CHAMPIONSHIP BOWLS

Evening Star, Issue 25070, 11 January 1944, Page 2

CHAMPIONSHIP BOWLS

DOMINION TOURNAMENT AT DUNEDIN PLAY COMMENCES TO-MORROW Bowlers from all parts of New Zealand are in Dunedin to take part hi the twenty-ninth annual championship tournament of the New Zealand Bowling Association, which commences tomorrow, and the blazers of many different bowling clubs will be a familiar sight iii the city during the rest of this week and all of next week. This is v the eighth occasion on which the tournament has been held at Dunedin since the inception of ' the series, in 1914, and this, time the entries are a record for New Zealand, no fewer than 1,276 having been received. Play will commence in the singles and pairs to-morrow morning at C o'clock. An opening function will be held at 8.40 on the Dunedin Club green, which will be the headquarters for the tournament, the fixture being officially opened and visiting bowlers welcomed by the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr A. H. Allen) and the president of the New Zealand (Bowling Council (Mr J as. Forster). The 544 entries in the singles have been divided into 76 sections, 38 of which will be played on 18 greens tomorrow, and the remainder on 18 greens on Thursday. _ The large eutry for the pairs, numbering 486, has been divided into 70 sections. Eight sections will be played to-morrow on four greens and 10 'sections on five greens on Thursday, although the pairs playing on those days will consist only of players who are in both the singles and pairs. The remaining 52 sections of pairs will be played on Friday, and post-section play in both pairs and singles will take place on Saturday. The fours competition, in which 246 rinks will take part, will be commenced on Monday, January 17. This competition has been divided into 17 sections of 12 fours and three sections of 14 fours, and play will take place on 20 greens.

The arranging of such a large tour-* nament has been a job of considerable magnitude, for, apart from providing for greens on which to play the various competitions, the Tournament Committee has had to secure accommodation for the visitors. Considerably more than 500 bowlers from outside Dunedin are taking part, and many of these are accompanied by wives. Hotel accommodation could not be found at this time of the year for anything like the number of visitors, audi several hundreds have had to find a place in private homes.

Many past champions will be competing in the games, these including W. Bremner (Auckland), H. C. Clarke (Carlton), George A. Deare (Carlton), R. Haworth (Canterbury), D. H. Joseph (Canterbury), E. Jurv (Ponsonbv), J. W. Lowry (Petone), j\ W. T. Maeklow (Onehunga),.C. G. Maher (Auckland), H. S. Maslin (Hawera), P. Munn (Canterbury), D. Hunter (Petone), A. C. Mclntyre (Hutt, the old Taieri player), F. Redpath (Linwood), J- C. Rigby (Dunedin), M. J. Squire (Hawera), C. Spearman (R.S.A., Christchurch, the present singles champion), C. E. Tyrrell (Roslyn). J. Veitch (Dunedin), A. Williamson (Canterbury), H. Wilson (Mt. Eden, Auckland, and late of Linwood, Christchurch), F. Lambeth (Balmacewen), R. B. Clarke (United, Christchurch, and late of Roslyn, Dunedin). The present holders of championships are:—Singles: C. Spearman' (R.S.A., Christchurch). Pairs: H. S. Maslin and M. J. Squire (Hawera Club, Taranaki). Fours: C. 11. Elsom, D. H. Joseph, A. Williamson, P. Munn (of the Canterbury Club, Christchurch). The only past singles champions competing are J. C. Rigbv (1922), H. O. Clarke (1927), F. Lambeth (1930), G. Deare (1940), and the present champion, C. Spearman (1937 and 1941). Owing to war and transport difficulties, the championships were not held in 1942 or 1943. R J, Smith, who tied with Spearman in the singles final of 1941, and lost in the plav-off, is playing to-morrow at the Caledonian Green, and so is Spearman, the present champion. They are in different sections, but may meet later in the competition.