BOWLING

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12259, 3 October 1925, Page 17

BOWLING

HE winter bps been such a lung and severe one that it is difficult to realise that in the next fortnight all the bowling club* in the city will be in full swing. Yet such is the cpsc, find the opening of the season ■will be marked to-day by the ceremonies which

will taka place at Karori and Khandallan. Ali the greent ara looking well, as indead they should after their long, respite, but with the exception pf the last few days the weather has been very cpld; and has been anything but conducive to good work being done on toe greens.

Looking back on past years. the weather has wn too kind cm the first Saturday, .in October, and rain has wen the usual order .of things. By tbe lew of averages, a particularly xiice flay is certaiply due, so it is hoped.tO;day will be.one of the best. If so, it’should be a pleasing little function at Karon, where the influx of flew members jjas not been very great 6f late years. The first year's subscription was made smallSr than subsequent ones in order to inuce new members to join. A change has taken place this season, and the club U not only thinking of raising the en-trance-fee, but also of dosing down the membership list, of of putting down an additional green adjacent to the old one.

As a matter of fact, the membership ef mqst of the Wellington clubs seems to be at the maximum, for the average membership of the 18 clubs is 84. The greens capnot accommodate more than 60 players at pnq time, so it is obvious that • membership of between 8Q and 9Q is about the limit. Some of the clubs are fortunate in possessing more than one green, but a second green is liable to introduce difficulties. i ■» * * ■ ■ • ■

■ It is understood thnt several Wellington teams have already been made tipfor the Dominion tournament at Btih*di«, and eome of the players are tet--tiug anxious abopt' accommodation. Toe organisation in Dunedin is very good, and there is little reason to fear that there will be any difficulties in this direction. The best way is to communicate with the Dominion secretary at Dunedin, and get rooms booked well in advance.

Thorndon green appears to be in the Same excellent condition as last year, ut the opening day is not yet fixed. The surroundings have been improved and the ditch widened. Flayers are looking forward to the Wednesday game, and two Wednesday competitions have already been fixed up. Usually there are five or six rinks busy on a fine day, but they are anticipating the competitive games once a week as a relief from the friendlies in which they are apt to get a bit carelees occasionally.

a • » * • We may reasonably suppose that the British team of bowlers has left the Old Country by now, although no cablegram has been received to that effect. They should be in Australia by the beginning of next month, and they leave for New Zealand on. December 11th. From the sailings it seems that the party will arrive m Wellington, and not Auckland, as was at first anticipated, and our northern friefida will probably be keenly disappointed at not being the first to welcome the visitors. . Scotland leads in representation, having 21 players in the teaih, England coming next with 11, then Ireland with four, and Wales with three. New Zealanders will no doubt be able to get on all right conversationally with the Scots, but if the visitors from Ireland and Wales begin to put oyer their native lingo, the clubs are likely to become a veritable Tower of Babel.

They will arrive in New Zealand about December 13th, and leave Auckland by the Tainui on February 10th for Home; so that they will spend something like 10 weeks in the Dominion. , The tour has been arranged' so _ that .the' visitors may participate in' the" Dominion tournament at Dunedin, which ■ starts on 'January 11th, if they desire to do so. They will not be here long .enough'to take part in the Roto.rua tournament,'but’ a visit to Kotorua is included in the itinerary. The president of the Dominion Bowling Association, Mr H: F. M. Mctcer, will probably run up to Wellington for the purpose of welcoming the visitors on behalf of the howlers of the Dominion.

It should he said that there are several ladiSs accompanying the British bowlers, but it is not known if they are experts at the game. If so, they will find no difficulty in getting games on the other fide of the Tasman, where there are several ladies' clubs, but it is another matter in New Zealand, where the only bowling clubs for ladies are at Dunedin. In this case they will have to make the most of their time in the southern city, where the Scots will at any rate be at home. • • * •

The first round of the senior pennants takes place on November 7th, and las); year’s champions—and on many other occasions—Newtown, will meet last season’s runners-up, Hataitai, in section A. In section B, Victoria have drawn a bye, but Wellington v. Petone should be a good match.

An English writer on the subject Of wood or composition bowls, says:—"Temperature is a consideration which is surely important where the Antipodes are concerned, and there the use of composition bowls is, I believe, practically universal. It would be a pity if a detail like this were allowed to jeopardise the chances of Epglnhd’s bowlers." The writer is not quite correct, for the majority of players—in New Zealand in any case—use wooden bowls. If the game continues to increase in popularity the wooden bowls are not likely to be so good as in the past, as the makers will not be able to give their stocks of lignum vitea the time to mature that they hqve done in the past. Professor Maxwell Walker won the Dominion championship with wooden bowls, and Mr J, D. Best won the aingles • with a similar set. Mr Gustaffsen, of Fremantle, the Australian champion, used an old pair of Taylor’s wooden bowls.

The British bowlers are said to be so good that when it comes to the selection of New Zealand or local teams it will be necessary to make the selection of players on their merits. a * * •

Mr John Rankin, president of Manly Club, Australia, is expected back from a country tour shortly, and will probably be leaving soon after for a tour of New Zealand. Mr John Spence, president of the Australian Bowling Council, who visited New Zealand with the New South Wales team in 1928, celebrated his golden wedding on September 28th. All New Zealand bowlers will extend to him and to Mrs Spence hearty congratulations.

The Mayor, Mr C. J. B. Norwood, during his stay in Sydney, attended the annual meeting of tjie New South Wales Bowling Association, and received a very cordial welcome, being given the seat of honour by the president. Mr James Wall, who will also be remembered in connection with the 1923 visit. He talks about giving up the presidency of the aijtociatlon, but it is only busy men who can do these jobs properly, for the simple reason that if they do a thing they do it well.

* e a # a The Petone Central Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club’s greens are looking very well. Given fipe jveather from now on they should be in good condition for the opening of the season. To facilitate the preparing of the greens a motor mower is being procured; The stopbunk 4t the north end of the club’s grounds Is being removed, and the Borough Council has generously given the extra Accommodation to the club. This spill enable the club to provide additional tennis courts when required.

Four rinks have been entered ih tbe senior peiiiiant games, one rink in tbe junior nennunt. and two i n the proposed mM-week eomr-tition during the coming season. Although not amongst the lead-

ing division in the senior pennant last season, the club's rinks put up some good fights. The junior rink played off the final with Newtown, and were defeated by a narrow margin.

••* • . p The second series of Winter socials <itmti9urMed hv the lady members ot the Croquet Club) have been very eucdesnite the adverse weather conditions. The ladies deserve every cmnmendhtion for. the great interest they take in the social phase of the game. The club’s membership is nearly at the maximum in nil sections, and a highly enjoyable and successful season is anticipated.