A BOWLING JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14912, 10 February 1912, Page 9

A BOWLING JUBILEE.

AUCKLAND CLUB'S RECORD.

EARLY DAYS RECALLED. The, celebration of the jubilee of the. Auckland Bowling Club was marked last evening by an enjoyable and largely-at-tended smoke concert, held in the Town Hall. There were about two hundred persons present,'including many representative business men. The chair was occupied by Mr. Jas Carlaw, president of the club. 'SPhe president's words of welcome to the club's guests were hearty and to the point. "' We all feel delighted to have such a number of visitors with us,'' ho said. " All the world over, wherever bowlers are found, only whisper the word and you are sure of a welcome. Visitors from Auckland, who have travelled to England and Australia, have testified to the welcome and hospitality they have received on the* whole of the journey. We are trying in our small way to emulate fhosi3 hospitable gentlemen in-the places I have named. Our club is the oldest club in Australasia, and we thought wo muufc celebrate our jubilee by getting variou« clubs to enjoy it with us. In a social sense bowls stand apart. Life-long friendships are formed on the bowling green. We have visitors here from various portions of New Zealand, and we hope this visit may only be tho forerunner of many such.** (Loud applause.) In replying to the toast of 'The Guests," interesting reminiscences of early bowling days were given by Mr. Goldwater, president of " the " NewPlymouth Club. Matches between the Auckland Club and the New Plymouth Club, the first interprovineial games, were played in 1886, ho said. The Auckland Club was kind enough to pay Taranaki a visit, and the New Plymouth men had at their head, the late Mr. James Paul, who was known as one of the best bowlers in New Zealand. On© of the return matches played in New Plymouth in 1886, was a memorable one. The Taranaki men were much down when the game was half-way through, but then they turned defeat into victory. His message to the Auckland Club that night from New Plymouth was "We hope that a restart will be made with these annual matches." (Applause.)

Several other visiting bowlers also reI sponded enthusiastically to the toast, | among them being Messrs. Allen (Dunedin), and B. B. JoTuiston (Coromandel). There was renewed applause when Mr. J. Thornes, an ex-president, on behalf of members of the club, presented the president, Mr. Carlaw, the secretary, Mr. Coldicutt, and the treasurer, Mr." J. S. Eyrie, with engraved gold medals, as mementoes of the occasion. Th© toast of the Auckland Bowling Club was proposed by the deputy-Mayor, Mr J. Court, who" welcomed * visiting bowlers to Auckland, and wished success and to the celebrating club, paying a nearty tribute to the energy and kindness of its many members. Several other toasts were proposed, and responded to, and an enjoyable programme was gone through. Herr Kreutzer, Messrs. Plununer, Phillpo't, M. Orchard, A. McElwain. A. J. Tapper, E. Parkes, and F. J. Whittaker contributing excellent items. Mr. Jos. Blaschcck also gave two items for which he was enthusiastically applauded.