BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 117, 11 February 1926, Page 12

BOWLS

(By

"No. 3.”)

PAIRS TOURNAMENT IN ... SUSPENSE (By “No. 3.”) Following up what was mentioned in last week’s notes, it is interesting to learn in regard to the proposed pairs tournament at Easter that the discontent with the centre’s decision to hold such a tournament in lieu of granting permission to the eastern clubs to hold a rink tournament, is still rife. So emphatic is the feeling at the unpremeditated action of the centre, that a special meeting of that bodv has been called for Tuesday next, when the matter will be reopened. I have the personal assurance from Mr. Meadowcroft that he was not influenced by South Island opinion in favour of pairs in proposing a tournament here at Easter. The only consideration he had .was a financial one, and he still believed that such a tournament would prove very interesting to many players -m. the centre. "Veterans’ Day” is to be held on the Wellington Club’s green on Tuesday, and from what can be gathered round the greens there is likely to be a good entry of players 70 yeais of age and ’•ver. Interest will be added to tlit occasion by the inclusion of a veterans’ rink from the British party, now participating of the hospitality of the local clubs. Many of the visitors will not leave for Home until the end of next week. This team will be skipped by, McDougal, who will have with him Provost R. Watson as lead, D. Morrison as No. 2, and Inglis No. 3. Thev are a good lot, and should give a good account of themselves after the strenuous training of the last three months. About twenty-five members of the British team will leave by the Aorangi for Canada, en wute to the Old Country, next week, some will leave by the lonic on February 17, and others return to Sydney to catch a steamer that will call at Cape Town. Mr. Walter Wake, the manager of the team, and Mrs. Wake, have determined to stay in New Zealand fot another month, as they have several friends to visit before they finally leave for the Old Country. This will entail a visit to Christchurch and probably one to Napier, where Mr. Wake desires to renew his acquaintance with Mr. Renouf, of that town, who was almost the only member of the 1921 New Zealand team he had not met.

Chatting on th.’ Victoria green on Monday, Mr. Wake said that their visit to New Zealand had been one of especial pleasure. This country had been one of many surprises to them all. it seemed wonderful that a place that was practically a virgin country oniv eighty years ago could have made such progress. It only went tp show that we were living in a rather surprising age, for in no other age could it have been possible. The people of New Zealand had been most hospitable everywhere, and their visit to this favoured spot would be lovingly remembered for a very long time to come.

The visit of representative rinks from the Marlborough Centre has been postponed until the middle of March. An earlier date had been suggested by the local centre, but correspondence elicited the news that the date named was scarcely suitable, as it coincided with the date of the local race meeting, which shows that in Blenheim the bowlers aie broadminded in their sportsmanship. At least one of the British team of bowlers is not playing in any of the matches in Wellington. This is the genial Walter Wake, tile manager c f the team. He is suffering from “Prince of Wales’ cramp” in the right hand as the result of an overplus of perfervid hand-shaking - in the South Island. This has so affected the muscles and tendons of his third and little finger that he has not been able to handle a bowl for a fortnight past, and, whilst in Wellington, all h's hand-shaking has been done with his left hand. As he has been medically advised that his hand will not be normal for a month, he will leave New Zealand with tangible proof of the penalty of popularity.