IN THE HOMELAND

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1927, Page 2

IN THE HOMELAND

Mr Win. Wilson, who with Mrs 1\ ilson is on a visit to the Homeland, writing to a member of the local Bowling Club, dated Oct. 19th. ,in the course ol" an interesting letter says:— “By the time you get this you "ill have started howls again and you have my best wishes for a good season. There has been quite a number of "ct days here this summer and although it does not amount to much in inches, still it is very noticeable "hen you are going about seeing things. I happened by chance to sit bv a man at the Oxford and Cambridge cricket match at Lords. IVe talked away and when we got on to bo"ls he was very enthusiastic. I told him that I came from New Zealand and he said: ‘Oh, 1 know a man from New Zealand. He lives at a place called Groymouth, and iiis name is Tom Jonc>. “Ho promised to send mo a pro-

gramme for a bowling tournament in Wales. It duly arrived and we started off for Ltandrindos Wells. It is a health resort in the centre of Wales and they have a three weeks’ bowling tournament every year. I entered for three of the events but went out first pop in each event. They had all the best bowlers in 1\ aids there. The men who won the first lot of singles, the Brynawet Cup was a marvel named Swarbrick with a wonderful idea of strength. He made some beautiful shots. The greens are 44 yards square and they only play on six rinks each divided by a cotton lino. They play with a lot of narrow bawls, whereas in the English Association the howls require to he stamped. Their short head is our long one, and there is very little driving. The most successful shot is that one of Dave Stevenson’s with a yard on. Rain did not slop play. They charged 3d admission each session and fid for the final. There were quite a number of very old men playing. There were 310 entries for one event'. sudden death. Everybody was very kind and friendly and I quite enjoyed my fortnight’s stay. They gave me several very nice badge buttons. “When I got hack to London I wont to nee the final of the Daily Telegraph singles. 383 clulis in England had entered a champion and these games on the West Bounds Green at Finsbury were the last eight games. The bowling was very good. The green

was a turfed one and was very true and keen. I enclose the programme. These people were very good. You had to enter your name in a book, and when they saw 1 came from Hokitika they gave me drinks and lunch and a good position to see the games and hear the sjjeeches. The finalists were very accurate and the game quite excitin'-",. They play 21 up (not 2) heads), hut the first man who gets to 21 wins. It may mean 30 or more heads with a close game, hut on the whole it is quicker than our way. The winner Yowlett, had a very wide drawing howl, certainly much wider than Bruce's British Lions. “IVe are enjoying ourselves and seeing a lot of the country and have managed with difficulty to get return passages early in March. Remember me to all the howlers. “T had a great day at Brooklands on Saturday; 31 ears in a 200-mile race, winner did 7fi miles an hour in spite of having to slow down 73 times for hair-pin bends. One car capsized and another got on tiro.”