BOWLING.

Evening Star, Issue 14187, 12 October 1909, Page 3

BOWLING.

[Bi Leadeb.3 Contrary to the general rule, it remained for an out/ride club to open the season, not that the town greens are backward, but that in anticipation of an* extra heavy playing season every care is being taken of the City greens. And if all one hears be true, the season promises to be most interesting rn Dunedin Centre. Independent of the N.Z.B.A. tournament in January, the various centres are anxious that intereentre games be initiated, and with the Centre championships and interclub matches, to say nothing of club ties, all in progress, bowlers will be kept busy. It will 6oon be all bowls and do work. A word or two about Outram. If the weather had been ordered it could not have been more pleasant. If Outram Club had offered a bonus to visitors they would not have been honored with a more representativo or bigger attendance; if any visitoi-s were not pleased with the green, they must be hard to satisfy. I know, however, that the Oubram members were grateful at seeing so many brither Scots out yonder, because President Wills and V.P. George Withers told me 60. Outram ladies, too—they had a hard afternoon's work, but they did it smilingly; and bowlers, good fellows, avowed that these ladies were "jolly good fellows." Invitations are rolling in from country clubs as well as town. Mr H. F. Gibson (secretary Phoenix Club) has kindly notified me of a social evening in Oamaru Drill Hall on Thursday next. Balmacewen (Mr S. N. Brown) have polished their bowls in readiness for the great opening day (to-morrow), at 1.45. The green, I believe, is in the pink of condition, and the "Ballymaos" (such they term themselves) hope to finish the season —champions. They did defeat Dunedin on one occasion ;' but then some allowance should have been made for the parent club's teams that day—the much-respected veteran Mr John White was not playing. Caledonian (Mr C. F. Greenslade) have sot apart Saturday next. No occasion to write of the green" It's tip-top • it always is. I should not wonder if there \s a full house. There generailv is. Mr J. T. Wylie (secretary) 6ends me a cordial invitation to be with them on Saturday, and 1 trust some of our players will find their way to Port Chalmers. Caversham, Dunedin, and Valley make merrv on the 23rd.

Cavers-ham Green, I am given to understand, has improved beyond anticipations, and the club is now on the road to prosperity.

Kaituna will not besin operations till the 30th. After a long spell of ill-luck with the plot, it seems the club has turned the corner. Those who should know Kvy that Kaituna this season 16 all that is wanted. I am glad of this, for no expense has been spared to make the green one of the best. Mornington Green continues to .attract visitors. 1 have several times stated that this frreon will be one of the best in a comparatively short period. It has every advantage—in the sun, well sheltered, and cut out of the solid. Caretaker Hocking will do the rest.

Dunedin Green probably never looked better. Who is responsible? Nobody but Mr Taylor, the caretaker. It's very pleasing to write of Mr Taylor, the man who ' made" Green Island, and afterwards came along to Dunedin and made the members stare. A hard worker, and one who knows his business. May he have a long reign.

Divnedin's new pavilion is finished. It is a building to be proud of, outside and inside. Upstairs and downstairs it' is replete with every modern convenience, and is roomy enough for all purposes. There is a kitchen, ladies' rooms, and social hall and committee room on the top flat, whilst on the ground floor a roomy bowlhmise, containing alxHit 150 boxes, takes up the available bpace. Much credit is due to Mr Joseph Kli White for tho conscientious manner in which, he ferried out the building operations. Mr John White undertook the arranging of bowl boxes, and I am sure 'in one can find fault with his work. The spcee at one time devoted to tennis h..s been cut out, and a, two-rink green laid out. Taken altogether, when the itag is to;. : ted on opening day Dunedin fireeu

" will bo a picture. 7 ' A fortnight .\ao last Saturday Mr C. V. Croonslade handed over Wakari Green. The ceremony took phice in the pavilion—.'i nice little building, of which any club might be grateful. At the "handing over" there were present Messrs C. F. Greensladc_ (who had the : ireen laid, built the pavilion, :mcl has handed the property over to Wakari Club at a peppercorn rental), W. I'.. M. Fea (president of the club), W. T. Bunting, C. Tilburn, ¥.. A. Suith, Sharp, R. Greens-lade, Miller, Mills, and W. Moir Secretary). As is usual when Mr Greenh!;;de " enthuses" in I>ow]irig, there was little unnecessary oratory. The green was there for Wnkari if the residents wanted it. Well, Mr Fea and the other gentlen:en present made it abundantly plain that they were "after playing bovrls." The green was taken over," a friendly chat indulged in '"over matters." then enthusiasm began to tide. "Now, the green is ready for us," said Mr Fea, looking as though lie would glory in a, roll up right away. "The next business is: When are we going to have our first game?'' Kventirallv it was decided to throw the first kitty* on the 23rd. Bowlers, the green is only a few minutes' walk from Stuart street tram terminus. Your presence on the eventful day is necessary to enable the club to start out on a prosperous career. The colors are "all white." This I know, because I have, seen the president's-tailor-made.

"Is Valley going to be good this season?" This 'in a question often asked. Have you been down to see it? If not. ,-ro down. Valley Green has come on wonderfully. Mr Peter Gray inspects it three tunes every day, and he should know something about it. Personally, lam glad Valley have reached a level road. A club that started out six years ago with onlv £SO guaranteed, and to-day (after layin"' down three tennis courts as well) is prac" tically free of debt, deserves to be encouraged. Why do not a greater number of the residents play bowls? From Fairfield comes good accounts, net only of the green, but financially. Startout as the club did a couple of years a.20 with a load on its shoulders, it is "extremely gratifying to learn that the green is in very fair order, and the club's finances are really £2 to the good. The' green is to be opened on the 23rd, but the members hope to have a game at Kaitangata to-morrow. The property is now worth over £3OO. My informant (not an office-bearer) wishes me to mention several gentlemen who have done yeomen service for the.dub —viz. : Mee6rs J. Kirklaod (re-elected president), (I. Miller, H. M'Grath, and L. F. Ellisson (secretary). Bravo, Fairfield, and a happy roll up 011 the 23rd. Taieri. hope to open on the 23rd, by widen date the pa.vilion will be in readiness for tea-drinkers and eaters of those lovely home-made scon.-. I hive pleasant recollections of a game at Taieri. It W3.s when I, as a member of " Cale," journeyed to the plains as lead for that great bowler tho late Mr William Morrison. We met Tom Mackie, and when the tea adjournment came about our side were 6 up. After tea we did not score. What did our skipper mv?

Mr Robert Hudson's private green is I getting plenty of use, and plays very true. I Tilt* genial owner has got the bowling | "microbe." ;md, like Dr Waek. thinks i there's no game half go good as Ikwls.