BOWLING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22780, 15 October 1937, Page 4

BOWLING NOTES

[By Draw.]

Club secretaries, or thos* in eharfe of tht social activities of their clubs, are Invited to send along notices in reference to any club events. Inquiries relating to the rules of the game will be welcomed. Correspondence addressed to * Draw " must reach this office not later than noon on Tuesday each week. Questions and Answers. “ Tourney.” The championships commence at Dunedin on Monday, January 10, ,and will conclude about Friday, January 21. The singles, pairs, and then rinks will be the order of play. Mr J. R. Hanning, 1 Dowling street, is the secretary. The entry forms will, I understand, be circulated 6n or about the first week in November. To your last query, emphatically “no.” “ Wager.”—Sorry I cannot undertake what you suggest. Notes. Mr Horton, the lecturer _ of the Greens Research Committee, is at present in Dunedin and is arranging to give advice to the greenkeepers and green supervisors, and I understand he is to give a lecture to which all interested in the welfare of bowling greens will be invited. The idea of engaging the services of an _ expert to supervise our playing areas just a few years back looked beyond most of our clubs, but now it is an accomplished fact. There is nothing like progress! The Portobello Club will open its green on October 30 prior to the starting of its first match in the centre competition. It is a pity that this club could not have arranged its opening for Labour Day, as this would have given the clubs in Dunedin an opportunity of conveying their good wishes. Perhaps it is still not too late to act on this suggestion. Club Openings. To-morrow. —Brighton (president, Mr S. Smith: secretary, Mr C. Beck), Fairfield (president, Mr T. Buclmnan; secretary, Mr A. Bowie), Kaituna (president, Mr Jas. Haig; secretary, Mr A. M'Naughton), Green Island (president, Mr W. A. Smellie; secretary, Mr J. F. Ray), Caledonian (president, Mr H. A. Newall; secretary, Mi* W. G. Lloyd), St. Clair (president, Mr A. H. Fisher; secretary, Mr A. Burns), Port Chalmers (president, Mr W. P. Jenks; secretary, Mr R. Willmott), N.E. Valley (president, Mr C. A. M‘Donald; secretary, Mr H. J. Duncan). Dunedin, Caverslinm, Leith, Logan Park. Taieri, St. Kilda, West Harbour, Caledonian will also hold their opening day. Saturday, October 23.—Anderson Bav (president, Mr Peter Bell; secretary, Mr J. Mooney); also Kaikorai. Club Greens Opened. The Mornington Club held a most successful opening, and the executive and members were delighted with the attendance of visitors, a largo number of sister clubs being represented. The president (Mr C. Turner), in a short speech, made reference to the fine appearance of the pavilion and its sur- . .roundings, and he also expressed his "thanks to those members who had as- • sisted in the work of renovating the buildings and had improved the playing area. The mayor (Rev. E T. Cox), a past member of the club, congratulated the members in keeping tlfeir club up to date. Mr J. Davis (treasurer of the Dunedin Centre) conveyed the good wishes of that body, and Mr J. Rigby (on behalf of sister clubs) also added similar sentiments, aed after Mrs Turner had rolled the first bowl the president declared the season open. . Tainui, which was first opened in 1831, had a big attendance for the opening of the new season' last Saturday, and visitors were astonished at the. rapid progress which- this young • club has made. It has now _a substantial, pavilion and a well-laid playing area which is in really good condition. The bowing club is part of the Tamm Sports Club, a body which has also a tennis club and croquet club. lam sure very few people of Dunedin know of the fine sporting area which' has been built up in this suburb. At the opening of the bowling club, Mr T. Smith (president of the Dunedin Centre) said he was astounded at the rapid and solid progress of the club, which 7 years ago only had a member- ' ship of 16. The total had now reached 59. The president of the club, Mr S A. Wood, is naturally very pleased, but he says Here is room yet for.another 20 or 30 members. During the ' afternoon Mrs A. G. Rennie was thanked for her donation of a flag for use on the pavilion. Special re ference was made to the help of several -members, and Messrs E. M‘Pauli. ; J. Cockerill, and J. Fronde were specially mentioned for their valuable os- - Opoho also bad a successful opening, and president, Mr R. A. Johnston, must have been pleased to sse so many clubs represented at the function. This club’s green- is situated at top of the upper Botanic Garden.s, and while it will enjoy all the sunshine possible, it is also well sheltered from the southerly winds. Here again is another suburb which has in recent years estabished a number of sports clubs. Adjourning the bowling green ■ is a series of croquet lawns, and besides the Alhambra Football Club’s two grounds there is also a thriving tennis club. .Women’s Bowling Association. On Wednesday afternoon this association opened its greens at Logan Park. It is the only association, male or female, that controls greens of its own, either in New Zealand or Australia, and it can be held up as an example to the many centres and associations as an object lesson. Why some of the centres in the Dominion have not done the same is hard to understand. The bowlers of the Dominion, and particularly those of Dunedin, will some day regret that they did not ■ silt about and procure some of the vacant areas in the city for association bowling greens. The men might well follow the lead of the ladies in this direction. Dunedin Cenjtre Meeting. The principal business at the centre’s meeting last Monday was the approving of the list of fixtures and the draws for the season. It was decided to commence the Saturday shield matches on Saturday, October 30, and play a series of 12 games, eight of which are set down to be played before the Christinas holidays. It was also decided that Saturday games start at 3.15, as against 2.30 in past seasons. The draw for the four rink championship shows that it is being played again in two sections, one of 10 and one nine clubs, the section winners to play off the final, this game being set down for Monday, February 28, at 4As Christmas day is on a Saturday, it is proposed to play one of the section/ games during that week. It tainly appears to be a fair proposition

as the days at that period are at their longest, and I think bowlers generally would appreciate a game then in preference to late February. The interprovincial matches to be played are Otago v. Southland at Invercargill on Saturday, March 5, and Otago v. Canterbury, at Dunedin on Thursday, March 10. The champion of champions competition is set down to commence on Saturday, March 12, and will continue on the following Monday. The Adess Shield competitions and the leads and seconds tournament will both commence on Saturday, March 19, and continue on the following Wednesday (Anniversary Day}. Club Day, an event much appreciated, is fixed for April 2. Provision is also made to allow Elderly Bowlers’ Day to be held on Saturday, February 12, and on this day South Otago will hold its annual tournament, and many local bowlers look forward to taking part in this gathering. It will be remembered that this is the week of the Dunedin Cup races, and many _ bowlers also like to patronise the “ picnic ” at Wingatui. The mtcreentres games with North and South Otago will be arranged at a later date. Mr H A. Newall has taken a position on the centre executive in. place of Mr W. T. Heneghan (Caledonian Club). FIRST ROUND OF SATURDAY MATCHES. —ln Sections.— Dunedin play St. Kilda (6). Caversham play Balmacewen (4), and Caversham Fairfield (1). N.E. Valley play Mornington (4), and N.E. Valley Portobello (l). St. Clair play Taieri (2), St. Clair Tainui (2), and Port Chalmers Tainui (2). Logan Park play Opoho (2). Caledonian play Anderson’s Bay (4), and Caledonian Brighton (1). Kaituna play Leith (4), and Kaituna Outram (1). Iloslyn play Kaikorai (3), and Roslyn Green Island (2). Otago play West Harbour (3). Mr Horton’s Visit. On Wednesday morning there was a good attendance of greenkeepers and others at the Dunedin Club’s green to listen to an address by Mr Horton, who took as his subject, ‘ The Care and Cultivation of the Bowling Green.’ One did not require to be an expert to follow his remarks, as he took pains to use terms that would be readily understood. For over an hour he spoke on matters' of vital interest to greenkeepers. Not only did Mr Horton speak to the greenkeepers, but he also made mention of the carelessness of some club members. He mentioned the question .of players leaving mats on the green for a period, sometimes through the whole of the tea adjournment, or when they had finished play. This was a matter, he said, that should bo avoided. He also mentioned the want of care in playing when the greens w'ere inclined to be damp. When a green was on the damp side extra care should be taken not to injure the grass on the green ends, as this at all times required special attention. No player should do anything that would tend to do damage, as the damage of one day necessitated weeks of cure.

Mr Horton also emphasised the fact that greenkeepers should follow one line of direction in regard to fertilisers and seeds and not drift from one form to another. Now that the clubs in Dunedin had engaged him it was imperative that they follow _ very closely his suggestions and advice, or they would fall between two stools as it were, and get nowhere. Mr Horton will give a further lecture at the St. Clair Club’s pavilion on Thursday night.