BOWLING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 273, 2 November 1932, Page 2

BOWLING

ON THE VARIOUS GREENS

A DISAPPOINTING WEEK-END. HAVELOCK CLUB’S OPENING. (By "Roamer.”) Nov that all the official openings have taken place, clubs will be getting down to the more serious part of the business and setting tho club competitions on the Way. The Havelock North Club officially opened their green last Saturday, and a great success the day turned out to be. I understand it is the largest crowd that has ever attended an opening on this green. Those responsible for the arrangements are to be congratulated on their efforts. This club has a lot of new blood in its ranks, and the enthusiasm displayed could well be copied by a number of other clubs. During the winter recess many hours of work were put in by several members, and the result was clearly in evidence on Saturday. All that is wanted now is a pavilion, and I understand this question will be gone into very shortly. The green was in splendid order on Saturday, and the greenkcepe- (Mr. Holmes) was paid a well desr tribute by President Jell. Havelocl I be a dub to be reckoned with this season. , What Kitty Hoars. That St. Leonards are trying out a new system of handicapping in Thursday and Saturday rink competitions. That two prominent members of the Havelock North Club are donating buttons for a rink competition. • • • . That Hastings promises to be represented by one or two strong rinks at the Dominion tourney. Ia Pr*tio of Bowls. High praise of the "royal and ancient game of bowls” <as given by Mr. W. Petry, president of the Wellington Centre, at the opening of the Thorndon Bowling Club’s season. The origin of bowls, said Mr. Perry, was lost in antiquity, but the game was at lease 700 of 800 years old. He had played most games in his time, but in his opinion bowls was the best of theta all He knew no other game that maintained so perfectly the spirit of camaraderie and good fellowship among the players. ■ In bowls the good players did not form.. Cliques Mnong themselves; the novice was as welcome on tho green at .waa the veteran.

An Awkward Position. An awkward position' arose recently on a Southern. green, when a director picked up- the shot bowl and put it on the bank when he discovered that the player had not completely ‘'removed the chalk mark from his bowl before playing it.” However, this is quite a common thing, for when a player is wiping his bowl with a rag he is usually looking at the jack at the other end of the green, not noticing the chalk mark, of which he would otherwise be so justly proud, and it is very easy to leave a trace of the chalk, especially if the bowl is rather otiy. It was probably for this reason that, the New Zea-, land Bowling Council made the penalty for tho first offence, "he shall be warned,” and the opposing director had no right to declare the bowl dead, except for "any further offence in the same way during the game.” Some people may be inclined to describe the incident in one word—pointing. The International Board. The executive of the New Zealand Bowling Council have released for general information a report from Mr Ivor B. Thomas, who represents the 'Dominion on the International Bowling Board. In this he replies to the request for an explanation of a letter from the Australian Bowling Council, stating that their British representative on, the board had expressed his surprise that Mr Thomas had spoken and voted against the admission of the United States to membership, in spite of the instructions from New Zealand to vote in favour of their application. The answer will probably startle the members of the New Zealand Council who took part in the discussion at their annual meeting, for Mr Thomas states that the question was not even put to the vote at the meeting last February to which the Australian representative refers, so he had no opportunity to vote either way. This is borne .out by the minutes of the 1.8.8. meeting in question, which indicate that motion and the amendment dealing with the matter both lapsed after discussion. In th.e face of' the emphatic letter from Australia, this important point was apparently not noticed by the New Zealand councillors when the / 1.8.8. minutes were placed before them, for these minutes do not definitely state that the proposals lapsed; they merely stop short after stating who spoke on each proposal.

The council have also received a report from Mr L. G. P Spencer, formerly of Takapuna, Onehunga, and Mount Eden Clubs, who was the "first” representative of New Zealand on the 1.8.8. (Mr Thomas, being the "second” or Home representative), and in this he corroborates tho independent opinion expressed by Mr Thomas, that at present there is no possibility whatever of getting the United States admitted. Even the English Bowling Association, formerly in favour, have now decided to take no action. '

While all this fully confirms the confidence in Mr Thomas which is entertained by those who met him when ho was here with the British touring bowlers, seven years ago, it does not dose the incident (writes “Trundler”). It will now b« necessary to usk the Auk-

tralian Council to obtain from their Home representative, Mr John Lang, not tho ex-Premier of New South Wales, but the ex-preaident of tho English Bowling Association, an explanation of his report on tho voting of the New Zealand representative.