BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 16515, 29 August 1917, Page 8

BOWLING

[By Measuekr.] Received: Invitation to Qtago Club's social meeting this evening* The election of ofikars cf tha New Zealand Council resulted as follows:—President, Mr C R. Smith (Dunedin); vicepresident, Mr W. Elliott (Auckland); treasurer, Mr W. Nicolson (Dunedin); councillors for South Isfc~3—Messrs J. Allan (Southland), M. F. Barnett and Summers (Christchurch), J. J. Marlow and H. F. M. Mercer (Dunedin); councillors for North Island—Colonel R. J. Collins, Messrs 'J'. Bush. E. J. Hill (Wellington), V. Casey and Professor Maxwell Walker (Auckland). Others nominated were Mr T. Haldane (Nelson), Mr F. Meadowcroft (Wellington), and Mr L. Cohen (Wanganui). The annual meeting will be held on September 5 ut Wellington to receive report and balance-sheet; and the first meeting of the new council will be held in Dunedin about September 20. The special meeting of delegates to consider the system of interclub play for next season and the question of continuance of the Holmes Feathers competition is to be held on Saturday week. Waikouaiti Club's annual report showed a decrease of members to 22, which is a number that makes it rather hard to carry on. The club had a great record, however. They played 10 matches and won 10 matches; they could ask for nothing more. Their balance-sheet showed a credit balance ; so all that is wanted for success is a larger number of playing members. With a little luck this will eventuate. Mr R. W. Fell is the new president, and Mr E. Davis the secretary. The club|s representative on the Centre Executive is Mr J. G. D. Dempster. The return billiard match between ' Evening Star' and St. Kilda Club teams was thoroughly enjoyed. Though the newspaper men got a decided beating, Mr T. J. Wcilker quite expressed their sentiments when, in thanking the club for their hospitality, he said that they had enjoyed themselves from first to last. Mr G. Adess (St. Hilda's president),,, in a nice little speech, asserted that the enjoyment was not all on one side, and talked of a possible "conqueror" match before bowling begins. Mr A. Walker, M.P. for Dunedin North, has introduced an amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act providing that gardeners employed otherwise than for the pecuniary gain of their employers shall be bound by awards and industrial agreements. As the law now stands gardeners employed by private employers are exempt from awards. Wonder what effect this will have on bowling green caretakers!

A contributor to the Wellington ' Freelance ' some time -ago sent along characteristic sayings by different players with whom ho had come into contact. Some of these were excellent in their way, and as the speakers' names were attached they were the more piquant. Below are a few of them : When I won my last championship I was up. I'm a good drawer, but I won't be drawn. Councillors may be good talkers and indifferent bowlers. The best bowlers are the best triers. . He's no bowler; I beat him myself. Modesty is no excuse for a short one. Some bowlers are fools. Most good men are beaten. I'm better with one of four bowls than one of two. My team lost the match. You're lying three, but it isn't counting time. I can't understand the Match Committee. A man can't play against' flukes. I just need a bit of practice. Didn't I play a good game for you? No, play one here; I'll do that shot myself. It's true; I won the game on my pat. Men have to be born to be bowlers. Winning isn't everything; did you have a good game! The game's not so easy as it looks. Skips never lose matches. An ounce of play is worth a pound of brag. Man, Tm so sorry I'm not up. Good bowlers are to bad ones near allied.

I play some bad ones sometimes. I think my play is overlooked in this club. Narrow bowlers should not have wide drawing bowls. A fluke is never a fluke if it gets the shot. The first and last problem in bowls is to know how to lie. Nbfhing matters but the shot. i Good bowling is a gift; bad bowling a perversity. Many bowlers are like hens; they cackle when they lay. A elose.-drawn shot is better than a distant toucher. Good bowlers don't talk about their play. To be a good leader is better than being a poor skip. You can't get what you're after every time. Bachelor bowlers may be good, but they should keep to singles. An old warhorse is better than an unbroken colt. What I like in a team is a good reliable skip. If you ever get a toucher, don't rub off the chalk. Do you know, the best player doesn't always win. My opinion is a wooden bowl will reach the jack when an excellite can't. I doubt if one really does learn to play bowls. Well, when I draws the shot I draws the shot. I'll get there somewhere or thereabouts. My dear chap, I played a much better - game yesterday. The occasional attempts in Dunedin at indoor bowling were more or less successful, though the preparations made, owing to their temporary nature, were' by no means perfect. The indoor game, when properly arranged for, seems to take on. It has a firm hold at Home. Here is an extract from a recent Home paper: " The new boom in indoor bowling, both in England and Scotland, appears likely to bring about a revolution in the pastime. It may be said to havo commenced in the rinks at the Crystal and Alexandra Palaces ; but its remarkable development is associated with the establishment by the Glasgow Indoor Bowling and Recreation Company of 10 full-sized rinks, giving facilities for 80 players at one time. In the case of the Crystal Palace, play is confined to club members or visiting players; but in Glasgow the public have full facilities for tiie use of the rinks. Although opened only recently, several thousands of players have patronised the rinks, and the popularity has become so great that, to ensure their games, intending players havo to book in advance. Unlike the cocoanut matting rinks at the Crystal and Alexandra Palaces, the floor is laid with a special heavy carpet, with a felt under it. The greens are about 35yds square, and play five rinks each way. Ordinary green bowls are used, No. 3 bias, and bowls and/ rubber shoes are provided at a charge of 2s per hour per rink. With eight players engaged, play can thus be indulged in for an hour at a cost of 3d. There is a cloak room, refreshment room, and a complete suite of retiring rooms for ladies and gentlemen. It is lit up with high-pressure gas mantles, and heated all round with 20 gas radiators. The rinks play beautifully true, even better than the really magnificent greens proverbial to the country—so states an expert—and resemble, as regards keenness, a very fine green on a warm day. There is, in addition to the above form of indoor play, a new modified system whereby most successful results can be achieved upon a rink of an area of 24ft by, 6ft. This green consists of a layer of- felt (green or rod), with underfelt stitched together. The bowls, biased according to proportion, are from to 4in in diameter. The length of 24ft can be looked upon as the minimum, and where a greater distance could be afforded then the width of the rink could, of course, be extended."