Around the Greens

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28492, 23 January 1958, Page 13

Around the Greens

Unbeaten in the second section of the Robinson Shield competition until last Saturday, the muchfancied New Brighton colts four skipped by C. Ell, was beaten badly by the unbeaten team of W. Merritt (Sumner). Merritt won 31-13. Sumner has yet to lose a game.

Once again titles eluded bowlers from Christchurch at a national tournament. Although several local players caused upsets by beating former title-winners and a few finished close to the finals, no Christchurch bowlers took part in a final. Of the 129 titles decided in 43 tournaments only four singles, six pairs and six four championships have been won by local bowlers. • A. L. Taylor, who. played so well in the national tournament, still has two lives in the Christchurch club fours championship. A. R. Alexander, who played number three for Taylor in the tournament, still has one life with his four. • R. Courtney played an outstanding game as a substitute lead for H. G. Ledgard’s Canterbury four last Saturday in the Three Fours competition. His play in the match against Shirley suggested that he will almost certainly retain his place in the four for the rest of the season.

Arthur Callaghan is leading the Canterbury club's fours championship at present and still has his two lives intact. He has, however, still to meet the four of W. A. Cooke, who has been playing very good bowls. Two members of that team, A. Marshall and A. Young, have been playing exceptionally well this season.

In only two of the 32 fours at the recent mixed lours tournament conducted by the Linwood ladies' club, did a woman have the last say. One team from Dallington was skipped by Mrs R. McCree. All the other fours were under the control of men. TTie Dallington combination, had great success, winning three games and losing the other by only two points—to a four skipped byG. Young. • A party of 140 Australian railwaymen, some of them accompanied by their wives, will arrive in Wellington next month to play seven test matches against New Zealand railway teams. The carnival will be held under the jurisdiction of the Australian-New Zealand Railways Bowling Institute and as it takes place in a different state every two years, it will be 16 years before another tournament is held in this country. During their visit the Australians will split up into parties to play against varidua North Island centres. Twenty-eight tourists will play the South Island railways representatives on the United green at Christchurch on February 22. The Australians will spend four or five days to Auckland before returning home.

According to Mr R. Hensell, an Australian visitor to the United States and Canada, nd progress has been made by bowls in these countries in recent years. The main * criticisms of bowls in the United States and Canada were that-the standard of bowling attire and the standard of bowling greens were poor. He claimed that any style of dress was permitted. even in championships, and that the lack of uniformity compared unfavourably with that of other countries. Mr Hensell said that the greens were heavy and bumpy although they were well grassed. Bowling membership in Canada had declined from 17,790 men and women to 1950 to 15,372 to 1956. • Bowling fixtures set down for the remainder of this month, are:—Thursday, January 83: Floodlight tournament at Beckenham. Saturday, January 25: Pennants and Three Fours, Robinson Shield. Sunday, January 26; South Brighton. Southbridge, R.8.A., Rangiora, Blccarton Racecourse and Rakala tournaments. Monday, January 87; Sydenham and Beckenham floodlight tournaments. Tuesday, January 38: Cashmere floodlight tewnamaeL %