BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 54, 27 November 1929, Page 8

BOWLS

(By “ No> 3")

PETONE WANT NEW ENTRANCE VETERANS AND COLTS'

The first round of the senior pennants had given Eastbourne the place of honour with 100 per cent, wins, and Hataitai and Karori equal, second, with 80 per cent. It was a harder task for the last-named to secure 100 per cent, with ten games than for Eastbourne to do so with four. Nevertheless, the Eastbourne performance was a good one, winning two home and two away. Seatoun and Lyall Bay both made a poor showing with 25 per cent., otherwise the performances of the other clubs were fairly even, except I’limmerton, who lost both their games, for their first appearance in the pennants. There are nine, clubs playing ten or more rinks each in the pennants, four clubs with four each, and five with eight. Possibly the percentages system is as equal as any other way of scoring, but it is harder for Wellington, with sixteen rinks, to win all games than for those with eight or less to win that number. On the other hand, one loss .in eight means a loss of 12j per cent., but one in sixteen halves the loss; on the other hand, eacli win in eight counts 121 P er cent., while each loss in sixteen is 6-J per cent. Victoria is not likely to recede from the pennants after the one experience, for the general run of members consider that the matches with other clubs are the salt of the game.

Working the Percentages. It was a bothering task finalising the results of the last pennant games, but it will be harder still next week, when the second lot of games have to be added and the averages made up for the two games. When the secretaries make their returns for the press and also for the centre they should give their percentages for the, two rounds combined, and not merely for the games to be played next Saturday. The returns from one club gave the percentages for each of the clubs they were playing against, instead of the percentage for the whole of the pennant games played. For instance, last week Wellington won eight games out of 16 —50 per cent. If they win 12 out of 16 next' Saturday their percentage must be worked out on 20 wins out of 32, which is per cent. Petone’s International.

Petone have an International bowler in their membership in J. E. Gowland, who came from Newcastle on Tyne to make his home in New Zealand . two years ago. He won the English singles championship in 1925, and played as an International in 1925-6-7.

Supporter of Scouts. W E. Pawson, many.’ years a member ‘of Central Club, wears four badges on his club blazer—the British Bowlers Badge, Victorian 8.A., Leicester (England), and his own club badge. The Leicester badge was sent by the member of the British team against whom he played, a courtesy which was generally exchanged when the. British bowlers were here. The Central player was also_wearing a fifth badge—not bowling—the Frinee of Wales Feathers in greenstone, the badge of a Seouts supporter, which he lias, been from the .beginning of the movement. Two of his sons were King s Seouts, one also serving as a scoutmaster for some years, and the second has only just resigned ' as assistant scoutmaster, Had the Wind Up.

When the Petone Club was formed in 1897-9 S, if the founders had had, a little more foresight and had bought’ the whole section right through to Jackson Street, including the present green, they could have had the whole lot lor J-“ e y were a bit dubious, however, in case it did not take on, so bought the back section for To-day the front in Jackson Street, with a frontage of about 120 ft., is worth at least £SO a toot, which would have been a nice little .nest egg. However, they have a narrow strip about 10ft. wide giving entrance from Jackson Street, and they could get a lair price for this, but they cannot let it go unless thev can get access from elsewhere. At present this cannot be secured. A section in Kensington Avenue has been handed over to the Borough Council for I luuket purposes, and a building for a Hunket institution is to bo. built in the near future. It was thought that the Bowl-, ing Club might secure the right of access to the green across this, property, but up to now the local authority-says it has not the power to do it. The present access is worth £SOO for building pur** P< Dr?‘ W. Kerr Hislop called the first meeting which led to the 'formation of the Petone Club, and was past president. Thev played for two years on a paddock in Brittania Street, until the present, green was constructed under the .direction of A. Cowie, another foundation member, the only one who still remains a member of the club. He also supervised the construction of the green at Central Club, which up to that'time was an eyesore but is now a fine area for bowls, croquet and tennis. Other Petone veterans are G. D. McEwan A. Coles, W. Melhuish, F. Laurie, Arthur Cometti and A. Carter. The last is not able to play now owing to detective eyesight, although he is often a spectator; but the others are still goingstrong.

Colts Comißc On.

Petone’s membership has: fallen off a little since the transfer of the woodwork section of the railway workshops to. Auckland. Things are improving again, however, for about a dozen new members have joined. They have’some promising colts, particularly the junior pennant team—•'Weston, Weir, Flaher and' Gough—and they can hold their own with some of the seniors. They were due for a try-but on Saturday afternoon, for after the tea interval they made a start on the club rinks, which is to find the champion rink for the centre championship. A couple of rounds in the singles and pairs have already been played, the winners of which will also qualify for the centre championships as well as receiving trophies from the club. Petone’s Leaders.

T. McArthur is president of the Petone. Club, of which his brother, P. McArthur, is also a member. His vice is O. Silver and C. Seddon looks after the secretarial duties. . Charles Harman, ,the past-presi-dent, is- a delightful host when- visitors apiiear on the scene. A. R. Gillespie, of Dannevirke Bowling. Club, and excouncillor of that borough, was a visitor at the green over the week-end.. H. H. Blake is a play-writer as well as a bowler. He has written a comedy, “The House of Trouble,” which is to take the boards at Petone Palace- Theatre in January. It has ten characters and two acts.

Petone bowlers look smart in their new colours and blazers, green, red and black, a change from the old blue which so many others use. On Eastbourne Green.

In a rink game the skips were going down and the others were going up to the head of the green. There were two or three bowls which appeared to be tieing for first place, and the other players were hanging around the head to ascertain which was the shot. “There are only two number threes on the green,” remarked one. The hint was enough. The rest got on the bank. . A player at the week-end. on Eastbourne green was wearing a Victoria blazer and a Kelburn hat band over a band of another colour.

H. E. Card has given a very niee showcase for a collection of club badges, and it already contains 37. mostly New Zealand, but a few from Australia and Great Britain. Visitors are requested to add to the collection if their badge.is.not already there.

Mr. T. J. Thompson, of Masterton, and a member of the bowling club there, has just disposed of his business interests and - has bought a home at Eastbourne. As soon as he can sell his house at Masterton. he is going to reside in He

is,'by the way, a brother of ex-councillor J. F. Thompson, of Wellington .City Council. and a member of Wellington Bowling Club. He was given a friendly game at Eastbourne at the week-end. Johnsonville.

Johnsonville-played Khandallah the first leg of three in the Jerusalem Cup on Saturday and won. They hold the trophy as ■ last year’s winners, but Khandallah have not given up hope of pulling off the other two. Bowlers will not take this too literally. Johnsonville has increased its membership this year, but has room for one or two more. .

Ten Rinks Hard. Central find it hard to .find ten rinks for the Pennant games, for having to spread the good'players over the lot, it means a good deal of levelling-down, and the standard of I’cnnant play is perhaps not quite so high .as it would-be .with two rinks less. -It is Worked but bn a membership basis, -sb they have ,to put up with it. . ’"

J. Howatt (Central) has secured some new bowls, and ■ C. Fisher has followed suit. ' Audy Bell, their club,-mate, has been promoted to skip and has justified his selection. He's a promising colt. The Central junior Pennant team—Rush, Wenscote, D. Lauder, (no relation to Harry), and Ronan —won. last week: : Central’s veteran team. for. the Veterans’ Day match will probably-be* Tbrii-Henry,. T. 'Green, A. Jansen and D. Burke. The second'is the father of Clem Green, the well-known Rigby halt-back, and was one of the few who’initiated, trotting in the South Island. The course .was down at Island Bay iii those days, for it had not become a residential area then. *, Like-father, like son—really they look mote like brother’s—W. V. Ridley, of Central, is following -in his'father’s footsteps, and has been bo'wling for five years now, but Ridley, sen), is a member of Hatai-' tai Club. No doubt they will meet on even terms before the season is through. The Hutt Valley Banner.

The Hutt Valley Banner, at present held by Petone 8.C.. Is played for amongst the five Hutt clubs—Central, ■ Petone, M oburn, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt—and creates keen competition. Lower Hutt won it last year, and a series of games is played for it three times a season. Hntt Valley Tourney.

The entrance fee for the Hutt Valley New Year tournev on January 1,2 and 4 is onlv 5/-. which will include afternoon tea, just half the fee for the Centre Christmas 'and New Year tourney, for which the entrance fee is 10/-. But'the Hutt people do not seek to make any money out of it, while the .profit from the Centre tourney goes to the general fund. ■