FOR DISABLED SERVICEMEN

Evening Star, Issue 25895, 12 September 1946, Page 6

FOR DISABLED SERVICEMEN

CONSTRUCTION OF BOWLING GREEN READY FOR USE THIS SEASON The final touches are at present being given to the full-size bowling green that has been provided through the generosity of clubs affiliatedi to the Dunedin Bowling Centre for use by disabled servicemen at the Re-estab-lishment League’s training centre in Anzac Avenue. The green, which is to be officially opened on September 28, will accommodate eight rinks, and its preparation on the reclaimed land at the rear of the framing centre cost about £2,000. Both men and lady members of various bowling clubs in the city donated more than this amount towards the cost of the green, and although it was originally intended to construct a pavilion, this project has been held over for the present owing to the shortage of building materials, and the surplus, of about £9OO that was collected is to be utilised later for this purpose. Like almost everything that costs money to-day the provision of such an amenity as a bowling green has soared in price. There were 400 yards of soil required for placing on the green, which is 112 ft square, and with this material costing 22s 6d a yard this item alone meant an expenditure of £450. • The grass was sown last autumn, and it has formed! a strong and even surface that should stand up well to continuous play throughout the season. An experiment based on expert adVice' has been carried out for the first occasion on any green in Dunedin, the surface being subjected last week to a “ mud bath,” involving the spreading of liquid earth and rubbing it into the green to form a cement and prevent effectively the appearance of cracks.

Because the reserves department of .the City Corporation was unable to provide the labour ; voluntary assistance has been freely given since the beginning of this year by several enthusiastic bowlers, whose services were gratefully acknowledged to-day by Mr S. B. Smith, president of the Dunedin branch of the Disabled Servicemen’s Re-establishment League, who showed a reporter over the green. The amount donated by the clubs has enabled equipment to maintain the green to be purchased, and these voluntary workers were engaged this morning in cutting the grass with an electric mower and rolling the green. The provision of this amenity will be very much appreciated by the disabled men at the training centre,'and the opinion was expressed by an authority on bowling greens that this one will probably be used when the next Dominion bowling tourney is held in Dunedin.