BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 19126, 18 December 1925, Page 12

BOWLING

[By Measurer.]

Another disappointment last Satuiv day—play was impossible. So far only two interclub games have been decided this season, and the contest for the banner has little interest. Interclub games are set down for to-morrow. After that there will be a long interval, January 30, 1926, being the date fixed for the next contests. But in between whiles many important events should be decided.

The entries for the association tournament, to start in- Dunedin on January 11 next, as was expected, put up new records. Never before have so many entered for the singles and the doubles, which rather seems to disprove the contention of many northern players that the greater interest centres round full rink games. Tho demand for singles and doubles games cannot be gainsaid; at every dominion tournament tho entries for these are numerous. It may bo of interest to some if the entries received for each association tournament since the inauguration of the Dominion Bowling Association in 1914 were sot out. They are as follow : 1914. —At Dunedin: 80 rinks, 175 pairs, 192 singles. 1915. —At Auckland: 90 rinks, 136 pairs, 136 singles. 1916. —At Christchurch: 74 rinks, 147 pairs, 139 singles. 1917. —At Wellington: 136 rinks, 203 pairs, 210 singles. 1918. At Dunedin: 80 rinks, 160 pairs, 148 singles. 191.9.—At Auckland: > B6 rinks, 134 pairs, 130 singles. 1920. —At Christchurch: 126 rinks, 224 pairs, 183 singles. 1921. —At Wellington: 160 rinks, 188 i pairs, 125 singles. 1922. —At Dunedin: 110 rinks, 203 pairs, 198 singles. 1923. —At Auckland: 142 rinks, 200 pairs, 186 singles. 1924. At Christchurch: 122 rinks, 204 pairs, 216 singles. 1925. —At Wellington; 130 rinks, 158 pairs, 144 singles. 1926. At Dunedin: 134 rinks, 232 pairs, 256 singles. These very large entries for our approaching tournament mean extra work cast upon the officials in charge. Things need to bo specially well done ibis season for tho honor of Dunedin bowlers, and I feel confident that the necessary support will bo afforded. The Exhibition is with us, and tho British visitors will bo here, so it is up to us to do everything to seo that tho tournament machinery runs smoothly. To this end volunteers aro required. For example, an entry of 256 singles players means that many friends will bo necessary to straighten up jacks and give an indication (when required) of who lies shot. These single games will perforce start early on somo of tho outlying greens, and if bowlers not actually engaged in the tournament who have no business calls (there aro a good many) would offer their services Mr R. Banning, tho secretary, would be glad to receive their names. No doubt means of conveyance to the distant greens will be found for them. There should be no trouble as regards the central greens. A good number have asked mo when the draw for the tournament will bo published, somo watching the papers day by day for the knowledge of who meets who, and on which green. But those details require a lot of working out, and Secretary Hanning informs me that nothing definite can he said for some time yet. Players will have to wait for full details till tho book of fixtures is out of the hands of the printers. As can easily be imagined, Mr Hanning is a busy man just now. _ At every opportunity advantage w taken of deciding an evening four-rink game. At times the elements are defied; as for instance on Wednesday last, when tho Taieri men, leaving their plain in fine weather for the hill at Balmaccwen, found a wet welcome awaiting them. Being there, a game waa decided upon, and twelve heads were played, the Balmacs. coining out on top. Mackie, for Taieri, started by planking on 6 against Malcolm in the first head; then the Balmacs. went to 14 without a break and finished up 18 to 11. Strange, isn't it? Another instance of the of the game. Mitchell’s Caversham rink was the only one up—by 18 points—• against St. Clair, and he won tho game for his club. When Caversham met Roslyn, Mitchell’s rink was the only one down—by 18 points—and he lost tho game for his clnb. Tlie captain of the Scottish section of the visiting British bowlers, Robert Husband, has a fund of anecdotes. Relating a few of the libels cast on bowlers, lie said that during tho Prohibition campaign in Scotland a canvasser went to one house, knocked, was invited in, and asked the occupier for his support for Prohibition. On receiving a refusal the canvasser said: “I knew as much when 1 came through the lobby; 1 saw four howls there.”

Mr Husband, at a recent welcome function in Melbourne, when responding, said; “ When we came to Melbourne wo wer-r-e told it was the finest city in tho wor-r-ld. When we came to St. Kilda we wor-re told it was tho finest holiday r-rcsor-rt. .is a canny Scot, I might tell ye I am going to have a look around, and I’ll let yo know.”

Tho very important decision arrived at by tho Australian Bowling Council recently in regard to size and weight of bowls to bo allowed alter a date in 1926 is still causing a great deal of discussion among bowlers in the Commonwealth. “ Excellite,” writing in Sydney ‘Evening News,’ says: In February next tho Australian Bowling Council will hold probably the most momentous meeting ever held in connection with the game of bowls. It was tho intention of tho council to hold a meeting last month in Melbourne, but it was abandoned because it was thought that carnival time, when delegates from all tho States would prob- ’ ably be taking part in the competitions, would result in a full attendance of those privileged to attend. Matters in connection with tho new' standard bowl arc far from being definitely settled, and while I honestly believe that tho new bowl, if adopted, will revolutionise tho game, I also think that bowler# everywhere who will bo affected by tho change should wait until after tho council’s meeting in February next before deciding to alter their _ bowls. The States are very ranch divided on tho question, and, in view of the strong opposition which seems to be in evidence for at least some modification in regard to tho bowl, it would be well for bowlers to await the council’s decision, which is most likely to be one of , concession; or, if the council is deter- 1 mined on all, or none, of tho reforms, ft decision for things to remain as at present. The Tasmanian ‘ Mail ’ says the rebellion against the Board of Control is growing apace. That was bound to occur in these days of unrest, when all authority is being challenged. The opponents of tho new nils do not say they are unjust or unnecessary, but that to carry them out would be oostly. Still, for the council to hack down completely would be nothing short of disaster. The board would have done well if it had fixed the standard and weight restrictions according to size, and stopped there; hut to insist that_ a j howl must he half an inch loss in diameter between tho discs than measured the other way would involve tho remodelling of a great number of bowls and the ruining of many sets. Other proposals are sound, and with the eliminated of the disc suggestion there would be a chance of the proposals bell g canicd. Such are the views from Tasmania, which counts not so much on reform as the mere infinitesimal cost