Bowls

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 30, 30 October 1929, Page 8

Bowls

“No. 3")

(By

KELBURN AND THORNDON CLUBS TRAINING FOR PENNANT. Bowlers are now engaged in club competitions or playing trial games. They were lucky to be able to play last Saturday, for the preceding day gave promise of a bad week-end. However, the rain held off, but the temperature was such that few were persuaded to don their flannels. Tliomdon Club. President J. Kilgour must be feeling very pleased about the condition of the green at Thorndon Club, for it has rarely looked better. It is well sheltered, too, and playing conditions on Saturday were warmer than at Kelburn, where. it was decidedly cool, for there it is somewhat open. The southern end of the Thorndon green should be a pretty sight when all the passion flower plants arc in bloom. They are not the variety one sees in the shops, the fruit being more like a small cucumber. They fruited well last year. Trials for Roses. There were 16 or 18 rinks playing in the-, trial, games for the Roses competition, which will fill the.bill for the next two Saturdays. On November 16, all chibs will be engaged in the senior pennant event; .Although «some bowlers do not like the 'presents system of running the competition, it is the decision of the club delegates, so it means. that the majority of the clubs arc satisfied with it. Veterans Stand Down.

There were one or two veterans playing on Saturday, Mr. Stanford being one, but two or three of the oldest members who played last season are not actively participating this year. One of these is Mr. Medley, who is in his 86th year, and looks wonderfully well. He is an old Civil servant who put in many years in the Prisons Department and Immigration Department. His earlier years were spent in the Taranaki district, of which he has many interesting recollections. He is one of tho old volunteers, and his father was one of the pioneersj who arrived in New .Zealand in 1840. For soind years past Mr. Medley has be.en one of the Thorndon representatives in the special tournament held on Veterans’ Day, and has figured in the winning. rink more than once. Dominion Tourney.

A good many bowlers are nuikins arrangements to take part in the Dominion tournament at Dunedin. Kelburn will be fairly strongly represented, and may have four or five rinks in. At present it is known that three rinks will be going, in which the skips will be T. Gray, J. Do,herty. and A. Lomas.. J. Lowry is nt present uncertain. The club has been playing social games'on Saturdays up to now. but was engaged in progressive pairs on Labour Day. The club is playing Woburn to-day at Kelburn, in the mid-week fixtures. and on Saturday will be playing in the Lloyd. Cup, for which the members have entered largely. Next week a start will be made on the champion rinks. General Notes. Much sympathy was expressed on the Kelburn green' on Saturday with Mr. H. Stephens in his serious illness, which has necessitated his goiug into hospital. The hope was expressed among his club-mates that he would soon be back amongst them again. Mr. T. Caughley. for many years a member of Kelburn Club, who went to the islands as Director of Education, is expected in Wellington before Christinas for an extended holiday. He will join his obi club wlille here, and will also take part in the Dominion tournament at Dunedin. Kelburn Club members arc enrolling strongly for the club games. There are already 12 rinks entered for the champion rinks, and there will probably be two or three more before the list closes. In the pairs there are 27 entries, and 37 in the singles, with only six In the junior champion singles. There are equally good entries in the rinks competition for the Lloyd Cup, and the pairs event for the Wilson Cup. Labour Day. The clubs were engaged in friendly games or club competitions on Labour Day. Otaki Visitor, Mr.-Scott, president of the Otaki Bowling Club, which transferred its affiliation from Wellington Centre to Manawatu, whs a visitor to Eastbourne green at the end ;of the Week, arid was provided with a pleasant ..game. He has promised to come down again with-a couple of strong rinks, and two Eastbourne rinks arc to return the visit later in the season. Eastbourne Club. Eastbourne Bowling Club has about 80 members and 40 associate members, who find the week-end at this popular resort very pleasant, A. Lulham, of Wellington Club, who-is an associate member, had his first game at Eastbourne this season at the week-end, when E. Liddle was the victim. The-club has four rinks in the senior pennant, and are drawn to play Victoria first,-two home and two away. H. E. Gilbert, one of the bowlers who fathered the midweek competition, is taking two teams to play Central at Petone to-day. Vice-President H. E. Card has presented a bowls badge for the winners of the junior singles. The “Toms v. Arthurs” match will take place later in the season. The “Toms” will probably be Tom Locke, Tom Inglis, Tom Burgess, and Tom Birkett, and the “Arthurs" will be Arthur Munro, Arthur Allen, Arthur Duff, and Arthur Liddle. Lower Huth The members are now installed in their new pavilion, which is a big improvement on the old one. Apart from the room occupied by the two billiard tables, there is a dance floor 40 x, 20, a new locker and dressingroom has been provided, a kitchen and a secretary’s office. In addition, the tennis people have been provided with a club room fitted with two shower baths. The new veranda is a much more pretentious affair, its only disadvantage being that it will throw a shadow on the green towards evening time, but one enn not have everything in this world. At one time the club could have acquired a rear section on the south side of the green, and have built the pavilion there; but the opportunity has now gone by. The alterations cost about £5OO. Pass the Salt.

The following advice—with ■which it is necessary to take the proverbial pinch of salt—is tendered to bowlers in a wellknown city club. The advice is framed and hung on the wall in the locker room:— Never be afraid to take the green. There is no charge for it. If you are short, pretend you played for a block, even if no one believes you. Never refuse to play No. 2. A good player in this position wins more games than he loses, and can make or mar the game. He can also tell the skip how it should have been done.

The skip should never show his team how much green to take. He may think he is helping, but he is really causing profanity. The skip who makes his team play on the blocked hand and keeps the open one for himself so ns to get the credit for drawing the shot, deserves all he gets, and usually gets it. The skip who walks up after every bowl to see the head, pays his No. 3 a high compliment. The latter should reciprocate by taking a stroll round the green to see if the flowers are growing. There is not enough exercise in bowls. The skip should never grumble at. ins men. Thev can the more easily forgive when he falls himself, as he so often does. The team has generally most cause for complaint. After the match has been won, the skip should always take full credit to himself for scoring the victory. When the game is lost he should blame his team. This means that the skip may hold liis job for six months, while the team is cliopoed to pieces. It is also the reason for some of out present skips.' . .1 , The honeysuckle hedge on the north side and its snug littje arbours have disappeared. The hedge kept the sun off the green too much, so it was removed nnd replaced bv a wire fence set further back. The proof of the pudding was iu the eating, for the edge - of the green has Improved greatly since then. The old green is being used fot the principal games present, and is in grind nick, although they never know when the old enemy, the grass grub, is going to play havoc. At one time it was thought the green would have to be taken out and relald. The second green did not receive much in the way ot top dressing during the winter, but when the eight rinks on the old green are fully occupied, the surplus goes on to No. 2. Old and New. Several new members have enrolled and the roll of active inembers still includes W. Hendry, W. Hodgins nnd A. Macaskill, foundation members in 1903. Another of the founders, Charles Trevethick has joined the great majority since last season, and E. Yates, another old member, was also removed by death. Woburn Green.

well, seeing that it is only just entering upon its second season. For a new club its membership ot about 60 is quite good, and they have entered for the senior pennant, in which they will be playing two home and two away. They have also joined the mid-week competition. If outward appearances go for anything President Mulholland is to be congratulated on (.lie progress made. Brothers Redmond. The brothers G. and J. Redmond are expected back from Australia before long. Air. G. Redmond is a member of Victoria Club and Air. J-. Redmond of Wellington Club. They do a great deal in the direction.of keeping the New Zealand and Australian Bowling Associations in touch with each other. They usually migrate to Australia for'the winter mouths, and any New Zealanders crossing to .Sydney in the winter time will always find their help and advice at their disposal. A Pioneer. Mr. Arthur Dixon, of Victoria Club, is the only playing pioneer member left of those., who founded the club 32 years ago. The others have retired from active participation or have joined the' great majority.