Bowls TWO TOURS BY AUSTRALIANS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28434, 14 November 1957, Page 4

Bowls TWO TOURS BY AUSTRALIANS

N.Z. Association’s Objection

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 13.

The New Zealand Bowling Association is opposed to tours for bowlers organised commercially by the New Zealand Government Tourist Department. It has sent circulars to affiliated associations, advising that it views with alarm the possible future development of such tours. It has also communicated with the Australian Bowling Council which, according to the circular, shares its views. The circular and other correspondence were received at a meeting last night of the Wellington centre. The circular refers to earlier advice of two tours of New Zealand by Australian bowlers, both sponsored and organised by the New Zealand Government Tourist Department, without consultation with either the New Zealand or the Australian bowling councils.. One tour is to start on February 19 in Auckland and finish on March 17. The other is to start in Wellington on February 4 and end on March 3. The circular adds: “It appears the Tourist Department is now communicating with centres to ask them to arrange matches at least for the first party. “The matter of these tours has been reviewed by the executive of the association and has been discussed in correspondence with the secretary and executive of the Australian Bowling Council. “As none of these commer-cially-organised tours has the officii approval of either the Australian Bowling Council or this assoIciation. there is no obligation on any centre or club to entertain the visitors. Centres or clubs may, however, do so if they wish.” The New Zealand association says that it has authorised a strong protest in writing to the general manager of the Tourist Department “at its attempts to use the bowling clubs in New Zealand as hosts for the department’s organised tours.’’