BOWLS without BIAS
Thorndon Club has in use Its new scoring board, designed and made by one ot its members, Mr Pearson. It is a compo board in an iron frame, and works on a swivel when raised an inch or so. The old wooden boards had Men in use over a dozen years, and had just about seen their best days. The new board will probably catch the eye of other clubs tvhen visiting the green. • • • » They were playing in the Roses competition on Saturday afternoon, and the conditions were perfect, the green becoming keener as the aft-er-npon wore on. Quite a number of veteran players were out. Two games of 16 heads each were played, a fresh draw being made for each game. These contests go on till towards the close of the season, when the four leading leads, twos, threes, and skips are drawn in the final event, which is usually very keenly contested. • • * “Mona” Thompson, the old. All Black, was skipping a rink against <l. K. Salt, the winning skip of last season. In the early stages the old Rugbyite was not doing too well, the score being 9-1 against him after five heads had been played. • # • * Few would think that Mr R. H. Medland, who was in the winning veterans’ rink last year, is in his
83rd year, yet such is the case, arid he is one of the comparatively few of that age who were horn in New Zealand. His parents came to New Zealand in 1841 in the Amelia Thompson sailing ship, landing at New Plymouth, where he Was born in 1844. Boys went to work very early in those days, and he was apprehticed to the “Taranaki News” at an early age. In later years he was overseer of the ‘‘Taranaki Herald” for 8f years, after which he came to Wellington to enter the Government Printing Office, where he remained until his retirement 17 years ago, after 33 years’ service. Two or three ‘.years after retiring he sought relaxationin addition to his garden—in bowls,
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiimi becoming a member of Thorndon Club, and he has remained with the club ever since. • • * *
Mr Medland saw a good deal of the Maori wars, and When only 16 years of age joined the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, in Which he served for five yhars. He went With the expedition to recover the bodies after the Whitecliffe massacre, about 20 miles from New Plymouth, on February 13th, 1809. This wa« the occasion when a party of Waikato natives came down to Taranaki district to start the war again, and they massacred the Rev. Mr Whitefay, two military settlers, Messrs Milne and Richards, and Lieutenant Gascoigne* with his wife and three children. The block house and Maori whares Had been burned down, and the natives had disappeared when the expedition arrived. • • * *
When Mr Midland’s parents landed in New Plymouth they lived in a small whart for some time, and worked at bush cutting, the pay for which was 3s a day. and it was hard work too, They haa a nasty experience 6n the very first night they landed, as there was a big earthquake. 'The Amelia Thompson was only the second or third boat to arrive under the New Zealand Land Company. All being well, Mr Medland hopes to take part ill the next veterans’ day tournament in February, and we hope to see him in the same rink.
No bowler will fail to recognise the popular president of Thorndon Cliib, Mr George Johri&on, and in having been elected president five times in something like seven years he has created what must be a record in Wellington centre. He makes no display of his offiOe, but he gets things done, is most courteous ana obliging, and a delightful gentleman to meet. Having met him one does not wonder that the club does not want a change.
j Those who were playing on Lyall Bay green last week-end say it is in better order than it hos been for years. It was very weedy at one period, but a lot of spade work has been done, i and it promises to be in real good | fettle this season. For all of which the president and members are duly ■ thankful. ■ # * # (* It is hoped to have more social funcI tions at Lyall Bay this season* in or* ! der to entertain the ladies to compensate them to some extent for sparing their .... halves so much. The bowlers in all clubs certainly owe a good deal to the ladies. * * • * i The first rounds of the club singles and pairs at Thorndon Club, are due . to be played off by to-day. Who will 1 be the guys? There are not many of the clubs which give any encouragement to the playing of the diamond game, and there are probably not half a dozen clubs taking part in the diamond buckles, and these ate more or less in the Eastern suburbs. Newtown has always kept the competition green. Thorndon members rarely play a diamond game, probably owing to the number of club and centre fixtures. It is usually a week-end game at Lyall Bay. W. Lay, late of Newtown, but now of Lyall Bay, had* the goods handed out to him by Dave Dustin in the trial match last Saturday. Several of the clubs were playing trial games last Saturday. Now the selectors will be getting to work. Hataitai still sticks to one selector, and some of the other clubs like it best. • * • •
Two Lyall Bay finks which met two Thorndon rinks last week in the "Wednesday competition had a fairly |big win in the aggregate. The Lyall Bay president’s rink won by the big score of 30—7, while Raven only lost 16—13, the result being an aggregate •win by 20 points. • * • •
Tbe first round of pennant games takes place to-morrow, and there will be some nice trials of strength. Kelburn are determined to make a strong bid for the pehhantfe, and. there are some ambitious rinks at Karori who fancy their chances; They are keen up there. y * • • •
Bowlers, like ladies, are allowed to change their minds sometimes. W. Sherwood, of Lyall Bay, had resigned, but the appearance of the bowls and the club colours were too much for him. He is back again in the club, although business is taking him out of town a good deal just now. • • * •
The eld combination of Howse, Allen, Flack, No ad, which did so well last year, is carrying on again. Not a bad little quartette. . » • •
Is Jack Reid going to do any better this year, or is Naylor too much of a nailer? Try again. • * » •
Frank Raven has some changes in his rink this ti/ne but he did pretty well last season.
iiimiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijiiiiinniiiiiiii "The Director of Education, Mr J. Caughley, is about .to retire. He may take up a school for bowling in his spare time. His cluh will no doubt see more‘of him in the future, for he enjoys a’roll-down.
Mr \V. E. Spencer, of Thorndop, Is another retired educationist, and between his garden and bowlß he finds the time paßses very pleasantly. He came to Wellington from, Taranaki in 1907, joined Thorndon Club in 1908, arid has been a member evei since. He was inspector of schools in Taranaki, and on coining to Wellington was made officer in charge of educational buildings under the department. Golf was his favourite pastime until he came to the capital City. He renders his club great service ih keeping the records of the games, in which lie is very methodical, and he enjoys the job. He is often called upon to ren. dw set vices in the centre events as umpire. • * • »
Mr W. McLay, past president of Newtown Club, is hack from the Old Country, where he has spent a very pleasant holiday, He just missed the opening of the Beason, hut received a warm, welcome from his fellow-mem-bers. ~
So the visit of a Queensland team is not likely to eventuate after, all. What a pity. They would have been given a right, royal time all up and down the Dominion, land in Wellington in particular. Perhaps a small party may make the trip if the New South Wales team comes over in January. It would please all New Zealand howlers to have oilr friends from the other side taking part in the Dominion tournament.
This is all we could see of our friend Mac, who was taking his daily matutinal dive off the pier at Sentoun. Some of his pals shiver when they see him go in, hut he enjoys it.
Mr AV. B. McGirr is one of the Stalwarts of Seatoun Bowling Club, and a real good sport, which maybe accounts for his two sons, Herbert and fljgs, being so popular in the sporting world to-clay. Like father like son. Herbert needs no introduction to the cricket world, and Also know r s more than a little about Rugby, Soccer, and baseball, while Les is a Soccer and tennis enthusiast. “Dug,” too, was a great athlete when in his ’teens.
Their dad was born in Victoria just before the l ’sixties opened, and hie parents went out there in the Old gold rush to Balcluthn. They came to New Zealand when Mr W. B. McGirr wa« a
lad, and ran the little newspaper at Thames. Later on W.B. came to Wellington and joined the Government Printing Office, from which he retire* after 40 years’ service. He likes his daily dip in the briny, his garden, and his bowls, and with these he finds the time passes very pleasantly. • • # • *
Carlton Club is to be th» headquarters for the Dominion tournament, and the three finals will be played on that green. Letters have been received by members of the Wellington Bowling (Hub from members of the British bowling team which visited New Zealand last year. Photos of the veterans’ day gala were sent to them and they have written appreciating the kindly thought and the good tinte they had here. "
Bowling amongst the ladies is very popular in South Africa, and papers from the “Cape” often contain pictures of their doings. In New Zealand the only ladies’ bpwling organisation present is in Dunedin, although there are reports that the game promises to become more popular amongst the ladies of the Queen city. Wellington will probably come into line one of these days. Lyall Bay Club has a special gala day for ladies.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19261105.2.23
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12596, 5 November 1926, Page 4
Word Count
1,745BOWLS without BIAS New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12596, 5 November 1926, Page 4
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Times. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.