BOWLING NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4906, 27 June 1918, Page 3

BOWLING NOTES.

(By “Toucher.”)Last week the representatives of King George notified -several of our bowlers that their presence may bo required in the fighting area in Europe, and that their battles on the green may be replaced by life and death battles on the Continent. Among those who were notified thuk to prepare for action were - seven bowlers or ex-bowlers. That well known skip of the Kahutia Club, P. J. Howard, is among those selected. I have an idea he is over the age limit, but the .point may be cleared up later oil. Then there is B. G. Dudfield, known i’o his pals as “Ben.” / He is also a member of Kahutia and is a promising No. 3. Another Kaliutian, G. A. Neill, mine host of the British Empire, is another chosen. He has been showing a wonderful improvement in the game of howls this season, and is now looked upon as one of the club’s best No. 2’s. Then, again. there is E. Hampton, a colt of Kahutia, who is showing splendid form for a first year player, as he is a fine example of keenness at the game. W. C. Mon'se and L. M. Cuff were formerly members of Kahutia, but I have not seen them at the pastime during., the past season or so. I notice only one member of the Gisborne Club has drawn a marble in the ballot and he is A. N. Stubbings, who is putting in his first season at the game. He has a brother at Home who has earned distinction in the great battles on the fair fields of France.

Among the visitors to our greens during the past week lias been Mr Wilmot off the Bluff Hill Club, Napier. He is relieving Mr Woodward, headmaster of the Patutahi School. Mr Wilmot learnt his howling in Nelson and is a player of first-class standing, playing any shot on the hoard. The pity is that Mr Wilmot is not a permanent resident of the district, for he would prove himself a decided acquisition to our howling ranks. . The local greens are closing down in a few days, and it behoves all enthusiasts to get in their games at once. It seems a pity to close-down at present, but the new season must be considered and tkfe greens must bo prepared and top-dressed. And bowlers will assemble shortly for play for the last time this season, and then their bowls will he oiled, shoes put away and good-byes said to the game till the spring-time comes cnce again. The Nelson Club have of late been considering the advisability of purchasing a site for a new green, hut so far have not come ’ across a favorable piece of ground. The present green is the one the club first commenced with, and in its pre-bowling days was the site of a market garden. The club at its annual meeting decided to honor those members who have gone to the fighting front, by the erection of a Service Honors Board, the cost of which will be defrayed by the voluntary subscriptions of members. I would like to see the local clubs follow the lea/| given them hv Nelson in this matter.

The advisability oh appointing a permanent secretary to the Dominion Bowling Assocation was discussed at the annual meeting of the Auckland Centre,. Dominion Bowling Association. Professor Maxwell Walker said it wag necessary to look at the suggestion from the broad aspect of the greatest possible efficiency of an Association which was growing -every day. He would like to see the Dominion Council have’ some continuity of policy. There was a different system of play at each of the four centres. He had urged the Council to I define certain conditions of play for the whole Dominion. In his opinion, a permanent secretary, resident in a central position, would settle the difficulty. Mr Coltman agreed with the previous speaker in everything other than-his'suggestion that a permanent secretary would affect the position. The Council had the power to enforce any policy. Replying, Professor Walker said he was at one with the statement that the Council should fix conditions' which the secretaries should see were carried out. If one secretary were managing tournaments year after year, thereby becoming thoroughly conversant with the conditions, the Council would, from tinie to time, adopt little suggestions and recommendations for the benefit of bowling generally. A motion that the Auckland Centre of the ' New Zealand Bowling Association recommends' that a permanent secretary be appointed to the eiv Zealand Bowling Association —put to test the feeling of delegates—was defeated. „ . , , . . To score 170 in four rinks, and win by 114 points, is wliat one of the M.C.C. “B” teams (Victoria) has set for some other team to chase in a game of bowls away from its own green. The skippers of rinks responsible for this state of things are Jack, son, Kelleb, Martin and Matheson. The last-named scored 56 to 6—a mere incident in the proceedings.^ The bowlers of New South Wales have contributed £l4 000 to patriotic funds. They subscribed £8333 among them to the Australia Day Fond. The championship rink of New South Wales for the season clime from the Parramatta Club ffi’he players were W. Clark, L. V . Pye, H. E Quigley, . ana W. J. Morey. Their opponents in'the final were a Gladstone Park rink—J. Jesson Purcell, M'Grath, and Pierce—and the game was won ..by 3d to 20 aftei 25 heads had been played Tbs game was in and out (says the Reteiee). At the 20th head Parramatta had accumulated their full total (33), while Gladstone Park froze on the loth head with a score of 10 only. Here the ultimate winners were no more than 2 to the good, but the 14th end placed an additional 5 to their credit—the only 5 made in the match and they went on to gather 4. 4, o. z, 1 and 2 —21 in seven successive ends. Some teams might have crumpled up completely before such a facer; but the Gladstone Park rink were made of better than ordinary stuff. 1 hey . clenched their teeth and dug .theim heels into the ground to such pul pose that the Parramattonians never had another look in . From the 21st head to the conclusion—all too near for the rearward players—the lattei were the only doers, an iey their derndest, making 2,3, 1, p. f na l—lo before the match terminated. The Gladstone Park men were up against a doughty lot indeed, consequently they must be considered to have done well. The personnel of the successful rink was similar o that of the four who won the City Club’s Easter tournament_ last year. The captain, Mr Morey, is not now tasting of the sweets of. championship for the first time. He is an old campaigner. He controlled the Parramatta four who won the State honors in *1913. The Morey rink have taken part in 16 matches without once suffering defeat. , A new pennant rink record for South Australia (writes Wheatear from Adelaide) was established by an Adelaide Oval four—Messrs Hoath, Schulze. Caught, and John HiU against Glenelg when they registered 56 to 11. For many years tin re-. icord in ..pennant howls (52 to I<D stood to the credit of the Victoria Drive A Grade rink—Ferguson. Counter, Hadrian Moody and Rex Thomas —who rattled up that talW against the Albertons. , _ : . In a letter of thanks to the President of the N.5.W.8.A., the hon. secretary of the Australian Red Gross Society writes : f ‘My committee wish to place on record their- very grateful ,thanks and deep appreciation of The action of your association in providing a bowling green for the use of the men at Randwick Hospital. "We need not tell you how much this • will he appreciated l by the men. and will tend to relieve .the ..monotony of their lives in the hospital. Will you please convey to the members of the different bowling olubs, which participated l in thij movement, our most grateful thanks' for their ac- * tion.” ’