Bowling.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1909, Page 14

Bowling.

(By "Jack.") After valiantly defending their feathers for several weeks — against strong foemen, too — Prince's Newtown team were plucked on Saturday afternoon last by a Wellington four, well skipped by Bell. The holder? did not fall badly, and at certain stages of the play flattered the hopes of their admirers. But it was not to be, although Bailie led well, Pollock did his share, Wylie mado some excellent shots, and Prince bowled and finessed to the best of his ability. The challengers were a solid lot — E. J. Hill, Laurenson, Brunskill, and Bell — and flew strongly. They wanted those feathers very badly — and, they got them ! "Night closed round the conqueror's way, And lightnings showed the distant bill, Where those who lost that dreadful day Stood few and faint, but fearless still !" When they have recovered from theirshock, the losers will no doubt go out again after their lost plumage. The general opinion is that the local tournament hero was one of the pleasantest and least expensive gatherings of bowlers that has ever been held in Wellington— a gathering that will live long in the memory of those who toolc part in it. Mr. Churchward, the secretary, has come in for much praise, praise which has been nobly earned, and 1 am sure it is the wish of every on« that when the next tournament comes along, he will be there as guide. Comparisons have been made, but as comparisons are, according to Mrs. Dogberry, "odorous," I will not repeat them. ' Some unkind person was heard to remark on Saturday night that Princo s team, victors in the local tourney, should devote their trophy money to the purchase of new feathers for themselves However, as the team is not quite identical with that which so long defended the Edwin feathers, tho joka, though well intended, no doubt, rather went wide of the mark. At Christchurch ths other day, then, was played what is said to have been one of the most interesting and keenlycontested matches which have taken place in Christchurch. It was played on the St. Albans green between Christchurch and Canterbury. In the A pennant contest Christchurch and Canterbury had each scored an ecmal dumber of games, and the teams met in a final to see who should hold the pennant for the ensuing year. When the last rink was playing the last head, Christchurch was two up, but a well-played shot by dreig, ekip of the Canterbury team scored one for his side. The opposing skip failed to dislodge it, and Canterbury scored one on tho head, thus leaving Christchurch the winners by one point. •Wi ih l I f st 1 . matcU oi their tour the bouth Australian team, which put up a big fight against New South Wales, fell before North Sydney. But tho margin was small-only three points me game was very uneven, shown W the scores in two rinks especially. Moody (South Australia) could riot do anything non could his colleagues give mm much support, and Marshall (North bydney) won by 43 points to 10. Then Forsyth the North Sydney skipper, made a poor showing against Hodgert, whose consistent play put his rink 24 up d. the end of the game. North Sydney led comfortably until the eighteenth head, when the visitors began to draw up, and when only the last head in ?£?,?>? S4S 4 ( ?°£ h , Sydney) and Sobel's (South Australia) rink had to be played North Sydney was one up. Reeves sue' ceeded m scoring two, and the match went to the home team with, ;is stated" ab °y e ' three, points 10 sparo. Ihe weather in Wellington has not, recently been a thing of joy, and tho bowler has had many hard things to say ! about it. Not that that helps any Oh most evenings it gets cold, if it hasn't been so before, and only tho keenest players remain on the green and study its peculiarities until Night spreads hermantle (good old mantle .'). At time of writing (Wednesday night) the result of the North Island BowlineAssociation^ tournament, being played at Napiei, is not known. Up to now those taking part in it have been fortunate in regard to the weather, although the opening day was dull. As I said on a previous occasion, Napier is a pleasant place m which to spend :i holiday, and the hospitality of its people— and especially of its bowlers — is proverbial. Superfluous, then, perhaps, was the statement of one press special— " Tho visitors are being treated with a 'ull measure of hospitality." Without ./isnmg to detract from tne merits of the play of the Manaia and ltemuera rinks in the seventh round of the North Island tourney, 1 may be pardoned for once again rising to remark that oven in the game of bowls there is a certain amount of luck. Wanganui and Bluff Hill rinks, strong on paper and strong in deed, had gone through six rounds without a defeat, when suddenly they were oaled when they least expected it, the former by Manaia — whose record up to then reads " five losses, one wm "— and the latter by Kemuera, whose record — three wins, three defeats— was better than that of the Waimate Plains men. This had the effect of putting Stratford on equal terms with Bluff Hill in section A, a fact which, in the circumstances, would be to some extent pleasing .for tho Taranaki rink which brought about that result. Tho Stratford four are a good, solid lot, and should have -i say in deciding the championship, although, again, luck may play an important part in the remaining four rounds. The Bluff Hillers consist of H. Newtown, J. Snodgrass, W. M'Carthy, and A. A. Kennedy (skip); Stratford, R. Morison, G. Smart, H. L. Betts, and J. D. Morison (skip) ; Wanganui, L. Hoggard, Keesing, W. Rankin, and L. Cohen (skip); Napier, R. Holt jun., A. E. Wrightson, J. P. Smith, and H. Bull (skip) ; and Carlton, W. Otter, G. Tutl, B. Wrathall, and J. Kilgour (skip). When these notes wuiv indited the fours named were in leading positions, and, bar accident, one or other seemed likely to furnish the, winner. In regard to this, as to every other tournament one hears the remark made that such a club, and such another, have not Sent away representative teams. Which is true, no doubt, but it must not be forgotten that the same might be said of almost every rink taking part in the tourney. If eai'ii club i-ould select its best players, and insist on them going, then there would be battles of giants. As it is, the majority of the rinks consist of men inclined for an outing— especially a bowlers' outing — and with the time and money at their disposal necessary for the gratification of such inclination. It is well that it is so, otherwise there vvould be no North Island Bowling Association tournament, the professional element being unknown in connection with bowls in New Zoa- ! laJid. and there being no law in this country of laws which makes it a penal offence for a bowler not to go wherever a selection committee of his club deems it needful for the honour of his club that he should go. That being so, it is redundancy to remark that there is, per- j hap&, not one club represented at Napier which would be unable to put on the green several rinks that twice out of three times would demolish tho&e doing battle nobly in Napier. , The Auckland Provincial Bowling Association tournament will commence on the- 20tli insKmt. A representative team of bowlers contemplate a visit to Auckland about the beginning of March" Leaye the Herald).,

The team will be from clubs connected with the New Zealand Bowling Association, and will be composed of from four to eight rinks. It is their intention to be in Auckland a week, and it has been suggested that in addition to other games three test matches should be played against local representativs.