BOWLING NOTES

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 816, 18 February 1916, Page 21

BOWLING NOTES

By Wrong Bias.

_ fW§ HE rain which fell on Saturday H morning postponed several fixtures, but it relented sufficiently -early .-in the day to allow the en+husi- ■ •'-■astSj. who aren't daunted by fears of •' -rheumatism, to get on to the mat. In the Fejanant series. Petone, on its . . own/ turf., inflicted a drubbing- upon Thorndon,- the game being three rinks . a-side, and the scores 83 to Thorndon's •-51. The victory was entirely due to the. extraordinary debacle which befel the Thorndon rink skipped by Spencer (editor of the "School Journal"), against Hay.' What do you think of 7 to 42 in • "the way of scoring? Old warriors, too, they were, who were kept scraping for -fche seven points—Major Davy (who is some pumpkins as a lead),- Lockwood, •Gamble (what will Guernsey sav to this performance?) v.and : Spencer, On the •other.side. F. Smith, Robertson, Firth, arid Hay. I can only conclude that the Thorndon veterans must have suc--cumbed to an attack of Hay fever. Ronaldson was 9 up against Petone's Fowler, and Dymock didn't manage tosave his bacon against Wearne. who won by 22 to 16. • Kelbum. had a comfortable win of 93 v. 65 in its 4-rink go against Jbhnsonville. Though every Johnsonville rink-r went down, three out of the four made -a strong fight -of it. Harrop lost by o toMcColl, Cook was 6 under Tom Gray '.and Orr registered 6 less than Routley, whereas Turner stuck fast on 13 while Knowles was knocking up his 24. Johnsonville. however, had splendid. -compensation in a solid win . against Thorndon for the Edwin Feathers. Mills. Wackrow, - Morgan,' and Petrie, playing on the Thorndon green, piled up .a score of 26, while Staff, Cohen, Petersen, and Thomson could only nick 15. 'The Feathers are, therefore, at present improving the scenery at the city of the .saleyards Three Te Hiwi rinks went out to the Lower Hutt on Saturday for wool and •came back shorn.'-' Not ,one of the three tasted the sweets of victory. Barlow was sup against Warwick, Nicholson -came down like a thousand of bricks oh Benzie (25 to 11), and Palmer just got home a point ahead of Wiggins. Total score: 71 to 51. Good enough for the Hutt. Eastbourne and Petone had a friendlv one-rink flutter on the latter's green. Ward, Cometti, Dr. Ross, and Marsden chalked up 19 against the 17 -secured by McKeegan, Von Hartitsch. Marquis, and Powell. The annual triangular duel between -office-bearers of the Wanganui, Wellington, and the Lower Hutt Clubs for the Duthie Cup is in progress as I write these notes. Each club is represented by two rinks, and the spirit of good fellowship broods o'er the scene while -the' Marines perform the fatigue duty. 'The visitors are being entertained at luncheon and an evening social in the "Wellington Club's pavilion. Which reminds me that the Welling--ton Club's 'annual tilt against the World comes off to-morrow (Saturday). Tbe Mother Club puts out its full strength oh : these occasions, and so far has .been remarkably successful. In this year's event 15 rinks take the field against the- reps, of the other clubs of city and suburbs.

14. team of West End Club bowlers from Auckland descended upon the green at Wordsworth-street the other day, and confessed an eagerness to try conclusions " -with some of the Wellington, stuff. They consisted of John Court (the big Auckland draper, who trades under the sign of "J'.C.L."), John Court's son and heir to his millions, W. E. Jackson (Gordon and- Gotch's manager).-, and Alf Coutts (whose cellars are always well stocked). Lined up against them to defend the Empire City were Tom Bush, S. S. Williams, Veitch. and Moult. Bush, who got back to his best Wanganui form, was the star performer, and Moult, D Y getting in the winning point on the last head,-saved all his feathers. The bowlers of the Wellington Club assembled in . their fine pavilion on Frday last to quaff a wee "deoch an' . dorris" in honour of Mr. H. P. Wyatt, a departing comrade, whom the finger of promotion was beckoning away to Christchurch, there to take up a position of responsibility in the Post and Telegraph Office. President Louis Ledger expressed the regret of • the Club at losing so fine a bowler and so admirable a member as

Mr. Wyatt and their sincere wishes for his welfare. It was hard luck that he should have to go just when he looked likely to be in the finals for the Championship Singles. Mr. Wyatt made a neat and happy reply in response. He would like to have had the chance of playing George Brown in the semi-finals 'of the Champion Singles, but. under the circumstances, felt pleased that the bye would go to such a doughty veteran. Also lie would have loved to lead a while longer, for Skip Porteous, whereupon a deep "Hear, hear'' was heaved from the pent-up breast of Porteous. Some day. however, he hoped to wander back again, etc. Wyatt's health was drunk with musical honors, arid the hand that, used to jerk the lightning underwent a good many electric thrills in shaking farewells during the next half-hour.