Tournament in danger of lapsing

Press, 15 July 1985, Page 25

Tournament in danger of lapsing

The Garden City Classic fours, the big Christchurch cash bowls tournament which grew from the Canterbury club’s centenary two years ago, is in danger of lapsing. The tournament was included on the programme for next summer, from January 18 to 21, approved at the annual meeting of the Christchurch centre yesterday. However, the chairman of the match committee, Mr Arch Murray, said that this was no guarantee that it would take place. “To run a tournament of this size, and with a $lO,OOO first prize, a minimum of 220 entries are required for a profit to be shown. And last season we got less than 180, with a real battle to get this many,” said Mr Murray.

He said the centre was not interested in taking full responsibility for the tournament, as it had enough to do organising the regular programme. So far, Mr Murray said, no club had offered to act as the headquarters, and unless one did, or three or four clubs were prepared to work together on the project, he was doubtful whether it could be continued. “And this would be a shame, as I think we need a tournament of this type in Canterbury.” Mr Murray said that the tournament had been deliberately scheduled straight after the national championships in Christchurch in the hope that some visiting teams would stay on for it.

“But if the tournament is to continue there will have

to be urgent action, so that we can apply in time for a permit. I. would ask clubs to give the matter serious consideration in the next week or two,” he said. The meeting passed three of the eight remits put before it, although three of the five that failed were variations on the themes that were successful.

The first to be passed was for Manning Cup games to end at 4.30 p.m., or at the completion of 21 ends; the second provided for an increase from three to four selectors, with two selecting senior teams and two junior teams, and the third gives a new format for junior interclub play. The junior competition will be played in three divisions, with aggregate playing experience being

part of the selection. For division one the four players can have up to 20 years experience; for division two 16 years and for division three 10 years.

The former Robinson Shield competition for first and second-year players has been wiped. Two of Canterbury’s top bowlers, Wally Wilkinson and Travis Coup, failed in bids to be the senior selectors. They, along with Doug Shuker, were beaten for the two places by Ken Perry and Jack Gillespie.

Mr Coup was, however, elected to the junior panel where he will work with another leading player, Duncan White, who stood only for the junior’s position. Mr White has undertaken to give up inter-club play himself in order to concentrate on his new job.

A slight increase, of $1 a head, was made to all centre open tournament entries, with prizes also being increased — in the case of winners from $5O to $6O. Delegates received an early surprise with the reading of a letter of resignation from Mr Peter Rose, who has been a prominent officer of the centre for a number of years. Mr Rose said that he had also resigned from the council of the New Zealand Bowling Association, on which he has been a Christchurch representative since 1983. Mr Howard Smith was installed as the new president and in line with a decision taken earlier this year the executive was increased by two additional members. However, the extra two will only be associate members until such

time as the centre’s new constitution is approved ’by the New Zealand Bowling Association and the Registrar of Incorporated Societies. Officers: Senior vice-president, Mr D. E. Wood; junior vicepresident, Mr F. Mugford; executive, Messrs D. J. Brunton, E. Spicer, J. C. Swift, and F. W. Fiecken (the latter two the associate members); treasurer, Mr I. H. D. Ferguson; match committee, Messrs Wood, K. Perry, A. G. Murray, Brunton, J. D. Gillespie and Spicer; representative on the umpires’ association, Mr R. Forsyth. The annual report showed that the centre made a profit of $2840 last year, a drop of $272 on the previous year.