The N.Z. Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1910. THE BOWLING CARNIVAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 4

The N.Z. Times.

MONDAY, JANUARY 10, 1910. THE BOWLING CARNIVAL

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Some hundreds of bowlers from all parts of the North Island" have assembled in Wellington for the annual carnival, and e "open door policy " is being placed upon its trial. Tho weight of numbers is probably with tho Wellington and suburban clubs, who have everything in the way of quantity to recommend them. The outstanding feature of the carnival is the undoubted popularity of the pastime. There is not a considerable ■hamlet in New Zealand which is without its bowling green, and in many of tho towns the established clubs run well along the fingers of both hands. There is" still a theory abroad that bowls is the dilettanti pastime of happy, corpulent, mature persons of generous habits and no particular occupation in life, but this is quite a mistaken' idea. , Youth long since invaded this arena, and the game, so peaceful and untoward from the standpoint of the casual onlooker, is in tho tournament season a strenuous occupation in which staying power no less than skill and nerve is a considerable factor. In bowls, as in nearly every pastime,'it is tho stayer who wins, and a combination of medium players well disciplined under a competent and resourceful " skip " is better than a team individually brilliant but not collectively in accord. Every player should have had a lot of practice •in his particular place, and a team of " skips " is notoriously untrustworthy in a sustained test* Although bowls is not distinctively aai " old man's game," it is noticeable that the best "skips" are invariably men of mature years and great experience in tho pastime. To inspire confidence is the great art of the master bowler, and when a rink takes tho green in the full and certain knowledge that their chief will not .betray them by weakness at the critical moment their power for victory is greatly enhanced. Some clubs aro weakened by an incurable f etiehisin in this regard. "Skips" wlio have outlived their sphere of usefulness aro allowed to linger superfluous upon tho green, and tho aspirations of younger and better players are carefully suppressed. The results are at once seen in the records. On the other hand, there are players whose infinite variety time cannot wither nor custom stale, and when a team of ambitious "colts" essays to lower the colours of ■ these veterans it is usually brought back to a salutary sense of proportion by. a subsequent study of the score cards. Bowling can . never bo reduced to an exact science by reason of an intrusive element of luck inseparable from the game; but science and skill are inseparable elements in its exercise, and nobody who has eeon a "skip" draw the shot for his side on a fast green when all tho chances were against him can' deny that courage and resouroe as well as luck are found in this pastime as well as in those of a more strenuous and spectacular character. • Tho great charm of bowls, however, is in the spirit of cosmopolitan camaraderie induced amongst its votaries. • It provides the open sesame to good fellowship the world over. The bowling green js a place where men of all qualities are brought into agreeable contact; where men of various talents and idiosyncrasies meet on a common plane. "The play is the thing" on this stage perhaps more than any other, and not oven tho highest dignitary expects to escape censure from tho veriest nobody if he fails to " be up" at a crucial stago of .tho game. Let us hope that tho Meteorological Department will bo on its best, behaviour during the ensuing week, and that the annual carnival will bo as pronouncedly successful as its numerous predecessors.