NEW ZEALAND BOWLING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19236, 27 January 1926, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND BOWLING

BRITISH VISITORS' PRAISE. "THE BEST IN THE WORLD." OVER-KEENNESS TO WIN. [by telegraph.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHKISTCHUIiCH, Tuesday. Fresh from their experiences at the ' Dominion championship bowling tournament at Dunedin, the members of the British bowling party, who arrived in Christ church last evening, were practically unanimous in expressing the opinion that the New Zealand bowlers were the finest they had met, but in all cases they qualified their praise with the observation that the New Zeahuiders appeared to take the game too seriously. One member of the team went so far as to declare that New Zealand bowlers were the best in the world. " I think your bowlers are very good," said Mr. George Wright, of Kettering, England, who is president of the English Bowling Association and captain of the team. He added what others had also said, that the New Zealanders » seemed tremendously keen, but he did not think they got the same enjoyment cut of the game that the Britishers did. "Wo found at Dunedin that play in the tournament was almost like a life and death struggle," ho said. "It seems that they make more of a business of tho game than a pleasure. The game in Britain is played more from a sociable standpoint tlfan a desire to win. I would not give a pin for the man vrho won't try to win, but we don't make it a matter of life and death. Some of the New Zealand players seem as though they would rather do anything than lose."

FREEMASONRY OF SPORT.

DANGER OF "AMERICANISM." f " GAME FOR THE GAME'S SAKE." [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CELRISTCHTJRCH, Tuesday. That the Now Zcalanders are faced witH the danger of. becoming "Americanised," and that they play bowls in much the same manner as they play Rugby football, with too much energy, were statements made at a civic reception to the British bowling team to-day, "We are becoming too strenuous in all we do. We are in danger of becoming Americanised," said Mr. F. W. Johnston, pastpresident of the Canterbury Centre. We are closer to America than we are to England, and we arc quick to adopt American ideas, and I think you—tho British bowlers —have come at a time when you can do the most good for bowls in this country. We New Zealanders must give up our strenuous way of going at things, and we must convert howls into a pastime and recreation. It must cease to be a business, as it were.

"I am proud to know there are fourteen or fifteen ladies accompanying the team," said Mr. Johnston. "Wo have seen in tho newspapers the controversy about the wives of the Australian cricketers accompanying their husbands to England. Certainly they should go. It is converting sport into business, in' whicli the game is to win at all hazards, We talk of the brotherhood arid free--masonry of sport, and we should try to make bowls the gem of the freemasonry of sport. I appeal to you to do it. Play for the game's sake, without striving to win so much. That is what wo will i; have to do. "The medical men are crying out abont the nerves of the people. Well, play bowls." "Your game," 'said Mr. Wright, "is played in a very strenuous manner. I saw the All Blacks beat England at Twickenham, and having seen your men play bowls I am inclined to think they bring into their play many of the methods employed by your famous footballers." (Laughter.)