BOWLS Umpire Complains Of N.Z. Tourney Facilities

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 15

BOWLS Umpire Complains Of N.Z. Tourney Facilities

Two aspects of the 1962 Dominion bowling tournament which concerned umpires were raised at a meeting of the Christchurch Bowling Centre last evening by Mr C. T. Lascelles, who represents the umpires’ association on the centre. The association was disturbed al occurrences at the Opawa green, headquarters for the tournament, said Mr Lascelles The umpire at the Opawa green, Mr D. Dickson, had had papers from his table thrown to the ground twice and his blazer thrown on the green and was "very put out about it.’’

The other malter, which Mr Lascelles said was purely personal, concerned the green at which he had umpired during the tournament He had telephoned the club secretary concerned before the tourna-

ment to see whether facilities for umpires were arranged and had received no satisfaction.

”1 was told they don’t do that for every Tom. Dick and Harry—only for the secretary of the centre.” said Mr Lascelles. Secretaries of clubs should co-operate more with umpires, he said. The president of the centre (Mr F. W Larcombe) said there had been ample opportunities at Opawa for Mr Dickson to voice any complaints he may have had. As umpire at the green he had had a table roped off for his use "I personally was running after Mr Dickson to have hi* lunch," said Mr Larcombe. ‘‘He wasn't very co-opera-tive." Opening Ceremony The president of the Christchurch centre should have been invited to speak at the opening ceremony of the tournament, said the junior vice-president (Mr W. W Brough). He said he had raised the matter at a meeting of the tournament committee before the championships and had been told that this was not done by the New Zealand Bowling Council. The president of the host centre should be given the opportunity to welcome visiting competitors on behalf of local bowlers, Mr Brough said. It was in the nature of a slight to the Christchurch centre for this not to be agreed upon Mr J. R. Smith, a national councillor, said there was no question of a slight to anyone in not inviting the president of the Christchurch centre to speak. It was not usual for the president of the host centre to speak at the opening of a Dominion tourney. “It is a New Zealand Bowling Association tournament and the New Zealand president does the job," said the national president (Mr W. R. Featherston).