NORTHERN BOWLING ASSOCIATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 4, 5 January 1901, Page 4

NORTHERN BOWLING ASSOCIATION.

THE ANNUAL TOURNAMENT.

The Northern Bowling Association’s annual tournament opens in Gisborne on Monday, and promises to be a most successful gathering. The committee are sparing no efforts to bring the green into first-class order, and there is every prospect of the visitors being satisfied on this score. The officers of the Association are: President, Mr A. W. Thomson, Auckland ; VicePresident, Mr George Matthewson, Gisborne ;. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr J.- H. Mentiplay, Weiiington; Hon. Auditor, Mr F. AV. Haybittle. The following clubs are affiliated with the Association, and the majority of them are sending teams to compete in the present tournament: Auckland, Blenheim, Bluff Hill (Napier), Carterton, Dannevirke, Devonport (Auckland), Feilding, Gisborne, Hastings, Hawera, Kaiti (Gisborne), Masterton, Mount Eden (Auckland), Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Newmarket (Auckland), Newton (Wellington), Palmerston North, Patea, Petone, Ponsonby (Auokland), Remuera (Auckland), Thomdon (Wellington), Victoria (Wellington), Wanganui, Waverley, Wellington, Whataupoko (Gisborne). The conditions of play are as follows: — IS 1. The tournament shall be played if possible each club against each club, until concluded, the score to be by wins. 2. The game shall be 21 heads up—drawn heads to count. If a tie at that point extra heads to be played. 3. No changing of players will be allowed, except in the ease of illness or enforced absence from Gisborne, in which case a substitute may be chosen by the skip of the team affected, subject to the approval of the Match Committee, provided the substitute does not act as skip. 4. The rules of the Northern Bowling Association of New Zealand will be followed during the tournament.

5. Disputes to be referred to the Tournament Committee,- whose decision shall be final.

G. All competitors must be members of a club that is affiliated to an association, and must wear the colors of their club,

7. Not more than one rink from each club shall take part. 8. A penalty of £5 will be strictly enforced on any rink which commences play and from other reason than illness, or justifiable cause allowed by the Tournament Committee, discontinues before the finish of the tournament. 9. Bowlers to remain at the end from which they play until the third players have delivered their last bowls, then all change ends with the skip. 10. Rule 17 of the Northern Bowling Association’s Laws of the Game will be strictly adhered to in regard to size and bias of bowls. 11. It is insisted upon that skips shall be held accountable for their scoring cards, which must be properly filled in, signed by both skip’s, ahd handed to the Secretary on the conclusion of each match. 12. Entrance Fees.—All entrance fees to be handed to the Secretary of the Association at time of entry, viz., 20s for each rink. 13. All skips to furnish the Tournament Committee with the name and position of each player by 8 o’clock on Saturday night, the sth January. 14. The Tournament Committee will meet at the Masonic Hotel on Saturday, the sth January, at 8 p.m., and on Monday and following evenings, at same hour, if necessary. Tournament Committee. —The President and Vice-President of the Northern Bowling Association, together with one member from each club competing. Match Committee to be eleoted at Gisborne by Tournament Committee. Prizes. —First prize, four pairs Silvermounted bowls, or gold medals to value; second prize, four pairs ivory-mounted boAvls, or gold medals to value.

[Notes by “Toucher.”]

The Kaiti team will be skipped by J. W. Witty, a veteran bowler, who can take a win or a defeat with equal eqanimity. AYith this Club as with the AVhataupoko the choice of players is limited and the teams are not as strong as one might wish to sec them. • The feature of AVitty’s play is his drawing, and at this he is very proficient and reliable, but if he has to drive he is at a disadvantage bowling with bowls of a very wide bias. The Kaiti number three is Dixon, a man who has rapidly come to the front. He is the strongest man in the team, being well able to undergo the ordeal of six days’ constant play. da.The popular President of the Gisborne Club is playing as number two for the Kaiti team. He has not of late been playing up to his usual form, but will probably make up for this during the next week. The strong point of his play is his successful drawing, and I expect to see him render valuable assistance to the team. With the withdrawal of Birss from the Gisborne team I fully expected to have seen the position offered to the President, but the town skip has, I believe, made another selection. Pettie, who fills the position of leader, is a most painstaking and careful player. At Napier in 1898 he did good service for Gisborne, and at Auckland last year he played a most consistent game. The pick of the Whataupoko quartette is undoubtedly Simson, who is at present playing a splendid game. A most enthusiastic bowler, he has given a good deal of attention to the game, and has undergone a careful training for the tournament. He is one of the best drawing men in the club, and is not •

easily daunted by his antagonist. As skip he keeps his team well together, and both by example and precept I expect to see him get the best out of them that they are capable of. He is very good at a firm shot, and if the occasion arises can drive fairly well.

Ferris is a little variable in his play, but when on is very deadly. His strong point is his ability to draw to the jack. Sidebottom is a capital number one, and is never far away from the jack. He should take a lot of beating. Hookey, with more practice, would greatly improve. In the several games I have seen him play he has acquitted himself well, and when he warms up to the game next week he ’ will probably bear out the eulogistic notice which the Observer gave him last week. Jackson, when he enters heartily into the contest, is,a sound and reliable player, and draws well;' ; - Of the new members of the Club T. Adair is one of the most promising. He takes a keen interest in the game. Robertson figured as skip, in one of the recent scratch matches, and scored an easy victory. -He also played a sterling game for Coleman on Monday last. He will have to be reckoned with at no distant date, SJAmbridge is a cool and steady player, but does not get sufficient practice. Recently he defeated Hookey by 23 to 18, after a wellfought game. He is an excellent general, and holds his team well together. T. Witty is new at the game, but is already showing that he is a chip of the old block, C. Rosie is steadily improving, but requires more play. Hennessey has left the marks of his olaws on some of the best skips in the Club, and his victory over Ponsford in the GisborneAVhataupoko match was something to be proud of. He made a great name for himself in Napier and Auckland as leader for the Gisborne team, and it is a matter of regret that he is not in that position for the present tournament.' giMatthewson, one of the fathers of the Club, can always be depended upon coming to the rescue at a pitch, as witness his play for Gisborne against Kaiti last Monday, when in the last head he drew both bowls on the Jack. Humphreys is recognised as one of the steadiest players in the Club, and it is on this account that he has been selected by Ponsford. He plays a good all round game. Cox is a young, player who promises well, but makes a mistake in bowling with too wide bowls. Wiilock is an excellent player on a full length green, but is not so effective on the short Jack. Price does not show much improvement this’season, but the reason for this is that he has not been much on the ground. Bowls, like everything else, require a lot of practice. For the small amount of practice that he gets Skeefc shows that his early training has not been lost upon him, and he is yet a formidable skip.

The bowling green is at present in firstclass order, thanks to the attention bestowed npon'it by Mr F.j Tansley, the caretaker. The 'grounds are in excellent condition, and all things are in keeping for an enjoyable time next week.