BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 12

BOWLING

[By Measurer.] .

Last night’s meeting of the Centre delotates tdtonsider the action of the Council in '■ refusing permission to hold a local ChrMmas tournament produce! no startling results. There was a representative gathering. Mr W. Hogg (Dunedin) started the ball roliing by moving that owing to the decision of the Council the Centro abandon the proposed • Christmas tournament. Ho said that the question now was whether they were going to abide by their Council’s ruling. It was a serious position, and perhaps at the back of it were disruption and tho shifting of the headquarters of the N.Z.Ii.A. to Christchurch—possibly to Wellington. Mr J. Lindsay (Green Island) seconded tho motion without comment. Mr J. G D. Dempster (Caversham) moved as an amendment that tho action of the Centro in endeavoring to promote a Christmas tournament bo confirmed. Delegates wanted a deal of coaxing before they would express an opinion one way or tho other, the natural shyness of the average bowler, being almost painfully evident. Before putting tho question to the vote. Chairman Keast said that in the first, place ho had been against tho Christinas tournament, but recognising that the big majority of Dunedin bowlers were in favor of it, he had fallen in with the idea. Ho explained that it was not tho intention of the Executive to proceed any further m the matter. All that was required was an expression of opinion from the delegates. This was given by the vote, which showed a narrow majority of 15 to 11 in favor of tho amendment, as follows; For the motion; Messrs Hogg, Balk, Sniellic, Miller, Lindsay, Hancock, Pope, Davidson, Wales, Nicolson, Stephens. For the amendment: Messrs J. Scott (Caledonian), J. Scott (Kaituna). Evans, Smith, Dempster, Begg, Mann, M'Lacblan, Wills, Ewing, White, VPKinnon, Glover, Keast, Til burn. A conversational discussion followed on things in general, during the course of which illr Balk pointed out the lesson to be derived from recent events —that the Dunedin Centre had over-reached themselves in asking for both Christmas and Easter dates. Had they selected only one, their chances would have been good. Exactly so 1 As I have been asked to give further reasons for my opinion that the Dunedin Centro were caught napping at the late election of Council members, they not recognising that they were up against a “ ticket” on 3 of whose objects was tho forbidding of a Christmas tournament, it is necessary to quote from my notes published on Saturday, August 27. These contained a reply by .Mr C. J. Payne (generally recognised as leader of tho opposition) to the Christchurch Centre’s request that he should allow himsslf to bo nominated “with others” as a “ticket” for the Council to carry out specific objects. One of tho planks of Mr Payne’s platform was : " I object to the Christmas tournament being held in either Christchurch or Dunedin." Another was : “ I favor an Easter tournament.” Mr Payne added: “If the position I take up finds favor with the Christchurch Centre, then 1 shall be pleased to accept nomination. If the Christchurch Centre desire to get other representatives on the Association they should lake steps to communicate with the other Centres.” Mr Payne’s nomination was accepted, and ‘he other Centres were approached. Tho result is shown by an analysis of the voting. It must bo taken that the other members on tho Christchurch " ticket ” were in agreement with Mr Payne. Their every voto shows it, and as a matter of fact they were suggested by him. Yet the Dunedin Centro took no steps at all. South Otago Centro did not vote—presumably they would have clone so if asked—and Dunedin delegates themselves gave Messrs Payne and Allen (who were not on their “ticket”) 17 and 15 votes respectively ! How well Tue Christchurch people worked together is shown by tho voting. Christchurch voted' practically unanimously for their men; Southland were absolutely solid; South Canterbury were the same; Nortn Otago mixed things for councillors, but were unanimous against Dunedin’s vice-president. Dunedin alone were at fiscs and sevens. Some, at any rate, of the local delegates recognised what the election meant, for President Keast, when the Christmas tournament was alluded to at the next meeting, reminded members that it was by no means sure that such a gathering wonld.be held. A matter that has been brought into some prominence lately is the rule relating to the position a bowler takes cp on delivering his bowl. At tho last meeting of the Christchurch ’Centro it was decided that tho Council he requested fo .alter tho rules so that it s_ho ild bo necessary for a player to have both feet on tho mat when tho bowl left his hand. The present law of the N.Z.B.A. ■ cads: “ Each player, when playing, shall stand with at least one loot on the mat ” There is a special rule, which applies to interstate or intercolonial matches only, which reads : “ The player, while delivering his howl, must have a portion or the whole of both feet on the mat, otherwise the bowl may be stopped by tho opposing side, and in that case it shall become a dead bowl.” When brought before the Council the suggestion of the Christchurch Centre did not meet witn much sympathy. Mr Payne said that before any alteration could be made a notice of motion was necessary. air W. Allan, in his refreshingly frank stjle, said that he was sure every member of the Council had too much sense to give such notice of motion. Why should anybody spoil his jamo by playing in a cramped position when he could enjoy himself by playing in i freer manner? This view commended itself to all the other councillors, and it was resolved that nothing be clone in the way of altering the rule. At tho same time, the opinion was general that the present regulation of one foot on the mat should be more strictly enforced. Judging from the liberties some take with the present law, it would not be surprising to see a man halfway up the green before he lets go his bowl. In view of the rule adopted by nearly all tho clubs that bowls must bear the stamp before they can be used in club tics md other games, Mr Scott’s whereabouts are a matter of anxiety. From inquiries made I find that Mr Scott left Christchurch on Monday, 24th October, for Timaru, put in a week there, and this week is at work in Oamaru. lie expects to be here next week.

St. Kikia Club have carried a resolution to change their colors, the protest being that it was difficult to obtain the requisite material. No decision has yet been come to as tc the hues which will supplant the good old black-and-white stripes. A special meeting of the Kaituna Bowling Club was held in the pavilion on SaturJay evening, when tho following motion was declared carried after a close vote;

“That with tho object of leaving more room for play for those who do not enter for competitions, tho Championship Singles and President’s Matches be combined, and same be decided on the sudden-death principle.” It has been tho practice tv) play for the Championship in sections; but some members complained that the singles contests occupied too many rinks, ana shut out the non-competing member from his fair use of ihe green. The proceedings occupied an hour, and tho result evidently did not please the championship players, fer another special meeting has been called, wuen the following will bo submitted to members:—“ That the resolution carried at the meeting held on 29th let. be rescinded, and that the following se substituted: ‘That the Championship Match be placed on tho same lines as last rear, that the President’s Prize be a handicap match, and that the Vice-president’s Prize be the Colts’ Match.’” The tour of the British bowlers in Canada was on the whole successful The team started badly, their record at one time reading 4 matches won and 4 lost. But liter"getting acclimatised they had a run jf victories, finishing with 17 matches won, as against 6 defeats. Their predecessors in 1906 only lost 2 matches out of the 25 played The Valley and Dunedin Greens were the only two I could visit last Saturday on the gccasion of their initial playing days. Cm both there were large numbers of visitors, and the altogether beautiful weather made things pleasant indeed. You piay“ Bek sure the champion banner was in i ’prpndrßdai pcHition onthe Dunedin j>avi-

lion. You see, they mightn’t have it next year. As regards tho greens, Dunedin yet shows signs of last season’s severe work, but Mr Taylor is to be congratulated cn providing a surface level and true, and there will be more grass later on if it gets a fair show. With tho Valley Green, honestly I was disappointed. It seemed to bo not only heavy, but to lack drawing power and have no finish. But a feushowers will make a lot of difference with this plot. For ono thing, there is plenty of grass. A contemporary mentions that a green had been “sewn ” with the very best grass seed. ■ One or two of our own greens will be hiring sewing machines directly. Mr Norry Bell, tho well-known Wellington skip, is now settled in Auckland, and intends to play for Grey Lynn. From the Auckland ‘Observer’ : “ Major Murray has quite endeared himself to our Northern bonders during his visit from Dunedin.” Tho major’s winning ways !