BOWLING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9344, 20 October 1910, Page 5

BOWLING.

OPENING OF SEASON IN PALMERSTON.

In opening the Palmerston . bowling green yesterday afternoon-the President, Mr J. A. Nash, gave some interesting particulars of- the early history of, the Club. The Lombard street site was, he said, purchased in 1890 by the late Mr J. Walkley, and he paid, for having it laid out by Mr Laird, of Wanganui. In. the following year play was started, the first committee to manage the Club being Messrs Walkley, Keeling,. Snelson and Clapperton, all of whom had now passed away, and the only original members left being . Messrs F. Mowlem, G. J. Scott, A. Drew, and John Young (Wellington). | Mr Walkley was tho first President, and :Mr Drew tho first, hon. secretary. When he (the speaker) took the office of secretary, which he had held for twelve' consecutive years, there w v ere only thirtyfive members, but at the. present time it stood at a hundred more than that number. The Palmerston Club had been most successful in competitions, and on three occasions had won the Northern Bowling Club's championship, and the members had been more than ordinarily successful in the Dixon Cup and Tucker badges oontests. A very large number of new members had just joined the Club, and the current year promised to be most prosperous and enjoyable. A large number of ladies were among the visitors, and appeared to take' considerable interest in the games*. The opening match was a contest between teams selected by the President and VicePresident, the former's side winning by 105 to 87. The scores were as follow: — President. Vice-President.

Russell Roach Crump Lind Brophy Dunkley Tasker 18 Gunning ... 17 H. Mowlem Haydon Shortt Abrahams Malcolm Scott C. Pickering ... 20 Griggs ... 18 Innes Tavendale Wishart Warner D. B. Harris Dixon F. Mowlem ... 17 Hodgins ... 18 Cleland O'Reilly Spackman A. .Harris Jolly Hansen A. Pickering ... 27 Clausen ... 16 Martin Tremewan Adams F. Bryant Sinclair Palmer Sollitt 23 Dempster ... 18 Afternoon tea was provided by Mrs J. A. Nash, wife of the President, and she had the assistance of a large number of lady friends in dispensing it. The visitors included Messrs Gunning, Lind, Dunckley and Roach, of Shannon. Tho President and Mr F. J. Tasker (secretary) were most assiduous in their attentions to both players and visitors alike.

The first match of the season for the Dixon Cup will be played on Wednesdaynext between Pahiatua and Palmerston. Tasker's rink at present hold the Cup. A Sydney resident writes informing us that on Eight-hour Day on the North Sydney Club's green the Handicap Pairs event was won by Messrs Stanway and T. W. Stace (late of the Palmerston N. Club) by eight wins out of nine prosreceive5 receive games of five ends each. _ The lub prize was £3 3s, and the winners also took second prize for the highest total score. Forty-one new members were elected by the Palmerston North Club yesterday. The bowling green at Feildimg was opened yestema-y afternoon by Mr J. T. Barry, President, in the presence of a large number of bowlers and their friends, including many* ladies. The green was in excellent order for bowling, while the surroundings had been greatly improved during the winter A match was played between rinks selected by the President and Vice-President, tho latter proving victorious. THE BOWLERS' OPENIN' SANG. Oh! the winter, it was weary, And the days were cauld an' dreary; An' the nichts were lang an' lonesome, Wi' their dearth o' things that cheer. But noo, oh, noo! I'm happy, A' the warld is bright an' gay • I am livin' in a dreamland, I cud sing the leclang day!

For ma he'rt is like a eingin' bird That warbles tae the sun, An! I feel like daein's something daft— The bowlin' green's begun. What tho' the wife gets angry, When she's left at nicht her lane, An' says' she'll start a bowling green An' a club hoose o' her ain! What tho' she says fu' mony a time, "I mean tae gang ma mile, An' ha'e ma fling as weel as you"— Ach! It only mak's me smile I For ma he'rt is like a rainbow shell That glitters in the sun; An' I'm whistlin' like a lav'rock since— The bowlin's green's begun! What tho' she says, "Ye muckle gowk, Ye're naething but a fule Tae gang clean daft ower 'Kitty' Like a lot o' weans at schule." Gosh! ma temper never ruffles; I've a soul abune sic strife; And I can play a bonnier game, Than quarrellin' wi' the wife! For my he'rt is like a babblin' brook That chatters tae the sun; An' I feel like a staunin' on ma heid — The bowlin' green's begun.