WITH THE DOMINION BOWLERS.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 6

WITH THE DOMINION BOWLERS.

[Fbom Ooe Special Rbpobteb.]

HOBART, April 3. The tour of the Dominion, bowlers has not opened encouragingly. It was intended to play at Invercargill on Monday, but tbe weather was vile., and the proceedings were confined to a civic recept'on, a view of the new Town Hall and Municipal Theatre, and a luncheon tendered by the local players. On return to the Blutf it was found that tlie continuous Tain had hampered the discharge and loading of cargo, and that the Maieno's departure for Hobart had in consequence, to be delayed till next morning. The vessel pot away soon, after daylight, \mt across the Tasnian Sea nothing but heavy weather and high eeas were encountered, and instead of Hobart being reached on Timrsday afternoon it was late on Friday before wo anchored. It had been intended to vigorously practise the bowlers' war-crv written by Mr C. R. Parata. of Dunedin". but the only occasion on which sufficient of the Dominion team could L« got together to sing tlie verses and to roheaj.se the necessary facial gestures and actum was when tlio Mabeno wae .-MOTored at the Bluff. Some idea of the scanty of the passage may bo gauged hxm the "fact- that deck quojte aixl cricket had to ho abandoned, while even the iiistornary sweep on the run was not attempted, nonvitlifrtanding that the ship's cunplomerit, included, in addition to the ' Biuo Moon' Company and the bowlerp. Mich wi 1! known sports as Sir James Mills, Mr J Is. lleid (Ohrretchureh), and Mr J. A. C.ydc (Dunedin). (.hie venturesome sjiirit among live party was induced to ud;e pin <;i Wednesday evening in a mbb?r of l.i-dsro, but his triumph over his prone coinjvitiions was short-lived. On Wednesday fwnoo: a

sensation was provided bv a s'.-caire passenger (Arthur Rollason, "<.f TlaMing*) lying found on the promenade deck in "a pool of blood with his throat ei.t Ihe w.rvices of a round passenger (Dr William*, of Sydney) wore requisitioned, ;c<; jji.s ofloiu. Tesultcd in the man's life being saved. When Rollason regained comciou. mis, he confessed to tlio ship's o'rieurs U at family trouble was tlie cause of hi» aet. He is a single man. In tlio evening the storm increased. One sea carried away three ventilators, and flooded the stewards' quarters, while another stove in a window in tlie social hall, and the water pouring in, found iis way into the Bruadwuod grind piano, wliich was open. Tlie hatches also had to be battened down, causing tlie Ma he no to be hove to for a couple of houm. When the distance was posted at noon on Thursday it was found that only 212 knots hid been registered for the twenty-four houis" run. The cliapter of accidents wai< completed bv one of tbe turbines bung disabled.

At a meeting of the bowlers held afier leaving the. Bluff a ballot resulted in the following being chosen as a Selection Comniirteo for the tour: —Messrs Waddell (Oamaru, president of the. New Zealand Bowling Association), Allnutt (Dunedinl. A. V. 11. Bishop (Christchurch), and Hain (Invcrcargill). Mr Ham (promoter of the tour) and Mr R. C. Bishop (Christchurch) were appointed managers. [This letter has been delayed in transmission.]

MELBOURNE. April 7. The departure from Hoboa-t took plaxe at 11 p.m. on Friday, and immediately tlifireaitcr the Doniinionite- assembled in the Maheno's saloon for the puijiose of making a presentation to Mr Allnutt. of Dunedin, it being the anniversary of his silver wedding and also the twenty-first birthday of his second daughter. The gift took the form of a handsome pair of silver candlesticks, Mr Hain acting as spokesman. In the course of a feeling reply Mr Allmrtt mentioned that his wife and "himself were both educated at Talbot, and they were going back to Victoria to the scenes of their childhood and courtship. Mir Thoinas (Ashbtrrton) was dangerously ill from internaJ hcmorrhajie on reaching Melbourne, and had to be conveyed to a private hospital. The run to Melbourne was made under the most favorable conditions. On re;telling WilLiametown Mr Hannah, secretary of the Victorian Bowling Association", boarded the steamer, and detailed the week's arrangements. On Monday forenoon the visitors were formally welcomed by Mr Charles Wood, president of the V.8.A., at the. Town Hal] Hotel. ;uid he hrought down the house by intimating that it was his intention to take a team of Australian bowlens to New Zealand next year. Acknowledgments of the attentions of Victorian bowlers was made bv Messrs Waddell and Hain.

The first game was played on the Victoria Bowling Club's green in the afternoon. This is one of the oldest clubs in the State, having been formed in 1876. It numbers seventy members, and during the last eighteen months a new pavilion has been eroded. at a cost of £650. Tin green is 140 ft by 160 ft, and is consequently of greater length than those in use in the Dominion. It is reached by tram fioni the Past Office in five minutes, faces the Melbourne University, and is possibly the most convenient green in Victoria. " The club extend a hearty welcome to all visitins: bowlers The game was a six-rink ntatcb. and the playere ;uid scores were as follow: N.Z. Vic. F. A. Wallace, C. J. Rroad, W. Coltman. J. Hain (s) 27 Lewis. \V. Bald. Field. Richards (s) W. F. Hastings. J. Mat -Gibbon. F. W. Johnston. .]. O. Dentley (s) 21 Oldmeadovvs, Thornton, Scon, Armstrong (s) D. Neave. A. Martin, J. Findlay, W. Allnntt (s) 25 Mapleston, B. .ddington. Shi; Ids. •I. Oliver (s) YV. J. Thompson. W. Martin. A. E. Smith. W. Waddel! is) 17 Ellis. Mitchell, Shand. H. Parkcs (s) J. L. Stubberfield. W. Gee. .1. H. Maynard, C. J. G-old-stone (s) 29 Denham. Smith, Rev. Milne, Mair (s) ..'. _ 25 E. C. Chegwin. S. Manning, J. Secular, A. V. Bishop (s) ... 21 Ford, 11. Smith, D. Mitchell, A. Parkcs (s) _ Totals 140 147 The grepn was in excellent order, and played true. Seme of the visitors wenpuzzled by its length. At the sth end New Zealand were 3 up, bm at the 10th and 15th ends Victoria had 4 points load. Bishop's men were 1 up starting the final md. They lay two shot:; when Mitchell (Victoria's third player) drove and hit a bowl lying twelve ' feet short, and it wicked off that on to the kitty, taking kitty into the ditch, and.the home plavcrs lay six shots. It was indeed a lucky stroke. Bishop saved two with his last shot. But for Mitchell's fluke honors for the day would have been ulmosl equal Waddell was distinctly off. and Allnutt's somewhat erratic driving proved expensive on a couple of occasions.