THE DOOR OPENED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 592, 21 August 1909, Page 3

THE DOOR OPENED.

FOR THE m BOWLINQ TOURNAMENT. '■~'. ..... ENTRIES UNUMTTED. \ v /..'. .' \ :-'7 A meeting'of the council, of the Northern Bowling Association was held ilastercning in the clubhouse of the Wellingtori Bowlikg Club, ■ for-the purpose of deciding on theiorm of play ~' .;j for the. 1910 tournament, commencing in. Wei- ' lington on Monday, January 10, 1910. Colonel ■B. J. Collins presided over the mooting, which comprised about 35 - : • : ' In the- oircuiar, which had been eont out ■'■'■' to the clubs informing them of the notices.of '.- motion to be discussed at tho meeting, it yaa '|--- pointed out that if tho two-rink eystem were, ■ ' i • abolished at future tpurnaments, it wouldmean that; ckampion fours or biennial tournaments hold in the smaller centres would be don«'away , ' with. It was also pointed out thai entortain-' . moat; eipenees of future tournaments would be met by,raising tho.entrance fee for members ■.; V tatang part from 2s. 6d. to 12s. 6d., the extra .-"■ ilos. f per' man being used to defray the entcr--tainment expenses. ■ . . .-. .-: ".'-•. Comment was made on the fact that the'eeoretary (Mr. J.;H. Mentiplay), had sent.to the ; - clubs moro than the mere notices of motion. ' - . From the words, which had been added, said. one delegate, it would'appear that tho new ',-•)• system, if adopted, would apply at all future ' ; tournaments, whereas it had been distinctly ;' • r understood. that the "open-door" system was to. apply only:at tho coming tournament as;a■■'■ ' trial. Other members considered that, the '■■: secretary had : not gone far enough, and" Mr.. ;■ T. Bush said that he was largely responsible for the inolusion of the explanatory notes; .'■■ Eeplies from the olubs were r«ad by the secretary. Eighteen expressed themselves in far- Uour of the "open-door" policv. and.22 were ; ' opposed to the introduction .of : the/ Bcheme. ;" ; Nelson -Club' suggested that representation, ehould be in proportion to membership.. Th» two-rink 1 system, the club said, did * not gito the larger clubs a fair chance, and the ''open- ; door^ , system would mean -the swamping;of-v tournaments. It was suggested that, one'rink ■ should be allowed for every 100 members, Witt ; ; a maximum of throe riuks from: any. cltib. , - ,;. Mi. J. J. Boberts moved, according to /no , . tioe. given :-r.. '"■'. \ '~■,..',.. -,'-'■,■.■! ■:■•,!'',''■,■ '.: ! , That al the tournament'.to be held,in: - .;. ■ Wellington in January next, under ths aus- : ■ '■;■■.)■■■, pioesot-the Northern Bowling Association,",. clubs\ may- enter one' or more rinks 5 as,- .':: ■.. they, think fit. ' i.- ; ;. ;.'", ■■;";;':' V'f -,'■:'■ :'' ; ■ :; Mr. Ebberts considered that the 'resolution ' should apply • only- to the coming tournament : Eβ said tnat';tho fee of. 12s. 6£ would ■■■ pro- ■■■':■ jjably keep out a number,, and he did not ,'ex- ;'. / 'poet entries would exceed about one hundred. It was , not possible formany bowlers>to obtain . '.■■; seven's days 'holiday.-. Some eaid H that a'eix- ■ ' teen-rink > gamo was not a game.;' While A ad- ' ] mittiug that,\ne was firmly of opinion that , ; play could be' arranged ,satisf aoborily,; ■;-..Z-: • :MT,:;R.>Motb.ea (Pctono) secondod •'the mo-: • tion.'.,-' -,-,' '■'","'.'-'' '■ ■ : ;; '',- " : ' ■'•'■'■.'.■'",'■■■■■'.'•■ ; ;: : ■Mr. ; Geddes said' that,inithe. South Island, .. ;: in the Commonwealth, and in the Old-.Couh-; try, the practice was to allow as many rinks ■;' - as could ,i>e' conveniently' accommodated. That, ■ ; : . •■.;.' surely, , was' sufficient recommendation-.to{,in- ' : duce the Northern' Bowling ',- Aseaciation- ' to., ,:u adopt' the "open-door" policy. .The speaker ,' '■; prophesied, the disorganisation of the Northorn :',, ■-'•'■ Bowling' Association, and the establiahment of'.-.;: •'■•■:: '■:', a; moro progressive body, if the 6tep- were hot :',;. ■ ;. taken- promptly. , ■'■ .' '■ ,' .'-.-i-'..' '. ■■:■.■ ■'-." -■'■■:,•-' ~:: v . On behalf o( the Carlton.Cluli,.Mr. E. J. 1 :;; ' <:: Hill supported the motion. The' , "open-door", \ '■; ■'■■■ . system would be a good: thing for the "country '/ ■ olubstjHe had known , of small olubs enrolling y ~ bowlers specially tor, a single tournament' "■ i, ■-■;'■'■■■'■ Mr. Haybittle referred to a query in the let- _■' . ter- from-, the Nelson ; Club , . Is the 'matter to . ! ; >■;■ bedeoldedby the delegates attending the meet- ; - ; ing.'.or by the olubsP, ; ' v ;, ": v "■'■" '''.'' ; ■.'■-. ■'■■ r. . ■ The chairman ruled that; th« vobng wesin .;.';< the'hands of,the>delegates only. The.letters '■ '.'■■,, sent in by the clubs,were : 'mewly expreesionl ; '-,■-..; ; , of opinion; Delegates should be S present : to •' ',.-, .'•■ undortako" tho : representation of, their dubs. ■' ■; ■ Members protested that, if the'letters fromclubs, were not. allowed to.weigh,", a number,, of ■'..-. :; the olubs not represented by. delegates would,'; : , ; be disfranchised. •;':'. • ' . .'>■ - •:' / .-.■ V -~'■, : •Mr. Dixon, renreeenting tie PoneonbyClub,, •■■.:/,. said that he had ; instructions whioh haa been ; framed at a special meeting,called to consider ■ ;•' the question. Probably many other clubs had ■•■■■';'■ taken ' the same course,' and their opinions would not be allowed, to.influence the »ssue"if • '~■ tlieir delegates failed to.attend. If .the' replies ~ of the clubs' were not to be taken intoat- ■;.'.:,';'.■ count, why. had' the .secretary \'said.'in , the ■'v,. oirbular:,"! would ask that;you:give the Jriat.'. ter your very , careful, and prompt tion, aVid advise me club's decision before the date' of .the. meeting"? ■:-'<:: : ■ Mr! Bell' said that tho 1 clnb which he,re« . ' prese.uled'had been- influenced :by the 6ecre : . tary/s'remarks'.in the'circular; and' had/do; .-,■ . cided to" oppose /the; motion.' .\ Under thoso'cir-... . oumstaricee, he declined to carry- out his,'ih-, '',','.■ structions: to'vote.■ •.'-■-.".•'.•■-.,•".■; ' .. ' The resolution was earned: by '20 votes ■fo .'bit. A.'. Campbell then withdrew the motion ■ v ■.: of which he had givenmotice: "That the pre- '; ■ "sent tivc-rink system be abolished, and inlieu ;',-, ■'•.'■ thereof' the number,of ientries; be unlimited, ■ and Mr. J. Bush was allowed to withdraw bia proposal"from'ooneideratiou':: "That .there'be no alteration :• in the present system of play' , ;:,/ < at the■ coming tournamentf, that. , prior to the r ' /tournament all olubs.be oirculansed to the efr ." feet that, it ie BURgcsted an amendment in the , rink play be. made on the lines of rink'iijay. y ■■;•> instead of.dub play; that it is proposed fully/ . ■ to:'discuss ■ the question a special mass ; meeting of all bowlers, present at tbo tourna- ~'■;.. ': mentj and that each.club be asked to instruct ■■■; : .;.",, its delegate or delegates as to their wishes in :., : the matter; :and they to 'vote accordingly, at this'meeting,";;' ll ■": ■. -j 1 ■ •.i.- ' • .■•'■;- .-:■'[:■-.'■