matches. Every club secretary has a copy. . . The visit of the Nomads to Rawlnti was also postponed till next Saturday. Two clubs in Auckland, St. Ilelier's .and Rawhiti, have just celebrated their coming ol age by taking the opportunity to pay a high compliment to some of their initial members. At the former club they singled out their first president, Mr. G. I'. Campbell, wiio held office from 1913 to 1915, and have made him president foi* the ensuing year, an honour which will l>o appreciated by his many friends as being well deserved by a worthy veteran. At Rawhiti three foundation members have been honoured, not only in recognition of their long service, but also owing to their untiring zeal during the whole period. Mr. 11. Samways has been elected patron, Mr. -T. B. Paterson president and Mr. F. .T. Worthington a life member, besides being re-elected treasurer. Mr. VVorthington lias held this office since 1925, as well as a short term previously, and has held other offices in addition at various times. Mr. Paterson has held a position in the club which is quite unique in Auckland. He was not the club's first president, that position having been held by the late Mr. A. O. Woolcott. and Mr. •J. 11. Jackson was president from 101G to 1918, the continued support of the latter being recognised a couple of years ago, when he was presented with a gold medal. After him came Mr. Paterson, and he held the presidency twelve years, a record for Auckland, during which long period a most noticeable feature was the active assistance given to the club by the late Mrs. Paterson.

The New Zealand Bowling Council will need to be very sure of its ground, at its annual meeting next week, when discussing the question of whether the Ilenselite bowl should be admitted or not. At present, of course, it is automatically barred, even without any resolution, as are all other materials that are not specifically and formally "approved" by the council. "Boomerang," of the "Sydney 1-veferee," is evidently much concerned lest the council should refrain from giving their consent to these bowls, for he has consulted "the best professional brains in Sydney," a university expert, and publishes his report. After pointing out the Dunedin error in confusing density with hardness, whereas they are two entirely different properties, as mentioned in this column a fortnight ago, the Sydney expert also confirms the statement of .my own expert there given, that the Dunedin bowling critic is mistaken in his statement that has been sent to all the councillors, in regard to his "grave point," the possibly greater injury to players by being struck by a bowl of great hardness. The Sydney expert merely puts it in different words, where ho says: "The impact force is independent of the hardness, and is the same with a wooden bowl as any other bowl, as long as the weight and snecd arc the same." He continues: "The hardness, however, will play its part when we consider its wearing qualities. Undoubtedly, the bowl possessing the greater hardness will survive better, and any grit will ■damage the harder bowl less than the softer. The knocks to which the bowls are subjected in ordinary play will have less cffcct on the harder bowl. This does not necessarily mean that the harder bowl will damage the softer one, but it does mean that one wooden bowl will cause more wear to another wooden bowl than will one composition -bowl to another composition bowl."

My expert, however, without having made the Brinoll test on these bowls himself. is of a different opinion, and -contends that if the Brinell number is correct, as furnished to the president of the Dunedin Centre, the harder bowl is certainly likely to damage the wooden, probably without suffering any damage itself.

The Sydney expert continues: "If hardness were an indication of the damage done to another bowl, then any wooden bowl would affect a bo\yl made of soit rubber, but this is obviously a fallacy. The elasticity comes into the picture here. In spite of its greater hardness, the bowl objected to in New Zealand (Honsehte) is more elastic, I find by examination, than ■a wooden bowl. A simple test has shown me this: Drop a wooden bowl, and one of these complained of, on to a concrete floor, and see which bounces the higher. I find that the bowl objected to is homogeneous, and shows a uniionn structure in each direction, whereas the wooden bowl varies in its properties according to the grain, and 1 would say that this demonstrates the superiority of the composition article. It may be useful and interesting to note that when the two bowls are bounced on to the concrete floor the wooden one shows a much more distinct mark than the other." . _ Another point not mentioned m JJunedin is the different effect of what is commonly called the "yard-011" shot. Some players contend that when they play a wood to gently press out a composition, the latter hardly moves, but their own wicks oft", whereas when the composition hits their wood the latter is pushed out and the composition gets the shot. Of course, this may be pure fancy, and it may be entirely due to a difference in the weight, and not th£ material. The moral to be drawn from these observations seems to be that actual trials under expert supervision should bo made. The New Zealand Bowling Councill will be meeting next week within a few hundred yards of Auckland University College, where there are all the appliances for making every test required. These are the days when university experts are beginning to be recognised as essential to the welfare of the community, and the council will incur the risk of ma.ting an unfortunate mistake if lay opinions'- arc accepted instead of the practical results of expert experiments. INTER-CLUB GAMES. ELLERSLIE V. GREY LYNX. Diggers' Badges (at Ellorslie, KUcrslle names first). —(irilfin, Whyte, G. Wood, H. L .Toll J2, v. Mason, Cunningham, Caddy, Preston 19. JIT. EDEN V. MT. ALBERT. At Mt. Eden (Mt. Eden names first). — Wicksteed, Walker, Harlnnd. Bacon 1!), v. Fawcett, Baxter, Morrison, Humphreys 12. ONEHUNGA V. TE PAPATA. At Onohunga (Onehunga names first). — Keeling, I.aing, Collin, Cross _11, v. Johnston, Newman, Moore, Moon 17. CLUB GAMES. OXEIIUNGA GREEN. Ordinary Draw.—Smethurst, Mann, McMaster 21, v. Stephens, Ferguson, West (i. Silver Roosters. — Turnbull, A. Brown. L. Bray, S. Vella 11, v. Pople, Neale, Ross, Livingstone 23. MT. EDEN GREEN. Winter Fours. — Delamore, Watson, J. Smith, Almno 12, v. Cowan, Stevens, R. Morrison, Dignan 10. WHANGAREI CLUB. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WITANGAREI, Saturday. There was an attendance of 30 members at the annual meeting of the Whangarei Bowling Club last night. It was reported that the club commenced with a debit balance, but the season closed with a small credit. The election of officers resulted : Patrons, Messrs. F. Mnnder and A. .T. Murdoch, M.P.; president, Mr. T. J. Evans; vicepresidents, Messrs. R. H. Allan and G. H. Harrison ; secretary and treasurer, Mr. G. H. Morrish ; green umpire, Mr. P. A. Judd; auditor, Mr. D. L. Smedley; club coaches, Messrs. G. Munns and M. Whitelaw ; match committee, Messrs. K. H. Allan, F. Eceles and G. Harrison : committee, Messrs. W. .1. Orr, F. Eecles, G. Wilding, J. 11. Marwick and F. Cutfortli. It was decided to retain the existing svstem for the club fours, the constitution of each team being left to the discretion of the match committee. Ihe champion singles will be on the "two-life svstem; and in the handicap pairs there will be sealed handicaps.