Bowling Notes

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 801, 5 November 1915, Page 21

Bowling Notes

By Wrong Bias,

BOWLERS were greeted with a windy day for their games on Saturday, but, nevertheless, some ■enjoyable inter-club play was indulged in. Fortunately the . "howler" quietened down in- the afternoon, otherwise any semblance of good play would have been out of the question. * * * * Hataitai and Thorndon enjoyed a four-rink game, two at home ancL two away. The result was in Hataitai's favour by 6 points, the scores being— Hataitai 81, Thorndon 75. The suburban club won in two rinks, tied in one, and. lost the other by two points. Mitchell and Nasmith were the winning Hataitai skips, the former defeating Ross by 18 to 14, while Nasmith beat Dimock by 24 to 20. Bailey and Gray ended even at 22 all, and McWhanTiell went down before Thorndon J s Conlin, the scores being 19-T-17. Hataitai were 4up on its own green, and 2 up at Thorndon.. *** . * ' Six rinks represented Victoria in a friendly game against • Hutt, and were out-and-out successful, winning in every one of the six rinks. The total scores were—Victoria 162. Hutt 107, a margin of 45 points. Worboys rubbed it into Nicholson with a score of 32 to 13; MacMorran was 4 points up on Trevethick; Godber scored 28 to Hendry's 25; Mackay had the minimum margin in his favour in his contest with Hodgins: Scott vanquished Hollard by 4 points; while Ma caskill . against Hunt was never in the. hunt, the Hutt man coming a cropper 14 points down. Lower Hutt also had a two-rink flutter with Upper Hutt on Saturday, and the Lower held the upper hand at the finish by 12 points—44 to 32. Barlow beat Harrison by 1 point, while Palmer defeated Benge by 24 to 13. ' * # * * A three-rink game took place at Petone between the Lyall Bay Glub and the men of Gearopolis, and resulted in an easy victory for the Gearopolites, every rink going to the "lads of the village." Walton dominated Blake in His game by. 12 points, Robertson proved superior to Martin by 6 points, while the same margin was >in Ross's favour in his set-to with Fairway. The total points were —Petone 65, Lvall Bay 41 — a difference of 24 points. Petone also took on four rinks from Wellington, and the closest finish possible eventuated, the result being declared a draw. Out at Petone, the Wordsworth-street "lads" were -3 up, but on the Wellington green the Petoneites had 3 up their sleeves; thus were honours even. Dixon and Coles were even at 17 all, and Moult was 17 to F. McArthur's 14. Wellington 34 to 31 at Petone. * * * * Karori got the better of Kelburhe in a three-rink flutter by 10 points on Saturday, the scores being—-Karori 66. Kelburne 56. Karori won in two of the rinks, M. P. Spiers accounting for C. Gannaway with a 23 —12' score, while Shearer dethroned Kin"* by 2 points. Watchman, however, did not keep too close a watch on Dall, and the Kelburne skip got home first—22 to 19 was the score.

Seatoun still continues in its winning way, and so far this club has been unbeaten in its two-rink friendly interclub games this season. ; It has taken down Wellington and Victoria, and last Saturday it added Eastbourne to its list of victims. Nine points was the margin in Seatoun's favour, the scores being —-Seatoun 39, Eastbourne 30. Green knew too much about the green for Eastbourne's Powell; he finished 23 to the latter's 14. The other game, between Wyatt and Meyer, ended in a draw —16 all, and a good game it was.

This, season the Newtown Club has not made so many inter-club fixtures as usual, and so has more Saturdays available for all-home play. Last Saturday members indulged in' a seven-rinks-a-side contest, between teams drawn from those living on the east side of the main road to Newtown and those on the west. The result was a hollow win for the East-siders, who waltzed'home easily on five rinks. The skip of many fights, George Prinoe (West) could make no sjolid progress against happy Harry Ranson's merry men. On the 13th head Harry was 10 up, 18 —8, but the veteran and his men put on 7 in the. next three. But jthat Avas their last kick, a strong easterly gale blowing Ranson's score up' to 32. Next door each side was skipped by a "driver," and, as the game was a close fought one, "timber flew" from both quarters! Jack Brack.'s "Westerlies," however, blew 1 point too hard for the youthful Tommy Bland's "Easterlies," 23 —22. On the adjoining rink "Brother Jim's" sunset zephyrs availed little against the heavy gusts that every now and again came from Jack Laughton's . quarter, the ratio of progression being 14 to 32. * * * *

The hopes of the" "Wests" were, to a great extent, centred in Arty Duff's rink, and things went his way up to the eleventh head in his fight against Dr. Barclay's rink, 15—8; but after that the Doctor "operated" with such effect that he put on four s's, a 4, and a 3 on the remaining ten heads, Arty and Co. being completely blown out, 36 —21. Next door the Westerly wind could not prevail against the Easterly, and .Bashful ' William Richards' efforts were nearly always "Powellised" too much, but then, you see, his No. 3 did not heln him much. The game finished 26 —16 in Powell's favour. The only other wir* for the losers was notched by "Whistling" Si. Phillips, who broke all the joints in Jimmy Sexton's Easterly- "Pipers," 24—10. Joe Martin's team of hopefuls (East) completely - outplayed Bert Warwick's rink. 35—16. Joe, who was playing a really fine game, started his ,score with a 4, and ended it with 1, getting a 6 and several 3's in between. The totals showed 201-—129 in favour of the "early-risers." * * *

The progressive pairs tourney of the Khandallah Club was won by F. W. Mansfield (skip) and A. E. Budd (lead).

The entries for the Newtown Club's champion singles and pairs closed on Saturday, the entries in each being much below the average, there being only 27 for the former and 34 for the latter. Both competitions are to be played in sections.

Last Saturday was the Shilling Gift Day for Christmas Gifts for our soldier boys at the front, and the bowlers on all The local greens parted urt their modest "bob" for "the fund. The bowler is always willing to assist financially any patriotic cause, to which age or infirmity prevents him from giving any active assistance. Doubtless a substantial amount accrued to the fund from the efforts of the bowlers on Saturday.

In this same connection I note that the West Australians have decided to make a shilling levy on all taking part in their pennant cdmpetition,

for the benefit d£ the Wounded Soldiers' and the War Distress Funds. ,

Rates have been remitted for the year by the Wellington City, Council on the properties of the following bowling ciubs: Wellington, Newtown, Thorndon, Victoria, Hataitai and Lyall Bay. Up to practically three years ago, all bowling clubs were: charged the whole of the rates. Then a deputation waited on the Wellington City Council, and pointed out that, while the existence of bowiing greens relieved the municipality of providing open spaces, the clubs found the rates a heavy burden,, and asked that they should be relieved of a portion of the rates. They did not wish any rebate in charitable aid or hospital rate, but only in regard to the general rate. It was pointed out that there was provision in the law giving a municipality the right to grant rebates to any recognised sports bodies. After consideration, the City Council unanimously agreed to make a rebate on all rateable grounds in Wellington held by sports bodies and run entirely in the interest of sport. This concession has enabled at least, one club to retain a portion of its grounds that it would otherwise have been compelled to sell. * * * * During the winter' recess, t'he directors of the Newtown. Club decided to open the club's social room every Wednesday evening, for the purpose of playing various games. Cards, chess, draughts, quoits and Bobs tournaments were run by the entertainment committee with much success. This movement was brought about by Mr. Harry Hanson, one of the club's most - popular members. It is expected that next recess a larger number of members will avail themselves of the facilities offered for thus spending a pleasant evening. ( * •* # * A Rocky Nook (Auckland) skip in Jim Wakerley has succeeded in performing the "hat trick" in bowls,_ having for three years in succession skipped his team to victory in the club's fours. Mr. W. H. Austin has won the Singles Championship of Queensland. * * * # The East Coast Bowling Centre has decided that its New Year tournament and the Burton Cup Easter tournament shall take place at Napier. The champion fours fixture will- be held in February in Napier also, and will be got through in two days if possible. It was decided, in order to encourage better competitions at its tournaments ' that representations be made to the c'ubs concerned that in future no team should contain more than two recognised skips. Now the bowlers up Napier and Gisborne way are seeking information as... to the definition of recognised skips. More trouble, eh? * * * * Christchurch Centre has gone back on the rather laboured system of pennant contests of last season, and clubs are invited to enter for inter-club games, stating;the number of rinks and number of games they desire to play, and the particular Saturdays they wish to be disengaged. Interelub play does not excite nearly so much interest in Christchurch as it does in Wellington. * * * * "Opening days" on the other side of the Tasman received a set-back this season, "and," remarks a brother scribe, "we must put it down to 'the war.' A small bov who had been in the habit of taking his bucket and shovel along the main road in search of garden dressing for his old lady friend next door, lined up as usual on Saturday morning, when the old dame handed him the accustomed three-penny bit. 'Oh. this is wrong, Mrs. Jones,' said the precocious kid; 'it's sixpence now.' 'Bless you! and how is that?' said the astonished lady, seeing the same old bucket, and consequently no more bulk for her flowerbeds. 'Account of the war, Mrs. Jones, that's all.' So, as I said, we will have to put the absence of the usual ceremonies down to 'the war,' I'm afraid."

A Sydney bowler lias received a letter from a Toronto friend, in which inference is made to the project of a visit of a Canadian team. He says: "I do not think we can consider bringing a team out your way this year, owing to the war conditions, but I liope we may in a year or two hence ; in fact, I'll have a try to organise a team for 1916." .