On the Greens

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 18

On the Greens

TESTING OF, BOWLS

GREEN V. TABLE

DISCUSSION AT. DUNEDIN.

(By " NtJMBEB Two.")

Bowlers •id Wellington- rely on the table test as against the green test, but Dunedin maintains that nrore satisfactory results are to .be obtained from using the green. This subject has been worn threadbare, but it is of' interest to read what Messrs. J. J. Marlow and H. F. M. Mercer reported on it to tne last meeting o£ the Dunedin Centre. Their report had' reference to the testing of bowls at Christehurch oh the occasion of the Dominion Tournament.

Mr. Mariow said that the testing had been carried out on the Canterbury .Club's green, and neither the green nor the machine were 'in a proper condition for testing bowls. He did not wish to criticise the Canterbury testing, as the machines of the- other centres were also not in perfect condition. If they saw the Canterbury and the Dunedin machines they would understand exactly what he meant. Mr. W. A. Scott was the official tester for the association. An official tester had been appointed for the Canterbury Centre, but he had not , been recognised by the association, nor had the table testers appointed by the Auckland and Wellington Centres, as it had been finally decided that Mr. Scott bring" al! the bowls to the one standard. The tests, carried out on the Dunedin green with four bowls; and proved of one standard by the table test, showed a divergence of 2ft 9in (actual 'measurement) when tried on the green, but in his report he would show a divergence of 18in, as he would rather under-estimate somewhat the actual measurement. That, to his mind, continued Mr. Marlow, was conclusive that the table .test was ,riot sufficient. - .Auckland - and Wellington maintained that the table test was quite good, but he was quite convinced that the North Island and South Island centres could not have two different, systems. He would be sorry to .see any change from the green test. ;

Mr..Mercer said, that Mr. Scott stated in his: report that the bowl-testing maeEines in the other districts were in a similar condition to that of Christchurch. The report further'indicated that after the test Christchurch showed nine inches slack, Dunedin five inches slack, Wellington and Taranaki were correct, Auckland was one foot slack, Napier one foot six inches over. Timaru, one foot six inches slack, and Wanganui two feet over. Mr. Scott had had the machines repaired, and had recommended that six bawls be secured from Taylors, Ltd., and that recommendation had been-acted upon. There was no doubt that Mr. Scott was in favour of the green test, but the North Island wanted the table test. There would be some trouble in deciding which was to be the official test, but it would.be a grave mistake "to go back to the table system. The table test had one advantage, and- that was that it could be' carried out in all weathers, but it should be remembered that when a proper green was used it provided a perfect test, as, after all, it was the green that was played on and not the tables.

Mr. Jacob'sen said that he was present af tho test carried out on the Dunedin green, and tho bowls had been carefully tested by all the means possible and in every direction. Proper care had not been taken of the test bowl. Each centre should have two test bowls, and they should be used alternatively,', the one not in use being kept' in a glass case. The president remarked- that the diagrams supplied showed a decided difference between tho table and the green tests. . . -\ '

A member pointed out that even if ther test bowls were kept in a glaEs case the' bias would alter in time.

• The discussion did not propeed any further, but it would seem that Mr. Mercer's arguments can be disposed of by using his own words, "that the table test had one advantage, and that was that it could be carried out in all weathers," and by asking him whero a proper green is available which can be relied on to maintain a uniform condition. Even first-class greens are subject to variations at times, and can one always be sure that when the green test is bein^ employed the bowls are all getting a fair chance of performing the 'requisite amount of draw? Moisture and wind eflects will change the condition on a proper green, but are not likely to, be factors for consideration in "a table test. EASTERN SUBURBS TOURNAMENT. : . ■ .;...

. The full number of entries was received for the tournament to be held at Easter, under the auspices, and on" the greens of the Lyall Bay, Seatoun, and Hataitai Bowling Clubs. An innovation in drawing the teams for section play has been adopted which avoids any two teams of the same club being drawn to play each other. The following clubs and skips have ' entered ;— Lyall Bay Dillon, Dustin, Gilbert, Jphnstonc. Mowtell, Newconibo, Noad ,Topp : Hataitai, Barnes, Halliday, -Eamsay, Ward, Wellings; Victoria, Bolton, Ham, Itunt, Robinson, Tucker; Wellington, Allen, Duncan, Fairway,' Glendinning,' Ramsay; Seatoun, Gordon, Meston, M'Girr, Wyatt; Lower Hutt, Jones, Remington; Thorndon, De Tourettes, Taylor; Central, Seddon; Petone, Donaghue; Island Bay, Perkins; Khandallah, Fletqher; Newtowh, Levestam.

NELSON'S NEW GREEN.

Mr. J. B. Merretfc, of Christchurch, who is visiting England, writes to the Cliristchurch "Star" as follows :—"ln company with Mr.'- Melbourne Orchard I have seen several of the bowling greens around London. < The Temple' and Croydon Courts are very fine, but I cannbt see one for beauty of setting and ideal surroundings like the new court recently laid down in Nelson. Bowling clubs around London develop the soc?af side of life during the winter months by holding concerts, whist drives, socials, and so »n. This keeps the members together, and when the season opens full support is assured. Mr. Orchard who is an old Christchurch boy, has distinguished himself in bowling circles. Last, year lie won the championship of his club, and has also won the championship of champions for England \ ;yy Sine photo in bowling altitude or Mr. Orchard is to be seen in the library at Windsor Castle. A reproduction may be seen in the English "Bowling \ssociation Year Book of 1921." The whole

surroundings of the Nelson green are certainly looking particularly fine just now, the property being really a picture. Sydney Veterans1 tournament. The veteral bowlers of Sydney-held their tournament on the City green a few days ago. Fifty-six players participated, and their aggregate ages totalled 4430 yoars. The minimum age of entry was 75, and tho personal avecnge was 79 years: The winning rink was as follows, the ages of the players being.quoted in parentheses: J. Haines (81), J. Rice (80), R. Thornber (76) R L. Scruton (s) (81). Gold badges donated by Mr. T. Spence, patron of the New South AVales Bowling Association ' were presented to* the winning rink and silver badges (also donated by Mr.----i. Spence) to the losing rinks. "'

TO-DAY'S AND YESTERDAY'S. Not so long ago it was said, and said with much regard to -the truth, that it would take a long time to get the youn" man into the ''old man's game," because of the taunts of his friends (writes '.Boomerang," in the Sydney "Referee") Certain writers set out to"'break down this prejudice, being well awar e . o f the thorny paths that lay before them- . I modestly claim to be. one of them. It lias been about as easy as converting a West Knd Tory into-a Billingsgate beefeater. We are reminded to "Ret what we can. and what we get, hold. 'Tis the stone that will turn all our lead into gold. But something more than nowory language has been necessary, not only to get but to hold the young felBefore the "close of last century a bowling ween was usually to be found in some obscure - corner, with a high hedge, and a higher tariff, to shut out common "pussens" and curious critics. No infant under 60 would have dared to allow his name to be posted without running the gauntlet of all the "mullock" that his fellows could accumulate to poke at him. But when the Americans taught1 us to pull down our fences and walls, and let in.the light, ala City of to-day, the fish began to bite. Many kinds of bait had been.tried, but like the wary trout, they smelt round but w-ouldn t Swallow. Then he had to wade m after them.

/Uell wove got some nice specimens since those days, and now the old "coda are content to nose round the pond 'and pict up the stray worms. In other words, we retain our old friends.Jbecause we iove and respect them; look up to them and sympathise with them. But the backbone of all the up-to-date clubs now is tne younger man: tFrom "lookincver the fence" he is right on the in° side and, what is more, he is drawing h«°^ds of his mates 'in yearly. ggT a c old birds love their games, and tne social the bank and smoke the pipe of peace, their 6 ' i ol\ appkud< a«»«J&S to then lights. And so we 'can say t?ulv that we've "got" the young men? They have come to stay. In another few years they wih be asking, "How long has this been going on?" The competitions of to-day call for strong,'healthy manhood; no other can survive and succeed Our campaign has been rewarded a hundredfold. If you want any further evidence, pu* up.the paper of 30 years ago and

-BARKS, BUT^ NEVER BITES. - Didyou ever in'your bowling career, if you y e got1 a career, meet the man who "tfuses to be persuaded? The man who has a negative for every positive, and a square peg for air your round holes? ■tie is generally an interesting sort of a cuss, more ready, to stroke than to stoke, or to kjss than •to 'kick. But pessimism is written all over him. There are several species: . the harmless, the taukersorae," and the dangerous, says 'Boomerang" in th e Sydney "Referee'" It was _said of a weil-knoun Australian university professor, that he : was the most cantankerous pessimist that ever lived. He woiijd, argue the point out of pure antagonism, and could never sea the silver lining. One day, when the _Eun was shining in a cloudless sky; alid all Nature smiled again; when the' Bowers were at their best, and man and beast thought it good to be alive, a, student stepped-on to the lawn, wl,ere the" old professor basked. "Ah ! there's nothing wrong with this, sir?" said he, interrogatively, with a twinkle in his eye,.suggestive of having cornered the old shop-walker for once. "No! but it won't last!" came the reply. From that day they dropped him as an impossibility. So we switched on to the player who tells his captain to "come on the backhand, Davie, an' tak' green, whate'er ye do." It's a- million, to one Davio comes on the forehand. Then there's the third man, who doesn't "see it that-way," and starts a debating class on the subject with the.rest ct the players. These ore the hai-mless cusses—they wouldn't growl if they were going to be hanged; they would just want the rope adjusted to their fancy. But the other two! \VeII, the cantankerous man on a bowling green, he's a study in himself. The less said abcrnt him the better. But never argue with -the third species. He would dump you for life if "you be;>t him ,at anything, and he is usually dodged as the delinquent dodges the C.I.D. man.

EINK-POINTING IN SYDNEY. " Sydney "Evening News," alluding to the recant six-ririk competition adopted as a means of finding the champion club, where the docision is arrived at^by scor-' ing by rink wins, says:—"Still 'the caravan moves on. to the Dawn of. Nothing.' In the last round of the pennant competitions at least 24 clubs registered ties, .although several clubs had substantial majorities in points. As twelve of these- ehrbs actually, defeated their opponents, and get no credit'for it, the simmer of dissatisfaction with the rinkpointing is becoming more accentuated week by week, and some clubs are finding it difficult to maintain the loyalty of members, who: are losing interest in the competition, -with the corollary-that the standard of piay is deteriorating, as inferior players have to be drafted into the teams. What with the unpopularity of the rink-poinfing and the inability to put into the field six rinks of the calibre necessary "to make a decent showing in the pennant, some clubs fear that they will be : unable to fulfil their engagements. Without a doubt rink-pointing has raised internal jealousies and discord, as many skips who are more concerned with their personal success than that of the club as a whole seek to dis-. organise rinks which have developed a good understanding and combination. In consequence, several clubs are now riven \vith dissension."

PERSONAL.

Mr. W. Mack, one of the directors of the Victoria Bowling Club, accompanied by his wife, left this week by the Maungamii, for a tour, in U.S.A. and the United Kingdom. Messi-3. Jenkins (Hamilton), Rae (Featherston),'- and Ambury (Epsom) have been visitors to the Victoria green this week.

The peerage is well represented among the students who massed the recent examinations for the-English Bar. The mo^t interesting name is that of a ladv—tho Hon. Ruth Barton Buckley, tho yonn R o«t of the four daughters of t-ord Wreiiburjbctter known as' Mr. and Lord Justice" BucMcv. whose hsir has already been called to the Bar. ' Miss Buckley passed th<> criminal lav.- and procedure* test as did I lie LVrl of Castlsstowart. once a »<• in r at Rugby, and the Hon. C. W. BaillieHamilton, tho E-irl of Haddinstoii's heir. Lord Swnytliling's second son.'the Hon. E. E. S. lUpntaiju. was successful in three of the examinations.