BOWLING NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4711, 8 November 1917, Page 7

BOWLING NOTES.

(By “Toucher.”)

' Local bowlers have indeed had hard luck this season . witli .their opening ; Junctions, for -thg God of the Weather has not smiledupon their assemblages, -rather has lie wept over the trials and sorrows of this world and dampened the spirits of the ardent bowler. He nnade an awful fuss over the Gisborne Club’s opening last Thursday, bombarding the eartli with heavy rain to the accompaniment of incessant rumbling of his aerial “tanks,” the. while lighting up the scene with his ‘brilliant searchlights. As I heard one bowler remark, he had ' witnessed a thunderstorm in Wellington a week or,; two back, which was | the heaviest lie had known, but ,the one on Thursday was the biggest ever ! —he doesn’t wish to undergo another like it.

As -the Kahutia Club’s opening three weeks ago was also marred by unfavorable weather, it is considered there must be a cause for such things to so happen, and I heard the president of the New Zealand Bowling Association blame a poor human for all thif/ trouble, in fact, he reckoned that Mine Host of the Royal and president of Kahutia (whom he saw present) must indeed be. the “Joe-nali.”

Bowlers assembled in strong force at 2 p.m. and got their games going till about 3 p.m., when the rain descended in earnest. On these occasions of opening days there is generally a foregathering of all bowlers in

the district and one sees the signs -that tell only Too plainly that time plays havoc with even the healthy man. Here Tom Brown is bobbing about on a stick, a martyr to rheumatism ; there Bill Robinson appears with a pair of glasses. Another identity uncovers his head to scratch out an idea as to how he is going to get the shot, displaying those tellj HctltrAV r'+liVAnric 1 ornnne-o-f. +li a

tale “silver /ftareads amongst the gold.” The boys who yesterday passed the green froni school in knickers now stand alongside “father” in the rink, making him look twice as old as he really is. And so the wheel goes round. “How long have you been playing bowls, Jones, old man?” a v friend pipes out; and Jones marvels to think that it is getting on to a score of years, although it ’seems but half the time. The newest theology is that the end of ~ fl /-v marl 'rvP a limvl-

the world is the end or a man's bowling career. If that he so, then many of the dead are still walking around amongst us. j Among the many visitors to the I green I noticed Colonel Cossgrove, | Scout Commandant. ~ He .is an erstj while member of the Kaiapoi Club, ! and a veteran at the game. A not- ! able exponent of the game in the | person of Mr. Hayes, I .have also ob- ! served on the green during the past | few days. The visitor won the Champion Singles of Australia in 1906; lie is showing .great form, and much in- ! terest has centred round his play. Though onlv about nine heads were played, bowlers were emphatic in their praise of the green. Their favorable comments were, indeed, well merited, for Mr IV ilson, the caretaker, had put in good work during the recess. n It was a fine speech that Mr D. Bussell Smith, the president of the Dominion "Bowling Association of New j Zealand, made at the'opening. We are so used to the usual remarks re the weather, the presence of the ladies, the prospects of the season, departed and new members, that remarks anent the rules of the game itself are refreshing. Mr. Smith s scheme for raising money for patriotic purposes I dealt with in this column a fortnight or so ago. so I need not traverse that ground. Suffice it to say that my suggestion that the scheme he extended to take in the whole of New Zealand has been adopted. At present £IOO has been raised under the scheme in Dunedin, and that centre’s £IOOO is assured. All funds raised locally are to be allotted to any purpose the local howlers decide, i]lion.. , Mr. Smith also extended a hearty invitation to Gisborne .bowlers to attend the Dominion tournament at Dunedin next January. I understand tlic Gisborne Club intend to be represented, and already two players —F. Harris and W. A. Smith—have signified that they will make the trip. The vexed ‘‘two-feet” rule was another matter touched upon by Mr Smith. He stated the alteration to that rule had been made in the interests of harmony and good feeling, for it was only out of “pure cussedness’ that a lot of old howlers ignored the rule: His appeal for the strict observance of the new rule was warmly received. Tlie proposed alteration of the constitution of the- Association. in the direction of allowing the smaller centres representation on the Council of the Association is a step in the right direction. Thinking bowlers have for some time deemed such a step necessary in the interest of ideal government of the game, and when this comes to be an accomplished fact such centres as the East Coast Centre will be directly interested in the doings of the Association. “I am looked upon as somewhat or a lengthy speaker,” said the genial president of the Dominion Association on Thursday. His hearers thoroughly appreciated tlie point, for he and friend Dudfield are of a height which is much above the usual. Mr Smith reckons' the Gisborne - green one of the Dominion’s Lest, and besides has a high opinion of the district’s patriotism in contributing men and funds for war purposes, and incidentally 'lie put, in a word for “The Bowlers’ Effort.” Mr. Smith had a roll-up on the Kaliutia green on Saturday afternoon, and left for Auckland by the Monowai on Sunday. He is the first, president of the Association to officially visit Gisborne, and we bowlers hope lie will not he the last. ~ - , t Mr IV. A, Smith, the president ot the Gisborne Club, had practically to take second place to his brother on Thursday, due to their position m bowlerdom. His remarks anent the war and bowls met with approval, and liis remarks about the ladies were apropos. The ladies need have no regrets that their husbands are members of a howling club. In the fiist place, bowlers are considered good company,, and the . ladies can rest assured. when they are playing howls they are in good company. then when 'the howlers, are on the green, tliey are able to leave' behind the cares and distractions of their daily work Bowls require undivided attention. and to be a good bowler one must leave behind all worries. Bowlers invariably enjoy good health, and are long livers. The open air and gentle exercise supplies just the necessary oil that the human machine requires. . ■ \ The howler gav.' in- bright array, Appears upon the giAen. j A blither spark. I might remark Is very seldom seen. The green is shorn, the rinks are drawn, . Tlie shadows longer grow, And with a smile, in friendly style Each howler greets lus foe.

Now number one, the tossing done Has deftly thrown the lack And then liis: bowl, 'till its done its roll , ■ . His nerves are on the rack. His skip’s “Too narrow,”- his feelings harrow As he rises from his knees. His next howl’s short and a grim retort , ~ Is his skin’s “No>w be np, please. His -spirits rise, as. lie hears lie lies, But soon lie hears a crack, ;, He smothers a curse, for it coudn t he worse, . ... The next man’s run the lack. . So the' game proceeds and doughty deelSs Are done by every man; Or so one thinks as his tea he drinks And' listens whilst lie can.