GAME OF BOWLS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 146, 17 March 1934, Page 21

GAME OF BOWLS

Sportsmanship on Green CHAMPION RINK INCIDENTS

(By

"Jack.”)

Easter is a little late in Wellington for tournament play. Probably that fact and the cold snap which we have been experiencing, is responsible for the meagre entry so far received tor the Easter rinks tournament being promoted by the Wellington Centre. For some years past there has been an Easter tournament managed by the three clubs ol the Wellington East suburbs — Hataitai, Lyall Bay and Seatoun. While admittedly this has been a three-green tournament only, the fixture has always been successfully managed, ami, as it has been open to all clubs within the Centre, it seems to have supplied practically all that was needed as a wind-up to the season. Why the Centre decided to come forward with an Easter tournament, and so put an end to the Eastern Suburbs event, has not been made very clear; but there was evidently some good motive in its action, and the Centre deserves all the support it can get from bowlers, and so help to make the Easter event a permanent season-cud fixture. It has been suggested that the fact that many bowlers leave Wellington to play elsewhere at Easter is the cause of the poor entry, but that scarcely explains why there were only 26 entries from eighteen or nineteen clubs. The date of the closing of entries has been deferred uutil today. Cliampiifn Kink.

The Hataitai Club is to be congratulated on again winning the champion rink contest of the Wellington Centre. 11ns club has an excellent record, and the fact that on this occasion there was only one member of the winning rink who has been concerned in previous victories of the kind, points to the fact that the club always has some good material at its disposal for big bowls. The exception referred to is Rowley Cometti, who has now eight championship marks to his credit. Cometti certainly played his part in the winning of the championship rinks this During the progress of the semi-final and final games on the Wellington green there were two sporting actions to which I would like to draw attention. One occurred in the Upper Hutt-Newtown

match. At one point in this game it was discovered that Upper Hutt’s No. 2, Greig, had only played one of his bowls, that being ascertained after the No. 3’s had played. The Newtown skip very graciously permitted Greig to play his second bowl, though he need not have done so. The reply to that gesture was equally sportsmanlike, for Greig, promptly played bis bowl into the ditch. The incident showed the spirit of sportsmanship on the part of that player, and also the Newtown skip, Webster. The other incident was the. action of Mudgway, the Upper Hutt skip, on the last head in the same game. Although he had two close up second shots, and practically laid the game, nnd was advised to leave the head alone altogether, he played right up to the head. It was a beautifully laid bowl, which lazily drifted up to one of his own second shots, gave it a friendly tap, and lay over toward the jack—the absolute shot. How many skips in such a position would have acted in this manner? It was evidently- not in veteran Mudgway’s composition to “play safe,” even though he had the game m hand. Such generous tactics make bowls the delightful game it is. Visit to Marlborough. Marlborough bowlers are noted for their hospitality. Wellington bowlers who have visited Pictou and Blenheim during the last six or seven years have always been given a great time, consequently there is never much difficulty in getting a team together to cross the Strait for a tilt at their Marlborough friends. This year at least half a dozen rinks will participate in the trip. They will leave here on Friday next and return on the following Sunday evening. .I do not know whether there is on this occasion an excursion down the Sounds on the Sunday, but usually that is the case, so that bowls should not be the only distraction for the trippers next week-end. Hensolite Bowls. The action of the Dunedin Bowling Centre in prohibiting the use of Heneelite bowls in tournaments and competitions under its control has interested the whole of the New Zealand bowling world. Mr. E. T. C. Falconer (president) said that the meeting had been convened to discuss the use of these bowls in the light of many complaints against them. At a previous meeting the centre had decided not to take any action, but since then there had been so many complaints that a special meeting had been called. A letter was read from the Caversham Club stating that after a full discussion by the club it had been decided that “in view of the damage that is being wrought by the Henselite bowl, the centre should take some action in the matter. Members of the club had reported damage to sets, and the club objects to the use, of bowls which are doing so much harm.” Mr. T. Smith (St. Clair) said that bowls had been damaged by Henselite bowls on his green, and in view of the championship games and Easter tournament the matter of their use should be decided. Mr. W. Gladding (St. Hilda) took the view that as the centre was a subordinate body to the New Zealand Bowling Association (which laid down the laws of the game), the meeting was illegal. The centre had no standing, and there was no notice to rescind the motion passed at the last meeting. Mr. G. A. Nelson (Dunedin) eaid that if the centre did not take action the members of his club would take action on the same lines as the Caversham Club. Some members had told him that if these bowls were to be used they would not take part in the Easter tournament. Mr. J. H. Hinton (St. Kilda, representing Waikouaiti) said that what he could not understand was the attitude of those who had purchased the bowls referred to. They persisted in playing with them. They should at least refrain from using them until the matter was settled. The president said that if the Henselite bowls were used the centre would have to get someone else to run the tournament. Mr. J. Forster (Caversham) then moved :—“That this executive bars the playing of Henselite bowls during the remainder of the season or until the N.Z.B.A. approves of them as per Rules IS and 22.” This was unanimously passed. So far the New Zealand Council has not considered the matter of the Henselite bowl. If it docs come up at all, it will be brought forward in a remit to the July meeting of the council.