QUEENSTOWN

Evening Star, Issue 19760, 10 January 1928, Page 5

QUEENSTOWN

THE BOWLER’S PARADISE [By Jack.] Two days till Christmas. What ho! Oiir seats are set, so let us see who is about, “ Good morning, Jack. A merry Christmas to you. Where are you bound for? Queenstown! Good enough.” And by the time wo have walked the length of the train a dozen at least all give the same reply. Well, boys, there’s going to be something doing at Queenstown alright. A warm day in the train is refreshingly relieved by a beautiful calm trip up the lake, and by 7 p.m. we are there. Welcomes await us by those who have travelled by car. We find our camp so needs be we must visit the green just to see how she is running, you know. What a beautiful surface. “ Well, Tom, if we can’t play bowls here, the best thing we can do is burn the bowls and give it up.” By Saturday night, Christmas Eve, there are ever so many more “ fellows ” about. New friendships are quickly formed, and preparations made for the Christmas tournament. Sunday is spent quietly, and our thoughts are mellowed by the ringing of the church bells sounding out to one and all “ Peace on earth, goodwill to men.” A look down the list of entries on Monday morning tells us that the charm of Queenstown has by no means passed away, but rather that its fame is becoming widespread. From far and near _ they gather on holiday bent; not with the strenuous, tense feeling of a dominion tournament, but with that happy, cheerful fellowship peculiar to the bowler. Our ever true and untiring friend, Mr Rennie, sacrifices himself for the pleasure of others, and ho succeeds in combining rinks of players representing different clubs and localities in such a happy way that wo find ourselves now in Invercargill, thou in Oamaru, again in Wellington, Christchurch, Gore, and Dunedin. At least thirteen of the Dunedin Centre clubs are represented. Once more on Tuesday there is another merry mix-up, and those who on Monday were striving to play well for Percy, George, Tom, Jack, etc., are striving just as well to play against him. The tournament is now set aside, and day after day friendly competitions are engaged in morning, noon, and night. It is said that the visitors to Queenstown have a great time looking on tho arena and observing the contortions of the various flayers, and we are quite sure a “ movie ” taken on the bowling green would beat Charlie Chaplin. Physical jerks! Charleston 1 One-step! Two-step! Jazz! Irish jig! Highland fling! can there be seen in such exclusive style that only a camera could properly depict them. A most interesting day was the fourrink game, when sixteen Balmacewon players combined to play “ the world,” as represented at Queenstown. A great game of twenty-five heads was concluded with as tense an excitement as could be found at any tournament or four-rink championship. The “ Bally Macs ” suffered (yes, that is the right word) defeat by 4 points—S3 against, 84 for. The Otago versus Southland six-rink game was another great event, and several embryo skips were given a chance to show their skill for Otago. Southland achieved their first victory for five years by compiling 127 against 121.

And now here wo are jit New Year’s Eve, and what a charming night. As no one wants to go to bed on such a night as this, wo wander round tho park in and out amidst the crowds, and the beautiful strains of the “ Kapai Jazz Band ” entice young and old to trip tho light fantastic, and every now and then the joyous strain “The more wo are together the merrier are wo ” sounds out, even causing the birds and frogs to join in. As .12 o’clock approaches there is a general concentration in the main street, and from Eichardt’s to tho White Star there is a stream of gaiety and color. Numbers are dressed in carnival style. The now year is here—a great joining of hands, three deep up the street, a lusty singing of ‘ Auld Lang Syne,’ and then another merry mix-up. “Happy New Year to you ” on every hand, young and old joining in jing-.vring, Tom Kelly in the middle. AVhat a joy to bo Monday again, another howlers’ day out, which was interfered with slightly by rain j in fact, tho only day ou which play had to be stopped, and then only for two hours. The final for the second prize was concluded at two minutes to 10 p.m. The days passed on, and gradually there had been a thinning out. One wonders how many new howlers who have taken up the game during the last decade or so have received their first enthusiasm from Queenstown. By tho way, many “ newchums ” showed up here this yeai’j and there should be several acquisitions to the city clubs. There is ample scope for the Otago and Southland Expansion Leagues to insist and persist in many improvements that could be given effect to without much expense. A largelysigned petition was prepared calling on tlie Government to enlarge the bowling pavilion. A few sets oQ modern bowls would not be amiss. No bowler who wants any pleasure out of the game should come to Queenstown without his own bowls, and to have others joining in your game having to use the “ blocks of wood ” that are kept here is enough to break a bowler’s heart—that is, if ho has one which is sometimes doubted when he cuts his opponent off the jack or burns the head. Well now, these are a few rambling remarks by a bowler. We are accused sometimes of taking our sport seriously, but I venture to say anyone looking on at our games here could not by any stretch of mind accuse bowlers of being serious. A volume could be written of all the “ funny ” things, but they can only be appreciated by those experiencing them or being on the spot when they occur. One incident will suffice for these notes. A friendly double was being played, and on an adjoining rink the final of the tournament game was being thrashed out. The leads had played, and the skips changed over. Before leaving the head skip No. 1 saw the position that an bowl was lying directly in front of the jack 18in, and when he got to the playing end lie went to get his howl. Meantime tho last shot in the rink game was being played, and all were somewhat intent on watching it. He then stepped on to the mat to play, and to his consternation the front ball was removed and the jack exposed. He immediately called out; “What’s happened to tho kitty, Jack?” and Jack as immediately responded by picking up kitty and throwing it up to the skips’ end. By a superhuman effort the head was reformed, and the skips finished the head in a miraculous way. Needless to say those who saw tho incident almost collapsed with laughter. Now, to the bowler the charm of Queenstown is the park and the bowling green, but along with these goes the charm of the caretaker. Tom Kelly, of Queenstown, is the howlers’ delight. What a furore at the presentation to Tom of a pipe as a bowlers’ gift. Mr J. C. Stephens made the presentation. He depicted the charming green and surroundings, especially the exquisite roses and beautiful trees and shrubs, and appealed to the howlers as to who was responsible for all these, and, more than these, for the great mountain ranges and peaks and valleys and the entrancing lake. A great swelling chorus of scores of voices echoed and resounded: “Why, Kelly! And no other man but Kelly!” So good luck to old Tom. I am afraid these notes are somewhat prosy,, but if they only induce a few more bowlers to make for Queenstown for Christmas, 1928, all ' being well, they will have served their pur-

pose. Skippers, Glenorchy, Men Lomond, Elfin Bay, and all the other attractive sights have their charm, but give me the park with its shade and beauty and the bowling green. One little incident in conclusion. Apropos the park, a lady visitor came to Queenstown, and the morning after her arrival set out to spend the few hours before lunch in the park and to enjoy a cup of tea. Meeting a small boy, she asked him to tell her where the park was, which lie succeeded in doing m true boyish style; .“There’s the park.” “Thank you, my boy, and can you ■tell me is there a kiosk there?” “A kiosk? Well, the only bird I have seen there is an emu.” Good luck for 1928!