Bowling Notes

Free Lance, Volume IX, Issue 454, 13 March 1909, Page 16

Bowling Notes

By Wrong Bias.

01 HER people niaj be lamenting the absence 1 ot lain, but the bow lei s aic choitlmg gleeruLly over keen gieens and the long spell ot dryness. So long as diyness is confined to the green, they can put up with it — the pavilion is always handy, and moistuie is usually to be found there TJbe big event of Satuiday afternoon was the Wellington Club's annual "Take 'em all on" match, against the rest of the city and suburbs. It was quite a gala affarr. Fifteen unks were put in the field against tuo rinks each from Thorndon, Newtown, Victoria, Petane, Karon, Kelburne, and Lower Hutt, and one from little Eastbourne, and on the aggregate scores the mother club won handsomely by 357 to 248. The singular thing, too, is that not one of the individual clubs managed to prevail in, the struggle. They all went down before the victorious Weilingtonians, for whom it was a regular field day. Little Eastbourne, youngest and smallest of all, did the very best, for it, at any rate, with its single Tint, skipped by H. W. Shortt, managed to tie. Herbert made a dead lieat of it with the veteran McGlashan — 23 all. Now, if Mac were caught in the poetic vein, Eastbourne might easily persuade (him to throw off a little ode from his chest to celebrate the event. Thorndon came out next best, with only six points down. McKerrow got Churchward under the whip, and chipper four major points off him, but Lockie more than, made even by scoring 21 against Shallcrass's 11. Lockie, by the way, has been in splendid form right through this season, and carries his years as jauntily as men, half his age. Petone was not so far behind — only 8 points. Wylie beat Gooder by 4 points, but Ballinger was too strong for Southgate : 28 to 16. Victoria did better than Newtown, which certainly didn't play up to its reputation. In Victoria's case, Keith slapped on. 25 in fine style against Webbs 15, but then Moult was giving Kitto an uncomfortably warm time (33 to 12). which not only 'made up Webbs shortage, but gave a club win of 11 points. Newtown's champion., Geo. Prince, went down, badly by 15 to 27 against. Neil McLean, But Laughton had the distinction of putting down the redoubtable Nome Bell by a point. Norrie, as usual, had his indispensable Brunskill as No. 3. In fact, they never play apart. The Hutt and Karori were passed out in. a very mangled condition. Bush kept on chipping corners off Orton Stevens until the score stood at 29 to 14, while Dall was serving it up pairticularly hot to Calender— 3l to 13. 60 to 27 was the total. Karori got off with 28 to 50. Bennett scored 12 to Gibbes's 28, and Magnus 16 to Russell's 22. Kelburne did rather better, but not so well as the Kiosk mountaineers had reason to expect. J. P. Campbell, it is true, played up well with 19 to Andy Hamilton's 20, but Gow came a severe •cropper in bumping up against Mentiplay — 12 to 29. So the Kelburnites were passed out 18 under. A very popular feature of the big turn-out was the complimentary presentation to Tom Churchward, in recognition of the hard graft he put in to bring off a successful tourney for the Wellington Centre at the New Year. Everyone felt that Tom's labours and his enthusiasm were the main factors in that success. Therefore, Mr. Grundy's laudatory remarks, in making the presentation, were cheered to the echo, and Tom in acknowledgment threw off his chest the speech of his life. The sound of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," from 150 pairs of lungs, nearly raised the roofs in Upper Willis-street, and several tramcars bolted in terror. Mr. Geo. F. Wilson, generally known. as "Barney" Wilson, has emphatically asserted his superiority as a singles player by decisively beating all his opponents, and winning the singles championship of the Thorndon dub. Before reaching the final he had to oppose such fine players as Blanchardl, Brightwell, Reeves, Oanlin, etc., but he was never pushed, and won all his games with a good margin in hand. In the final, he met Slater— a very reliable player — and defeated him by 24 to 12.

"Barney" has an unbeaten, record as a singles player for the past two seasons. Last year he was in the championship final and handicap semifinal, but both contests were unfinished when the season closed. He is still a strong favourite for the sealed handicap event this season, having aliready played and won six matches. He is now m the semi-finals, and only wants a keen green to win. the double event. The "sealed handicap" singles matches, for a ladies' bracelet (presented by ex-president Bush) have been, going strong on the Wellington) green for weeks past. All entries were arranged alphabetically by their names into eight sections, and the sectional winners have now turned up in the persons of E. M. Blake, Churchward GnrenfeM, E. J. Hill, F. Lauremson Mayer, R. Roberts, and Skinner. These eight players wiHl now play off against each other. In the final for the Wellington Club pairs, P. C. Freeth and J. C. Webb beat T. WeDs and N. W. Bell, while E. Moult has won the senior bowls, and FJem Laurenson the Sargood Cup. At Thorndon, Jack King's rink (the three M's —Mitford, Munrro and McEldowney) now wear the Roses. They beat Cohen, Hickson, Wiggins, ju,n., and Jackman by 23 to 12. The Diamond Buckles now rest with Gniise and Bary, of Victoria, who beat Alpe and Nancarrow, of Newtown, for them, and have since held them against Fossette and Norwood, of their own club. As for the Edwin Feathers, the Lower Hutt is holding on like grim death. Harry_ Price took out a hopeful Newtown rfnk on Saturday (Bailey, Powell, and Jack Brackenridge), but they couldn't get any nearer to Pole, Barlow, Hollard, and Hendry than 14 to 21.

The annual meeting of the Swifts Association Football Club was held on Tuesday night. The leport, presented by Mr. F. S. Elson, hon. secretary, stated that, although the past season was not a very successful one from the playing point of view, the membership of the club had increased considerably, and contained good material, especially among the juniors. It is hoped to arrange a trip to Nelson at Easter. The Wellington Physical Training School had been secured for practising, and it is recommended that training be made compulsory during the incoming season. The balance-sheet, piepared by Mr. J. M. Ollied, hon. treasurer, showed a credit balance of £13 Is 3d, assets exceeding liabilities, which are nil, by £22 14s 3d. ♦ • # The Sir James Hector Memorial Committee are making strenuous endeavours to quicken the public interest in the eoheme for perpetuating the great scientist's memory. Sir James Hector did a lot for New Zealand, but he is dead. This is not the first instance of New Zealand's forgetfulness of- its noble dead —those to whom we

owe our progiess in various departments. But it is a sad instance. The memonal fund has 'reached only £230. It is hoped that enough money may be subscribed to found a Sir James Hector prize, open to New Zealand woikers in the field of science. We earnestly commend this object to the public notice and hope to find it heaatily supported.