BOWLING

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11655, 20 October 1923, Page 10

BOWLING

ITS EFFECT ON NATIONAL EFFICIENCY

EXPERT ON WELLINGTON GREENS

CLUB AND PERSONAL NOTES

Beautifully fine weatliev favoured the peroral howling clubs which held their official openings ,ou Saturday last; ami the improvement in the conditions -was preatly enjoyed by bowlers generally. The greens upon which play was permitted were, however, generally on the heavy side. The Thorndon ground was soft, and did not provide an opportunity tor very line work; but reports from the Victoria and Kclburn Clubs stated that the greens were in excellent playing older, and those taking part in the games were quite able to produce their best form. Although the Ilatnitai Club held its official epening the previous week, it was found on Saturday last that the green was too soft to permit play. This green was laid down on a swampy piece of ground, and has not the same opportunity of recovering from u heavy raintall as other greens whore the drainage is better. It is anticipated that, weather permitting, the 'Wellington, Petonc, Soatoun and Newtown openings will take piece to-day.

BOWLS AND EFFICIENCY

SHOULD BOWLERS BEI PAID ATf EXTRA JS-Jl} A YEAR? Sneaking at tho opening ot the Ivelbv.rn Bowling Club last Saturday, Ur M. Koutley (president) said that it was just twenty years ago since he first took up bowling,’ nnd looking back he could see that it was one of the best things lie ever- dill in his life. It was a very healthy exercise and tended to the rccuoeration both of mind and body (Bear, hear.) The value of recreation and exercise, even from an industrial and commercial point of view, was not sufficiently recognised. But he saw that one of the laige firms in America had decided vo give an additional 100 dollars (J 620) a year to everyone of its employees who played golf, because the firm recognised ’ that the game rested and refreshed the men, relieved their minds of worry, and made them hotter and luoro efficient workers. (Hear, hear.) He did not know whether the game of bowls would have the same results. .Members: Every time. (Applause and laughter.) Mr Routley : There Is no doubt that, bowling is one oF the very best antidotes for worry. (Applause.) EDWARD 1. GREEN" STILL IN USE, Bowling, added Mr Routley, was one of the first and best known of English pastimes. The records showed that the first known bowling green wan laid down in the time- of Edward I.; end that same green was still in use at the present time. The game was growing in popularity day by day in New Zealand; and (here acre row no less than just on i-r,O(K) bowlers in the Dominion (Applause )

VETERANS’ GALA DAY

AY HAT NEW SOUTH WALES DOES. Those jnfereste'l in the propose'! EUlerlv Bo**viers' Gala Day—ami what bowler is not?—will notice in the report of tho New South Wales Bowling Association that the veteran bowlers of 75 years of age and upwards were in March last the guests of the vice-president. Mr John Sptrce. on the City Green, Sydney. This wan the ninth of these gatherings. Mr John Spence is well-known in Dominion bevding circles, having been a member of the New South Wales team which toured New Zealand last season. He was very prominent during the war period in organising the bowlers of New South Wales in connection with patriotic work, and a very large sum of money —some AlO-.000 —was raised through his instrumentality. In the veterans' match at Sydney 42 players participated, the average age of tho contestants being yeans. Air Sper.ce presented gold medals to the members of the winning rink and a commemorative medallion for each of the other competitors. He has intimated that it is his intention of continuing these gatherings from year to year.

WELLINGTON GREENS

OPINION OF SCOTTISH EXPERT. Mr Harry A. Pirrio. who has had a large experience in tho formation and pieparation ot bowling greens both in Scotland and. England, and who has recenilv arrived in New Zealand, has expressed surprise that the clubs here aifl no: in possession of better greens that those which he has soc\tf up to the present: Mr Pirrie started his career at the ago of 16 on the Queen’s Park Green, in Glasgow, and has since been connectod with several greens in London and the South of England. He has laid down and reformed a number of the best English greens, and was looked upon at Home as an authority on all matters connected with tho preparation amt upkeep of greens. Ho considers that the conditions here are such that we should hold the record for good bowling greens, nut, while he admits that there are somo clubs at Home which might give their greens more attention than they reeeiv*, the standard here, as far as he is able to observe, is not up to the best lish or Scottish jrreens. OUR CLIMATIC ADVANTAGES. The difficulties which have to be overcome in industrial centres at Home arc not met with here. At Home, for instance, the grass is being continually poisoned by the showers of impurities from smoking chimneys. It is estimated that in the London metropolitan area there is a fall yearly of about 680 ton** of these impurities to the square mile. Mr Pirrie, howevei, says that soot is one of the finest manures for a bowling green, provided Unit it is old soert, which contains about 5 per cent, of ammonia, roughly equal to about 2i> per cent, sulphate of ammonia. Fresh soot and Hi* other impurities previously mentioned contain poisonous compounds which arc injurious to the grass. In New Zenland, therefore, we have an advantage over the Old Country, particularly the industrial centres there, and lie thinks that, oil the whole, in the matter of climate and otherwise, the difficulties here are les* than at Home. Our greens should, therefore, he better than he lias found them. FOUNDATION 4VORK VITAL, Both in Scotland and in England great attention is paid to the foundation when laying down a new green. Here this most important initial work has, in a great many cases, been neglected. This, and the absence of lime and the aeration of the soil, are probably amongst the most important mistakes from which the greens hero ore suffering. The presence of lime or chalk and aeration are n:od important in rendering all soils productive, particularly soil which has for a long time been buried under turf, and lms in consequence, boeomo sour and inert. Mr Pirrie does not approve of allowing the grass to grow long during the off season; and certainly condemns the practice of leaving all the important: work on a green to be done in a few weeks before the opening of the season HEAVY ROLLERS CONDEMNED.

lie thinks that, we nre making a mistake in annually top-dressing with soil

sterilised or otherwise. Such treatment may be good for tennis courts, other recneation grounds, oi back* garde It lawns; but for a bowling green certainly not. Mr Pirrie was astonished at tho process by which the turf is buried when levelling up a green; and then fresh grass seed is sown. The whole thing is ridiculous lie remarks; once tho turf is formed, when the greens is first made, there should be no occasion to ever i so seed again. Tho green, after the adjust ment of levels should be returfecl with the same turf, taken up and saved for the purpose, and any worn patches should be turfed from a nursery laid down when the green is being formed. To do this work well, of cotir.se,. requires some years of experience. Mr Pirrie roundly condemns the use of heavy rollers Just fancy he .says. 12 to Ucwt No wonder fairy rings and other similai ills are apparently a great source of trouble. He recommends the natural means of prevention, rather than the adoption of chemical remedies; in fact he. fears that too many chemicals, both in the way of manures and other wise, are being used here. He does not think that the few troubles which are being experienced locally should be any obstacle to a man who understands his work. If greens are properly laid down in the first instance and the right methods adopted in their upkeep, there should IjO no occasion for clubs to have to postpone their opening celebrations to the extent which has occurred here this season.

WELLINGTON CLUB OPENING

It is now announced that the official opening of ilie Wellington Bowling Club will take place on Saturday next (Octo ber 27th), not to-day as above-stated.