BOWLING NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 292, 7 November 1928, Page 10

BOWLING NOTES

(By “Trundler.”)

In common with devotees of other summer pastimes bowlers have a grudge against the wretched weather conditions since tho season oponed last month. The greens liav© been very heavy and, in consequence, there bus been very little pleasure so far in the play that has been possible in the breaks between the bad weather. Local bowlers who intend to take part in the Dominion tournament at Wellington will welcome a period of sunshine. The Palmerston North Club this season is keeping a record of all rink matches played on W ednesdays and Saturdays, the object being to ascertain the percentage of wins of the leads, number two’s, number three’s and skipsProgrammes for the New Zealand and Rotorua tournaments have been issued to clubs. In the former the champion singles contest commences on Monday, January 7th, section play ending next day. The rinks competition—the blue riband event in Dominion bowling—commences on the Wednesday, section play ceasing on the following Saturday. On Monday, January 14th, players engaged in the pairs championship will take the greens. The first Rotorua tourney commences on February 4th and the second on February 18tli. Both are popular with bowlers and are bound to attract a large number of entries. Local bowlers will sympathise with members of the Feilding Club in the death of Mr Wm. Quale, who was wellknown on the local greens, having been a regular competitor at the local tournaments. Of a quiet and unassuming nature, the deceased gentleman was deservedly popular among bowlers in this district. . . As tho result of the visit to South Africa of Mr A. Duncan (of the Wellington Club), who accompanied the All Blacks team throughout the tour, and who played on many of the dirt bowling greens, it is not at all improbable that a South African rink might come to New Zealand to play in the big January tournament, to be held in Wellington, says a Wellington paper. If the rink does come, it will add tremendously to the interest, as it is almost sure to lead to another test game between New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Now that it is common property that Mr J. Pascoe is going to England in the autumn (says the Auckland Star) there is no harm in suggesting that New Zealand has a particularly favourable opportunity to be worthily represented at the next annual meeting of the International Bowling Board, to which the Dominions were admitted as full partners last July. It would be difficult to find a more suitable representative. President of Grey Linn for two years, as. long ago as 1911-13, and President of Devonport for six years, 1918-24, Mr Pascoe has just retired from a three years’ presidency of the Auckland centre, so there are very few people more familiar with tho government of the game.

PROGRESS OF THE GAME.

Statements are made from time to time giving the number of bowlers in New Zealand. As the figures are not always exact, the following taken from the official records will be read with interest:

As several now clubs in the North Island have been formed this year, there will be a very largo increase compared-with last season’s membership.

North Island. Centres 10 Clubs 182 1927 members 9,717 1928 members 10,279 Increase 562 South Island. 10 127 5,736 Totals. .5,765 29 20 309 15,453 16,044 591