WHO WILL THROW THE JACK?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 112, 13 May 1911, Page 9

WHO WILL THROW THE JACK?

BOWLING AND EMPIRE. SPEECH BY THE~HON J. CARROLL. The feature of the Thorndon Bowling Clubs smoke concert laet night was a speech by tho Hon. J. Carroll on the connection, between Howling and Empire. "In the game of bowls," he said, "and in the arena formed and established by thosevwho concentrate their ideas in that direction as part of our a-ecrcative system, I think we can, draw moral leeeons horn the game which may be concreted into sterner. stimulus to the goal which we all desire to reach. Though we play our little- parte in th& game of bowls we little think we are building up and strengthening the sense of nationhood r wo little tluiik that 'the feeling of rivalry, the spirit of emulation, helps towards the centralisation of forces which will yet keep our Empire on* the surface. From acorne great oaks grow, and so from sports we grow and mould and fashion our strength, both physically and menta-lly, towards that strong combination of power which make for peace, which makes for^ contentment, and which yet at 'tho same' time builds up a strong offensivo 'and defensive power against any foreign aggression. (Hear, hear.) We dolight in meeting each other in sweet and wholesome rivalry, and on th© bowling , green— club against club; then again we aggregate and constellate, so many clubs to form a strong body which we pit agadnet other strong combinations, and Uius we extend the circle and elevate to a higher platform of real manoeuvre and evolutions, ac it were in national warfare. .As we trend to a wider range of contemplation we naturally 6ay to ourselves, th© day may come whoa the whole of the Empire may be as a representative bowling team, tinctured and stimulated by our aspirations of national feeling ; a day may come when we meet in array others outside the Empire circle, other nationhoods, strong and impressive, and we may ask, "who will throw the, jack •on that occasion? ■ Who Will lead off?" (Applause, and. a voice: "We will.") Well, that is yet in tht> problematical region, but the least I can do is to ask you to require that every point that you can make, every score that you can record, every effort that you may be called upon to perform . on the bowling green, to reach the acme of efficiency should be regarded as a 'step toward* the formation of the constellation that will aid towards the strength of a solid sy&tem of Empire. (Applause.) The toast was irefiponded to by Mr. Keith (Victoria. Club), vice-president of tho Northern Bowling Association. Speaking of the progress of bowling he eaid' that in the North Island there aie at present from 115 to 120 clubs, of which eomo 70 or 75 are under the jurisdiction of the Northern Bowling Association. It wae, he went on to say, somewhat difficult to preserve unity among the whole of them, because away an the far North, a 6 far as Whangarei, there was a local association which had been in existence for a number of years, and they did not, relish the idea of coming under another association. In every eport unity _ meant strength, and unity was the object for which the Northern Bowling Association was" striving — so much co that it had even gone so far as to approach the Southern (New Zealand) Association with a view to amalgamation, so ac to have on© controlling body for. the whole of the Dominion. The gathering, which iiicluded visitors from mest of the city and suburban clubs, wa6 largely attended. Mr. R. W. Kane (president) was in the chair, and a first cla6S programme of vocal and instrumental items was provided by visiting "savages," savage^bowlers, and members. The Thorndon 'Bowling Club arranged the gathering ae' a means of retaining interest in its welfare during the recces. and its initial, experience is «o satisfactory that further ventures of the same kind are already in tion.A rara avis in the shape of a pure white cock pheasant .has been shot in the Otonga district 'by a nephew of Mr. A. C. M'Kenzie, theWhangaiei County chairman. The bird, which is a beautiful specimen, had been seen in the Otonga district several times during tho last year. Mr. M'Kenzie has arranged for the pheasant to be stuffed, and it will fQrm one of the exhibits in the Whangarei court at the Auckland winJer show. - " >