BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 14532, 7 December 1910, Page 3

BOWLING

[By Measurer.] ' Next Saturday's Interclub Matches. Balmacewen v. Mornington. Caledonian v. Fairfield. Caversham v Green Island. Dunedin v. St. Clair. K.iituna v. Wakari. Valley v. Outram. Otago v. St. Kilda. Port Chalmers v. Taieri. The champions got to work again last Saturday, and with tho fine weather and well-conditioned greens the limited few had a pleasant time. Fairfield fully justified their entrance in the champion section by their shaping against Dunedin, who took no chances, but put in their strongest. T.low well the, outsiders performed may be gathered from the fact that three of their rinks scored 55 to the opposing trio's 53, and yet they went down 25 points. This was duo to Bentley and his men, who were at the top of their form (T. Neil as second being especially good). This combination ran over Christie's team, totalling 35 to 8, thus making all the difference. At one time Bentley led by 22 to 4. In the early stages the scores wero very close, the four boards showing at one time a coincidence : Dunedin 9—B. 9—B, 9-4, 9—14. Da.ll had to do all he knew to finish 6 up on Anderson; M'Laren found J. M'Lachlau "devilish tough," and had to finish 1 down ; while Allnutt simply had to allow Mann (who was drawing splendidly) to lead him by 21 to 14. Totals: Dunedin £B. Fairfield 63

In the early stages of the Kaituna v. Taieri match it looked as though Taieri were gotny to give us a glimpse of their best. They led for the, lirst half-dozen heads or so, but afterwards Kaituna's play improved, while the other fellows went off. In three of the rinks Taieri were up 1, 2, and 5 points; but in the other they were down 20. And whose rink was that? Carswell's, with three strong men in front of him ! Sic transit! But a change must come, and it would not be safe to bet against C'arswell next time. Still, Baillie deserves a lot of credit. The totals were : Kaituna 89, Taieri 69.

Koslyn have shown no sign as yet of being behind their last season's form. They had a handy win over Balmaeewen bv 92 to 65. This sounds like an easy victory, but it was not so soft as it would appear, for Balmaeewen led on two rinks, but by too narrow margins to make up for Wedderspoon's 33 to Loekhart's 10 and D. Scott's 27 to Adamson's 14. Against this Balk's 19 to K. H. Scott's 14 and Thompson's 22 to Scoular's 18 were of little avail. Totals: Roslyn 92, Balmaeewen 65.

Otago beat Caversham last season, and they had another win this. Each club seemed to like the other's green the more, for Otago were defeated at home, and so were Caversham. For Otago Watts had the biggest lead, scoring 29 to M'Gregor's 12. Totals : Otago 91, Caversham 73. Caledonian were simply too good for North-east Valley, and that is all there is to say about it. The scores in Caledonians' favor read 28 to 10, 20 to 13, 26 to 13, and 27 to 17. Totals : Caledonian 101, Vallev 53.

St. Kilda male a brave showing against Green Island on the tatter's green, going down by 7 points only. This I take to be nearer their true form than the display given against Kaituna. For the home club Buchanan started off with a 5 against Smeaton, and this was the figure separating them at the end. After tho first head it was anybody's game, Smeaton being 14 to 16 four ends from home, but Buchanan would not give up his advantage, aud finished 20 to 15. M'Donald, who is in great form this season, proved too much for White. Not that it was a case of runaway, for St. Kilda scored on ten heads, but mostly singles; while M'Donald had three 4's in his total, winding up 23 to 14. Cameron, for the visitors, started with a 4, which Walters promptly responded to with a 5, just to prove that he and his men were not to be intimidated. St. Kilda tacked on 3. and Green Island 2—7 all. Thus the teams battled, 12 all and 16 all being marked down; but Cameron lasted well, and got home by 22 to 19. Low scoring by both rinks prevailed all through the contest between M'Curdy and M'Mullen, singles resulting on fourteen heads. After the tenth head, when M'Mullen was 7 to his opponent's 4, M'Curdy made a break of 10, and was 14 to 7 at "the fifteenth head, eventually wining by 17 to 13. Totals: Green Island 75, St. Kilda 68. A mixed rink of New South Wales bowlers have entered for the N.B.A. tournament at Auckland beginning January 9 next.

Two players well known in Southern quarters are shining lustrously in Wellington. The semi-tinal in the singles for the Sargood Cup was played at tho Wellington Howling Ciub's lliwn by G. ]J. Dall and T. Locke. A tie resulted on the final head (16 all), and Dall secured the shot on the play-oil. Dall,won the final, and the cup is his property, as he was tho winner last Year also.

Misled by the published details, I did not give full credit to St. Clair for their win o'ler Fairfield, asserting that the big lead obtained by Maddux more than com pensated for the other two rinks being down. As a matter of fret only one rink was in arrears. Hancock winning his game also.

The following letter duals with a subject of inteiest at the present moment : —The Cost of Tlowl-tesling.—

Dear Measurer,—l notice by your Howling Notes of last week that bowlers are grumbling at the, cost of getting their bowls tested, and you mention as a possible reason that " we are a Scotch community." Now, sir, being a Scotchman myself, 1 rather take exception to this. Scotchmen like facts, ami from the figures you give as to the number of bowls Mr Scott tested during about live weeks while North, and the prie? charged, a schoolboy can easily calculate that Mr Scott's takings were just about £l5O. This is pretty costly, is it not'.' Resides, I am told on good authority that Mr Scott, on his return, sent in "a bill for £SO expenses. If this is so, bowlers want to do more than grumble. 1 am informed there is an endeavor in certain quarters to hush the matter up, but as we bowlers are footing the bill we have a right to know all about it; I Why, sir, at this rate bowl-testing is going to cost anything between £SOO and £I,OOO before it is accomplished, and at the rate it is being pushed through many are beginning to inquire how it can bo well done Trusting that those who have control of our bowling affairs will let bowlers in general know tho facts, and so prevent I'.ny misunderstanding—l am, etc., Almighty Dollar. The question of changing the colors has agitated St. Kilda Club for about three years past. On Monday night a full meeting was held, and it was agreed from the beginning that the decision arrived at should be abided by for at the least five years. The result was that tho black and : white stripes were retained. Just a word in memory of J. F. Marshall, deceased. He was a genial bowler, cut off at an untimely age. An unexpected win was scored by H. Henderson and A. J. Sinclair, who defeated W. Wafers and W. Weir by 9 points in the Caledonian Doubles. Another instance of the uncertainty of the game: Scurr and Murdoch, were 10 to ,0 agaio?jjd^i^sQd;^a^

tie at St. Kilda, but the final score was— Cameron 25, Murdoch 12. Entries are coming in freely for the local Christmas tournament. Caledonians aro entering five strong rinks. In consequence of this meeting Galea, will have to postpone their annual Boxing Day match with Milton, which it is hoped will be decided some time in February. Every now and again allusion is made to the Blackpool (Kng.) tournament. It is a unique gathering, open to professional bowlers. Singles only aro played, and for the meeting begun on September 5 last there were about 1,000 entries. Forty games a day were played, and it was expected that the winner would bo found in a little over a month. The winner would receive £SO and a silver cup; the runnerup taking £25, and altogether £468 was to bo distributed. The tournament was started in 1872 with sixteen entries. It is a handicap event, and Mr W. Hornley, the bandicapper, who has done duty for years, is said to give satisfaction. Which is wonderful! In our own City (though outsiders do not give us full credit for it) it is an absolute fact that, almost without exception, not a drop of liquor is allowed on a club's precincts. Up North, bowlers are not nearly so strict. Many clubs provide it openly, and nearly all observo tho locker system. It appears as though the new Licensing Act comes in here, i Tho ' Dominion ' says that up till tho passing of the Amendment Act it was a moot point as to whether bowling clubs in No-license areas could supply liquor to their members, and clubs have kept liquor on the premises for the legating of members. It looks now as if this privilege has been abolished by a provision in the new Act, and certain clubs in the Wellington South district—a No-license area—have already taken action by removing all intoxicating liquor from the premises. Some clubs have a No-liccu'se policy of their own. In this ease, those who wish to have liquor at their disposal, other than non-intoxicant, have bad to purchase it themselves outside the district, and keep it. in their bowl lockers, but this sysU-.ii: also crumples up under the new provisions. Those affected in Wellington are the Newtown, Wellington, and HaU'tai Bowling Clubs.