BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 75, 22 December 1926, Page 9

BOWLS

(By “No. 3.”)

With only 43 rinks entered, only (our greens will be necessary to accommodate the players in the Wellington Centre’s tournament, to commence on Monday next. The greens used will be those of the Wellington, Thorndon, Victoria, and Hataitai Clubs, whereas last year the Newtown and Kelburn Clubs’ greens had to be commandeered. The faJling-away from 60 to 43 rinks has occasioned considerable comment in the various clubs, and no one seems to be able to account for it, apart from the surmise that the disagreeable weather experienced so far this season has taken the heart out of a good many bowlers, who do not wish to pledge themselves to three days’ play in unfavourable conditions. Bowls is essentially a fine weather game, but the number of fine week-ends since the opening of the season has been negligible, and the keenness to get on the green has been blunted by conditions over which nobody has any control. The paucity of entries should not, however, deter those who have entered from having a really enjoyable time—providing, always, that the weather is fine.

As it has been decided Io celebrate Veterans’ Day during the second week in March, the centre agreed that the event could be made unusually auspicious if the powers that be could induce the Duke of York to visit the Wellington Club’s green for some twenty minutes or so during fire afternoon. Doubtless His Royal Highness will have many engagements to fulfil during his three days’ visit to Wellington, but it would be bestowing a great honour on the bowling community, and , the older bowlers of the district in particular, if such a visit could be brought about. The centre has been advised that every consideration will be given to its request. Another club has been added to the Wellington Centre in that of Plinimerton, which was opened in brilliant weather on Saturday last. Sir. J. Wright, the first president, who made the opening speech, is convinced that the formation of the new sports ground (which include tennis courts and croquet lawns) will usher in a new era for Plimmerton, and he looks forward to the time when the green will be the most popular on the coast. The grounds are ideally situated on the flat alongside the main road. The green will be able to accommodate eight rinks comfortably when in proper order, but only two were available for play on The running surface is still on the rough side, but both hands on the rinks played upon seemed to play fairly accurately. A mistake lias been made in boarding the bank at the northern end, and until the boards are removed and the bank built up with sods t in the usual way, play on one way’ of tire green only is possible. The opening ceremonv was performed by Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., who congratulated the local residents responsible on the fine start made to provide good sports grounds in such a favoured spot. The Dominion tournament, which will open in Auckland on January 10, has attracted a record entry for the rinks. This consists of 170 rinks (680 players), who have been divided into seventeen sections of ten rinks each. The entries include rinks from Melbourne and Sydney. In his remarks prefacing the draw “Trutidler,” in the “Star,” says:— “The most striking feature is the systematic separation of the local players from the visitors in the singles, so that no visitors play against each other, and no visitors meet each other. Writing from memory, there were about 60 local competitors who met no visitors at all in the tournament held here four years ago, while several Wellington competitors met each other, and a few Christchurch players did also. That was the result of a blind draw, and this measure of control will be approved al) round, for it makes it more interesting for everybody. Of course, there is no surety that this will continue in the second and third rounds, for local may meet either local or visitors, but here, again, 'it is admirably controlled in one important respect—that no Dunedin players will travel a thousand miles to meet each other; they are all sorted out into different sections. In the rinks the same interesting principle is followed, each section being - half local and half visitors. Any inequality in numbers is easily adjusted by treating Waikato players as local or visitors, according to whether there are too many or too few visitors. By this means the sections are made more interesting, for every visiting team is assured of meeting five Auckland tinks, while every Auckland rink meets five rinks of visitors. This is in striking contrast with the experience four years ago, when some Auckland players met very few visitors.”