SPORTING AND SPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13886, 25 April 1907, Page 10

SPORTING AND SPORTS.

i .(Continued from page 5.)

BOWLING.

Bv Rin'keii. / with very sincere regret I have to chronicle in? death of another of Dunedin's early bowicrs. 'there arc few amongst us who cannot recall the kindly face of the late Air John Wedderspooti, one of, the most respected members of the fraternity. It seems only a. day or two ago sinoe Mr A eddersnoDii took his place at"the head of tho Caledonian Club, uud. in thanking tho inoinbars for. the honour they had conferred on him by electing him ' president prophesicd that in the near future Caledonians would once inoro attain their position as one of the foremost clubs in the colony, lliat was nearly tjvo years since, and it was .not ln's lot to be on the gram ami amongst the clubmales he tended with fatherly care when his prophesy almost came about. That Caledonian has assumed i!s place as one of (lie strongest playing clubs in the Ounedin district is mainly owing to the wise counsels and kindly encouragement from men such as the late Mr \\ eddorspoon, who. frcm his iniliation as a bowler, played the game solely for its recreative ami social features. For many .year.; llio members of Caledonian Club left iu his hands the supervising arrangements of tho.green, and it is probably owing to his capableness anil consistent apponrajioo on tho green that the club has been in tho proud posilion of always having a plot second to none. It will be ranembered that Mr Wedderspoon was stricken down at the beginning of last year whilst playing on the green. Sinoe that misfortune bpfel him ho had not been able to leave llis home. Caledonians will have a .difficulty in finding his equal—the familiar figure of the grand old man. his courtaousness io one and all. his enthusiasm lor tho game, and unselfishness,- May I bo permitted lo ofi'cr sympathy with thoso whom he has left, behind.

Caledonians close (he season on Saturday noxt, when it is proposed to play tho interclub match against Outran). Balmacewen. tk\s were brought tc a finality last .Saturday. In the Championchip Singles ,0. A. proved (he winner. defeating 0. Balk after an interesting game. At the nineteenth head scores were even, but \Vikou succeeded in tho two following howls and ran out 3 points io the good. In the Handicap Ringioa W. Macdonald proved the. winner, B. J. Smith being numer-up. Tho grc«n is now, lo all intents and purposes, closed, and the carctakcr is about to ot;irt. toi>-drcssing.

.St. Kilda Oreen is looking in condition. Tltcrc is not a bare patch anywhere, and it only boais out what lias already"'boon stated in this column: that Mr J. Mitchell (cnrctakcr) lias mastered tlio (M'crel: of making grass." In a short chat, ihc other- day he told mc that if the winter was not a severe ono the jn*oen could bo played on right through without much inconvenience. There is no doubt about it, the green is a credit to Mr Mitchcll, especially when it is bome in mind that'the plot was bare after the 19C6 tournament and has been in constant use over sincl'.

■ In the country the game is still making headway. Waikouaiti and Cromwell have made inquiries of Mr Mite-hell as to the cost of laying down greens, and there seems ovory prospect that at both placos greens will shortly be ou the v<a.y. Dune-:iin Club terminated the season last Saturday, when there was a bumper house. It, is something new for the parent club to colsc down so early, hut the green has been in constant use the whole season, and the ends show signs of decay. The caretaker (Mr Low) wishes to bring the old plot up to -tlio mark for the 1907-8 season, and the committee has taken his advice, and .lie. is to get the opportunity ■to turn out liis cjiorge in spick-and-span order when, the curtain is again lifted. On Saturday there was a goodly number of v.isiiora, and after t.lio time-honoured game of President v. Vice-president Mr T. G. Young (president), in ringing down the curtain, said the season had-been a successful ono, there .had been more play than usual, and'the club was now in more-pros-perous conditions than ever before. Mr T. Wheeler paid the officials of the club a well-deserved tribute with regard, to'the manner in which tfiey had cat-siid for members and generally carried out their duties, j Mr J. Rennie (Port Chalmers president) offered, congratulations, while others present -looked 011 and thought it a pity to close I down.

The final for Duncdin Club Viee-presi-dent's prize (singles) was played last'wcok, the contestants being \V. C. Young and W. M'Laren. The former is a' first-year player, and M'Laren was conceding 8 points of a handicap. This, proved rather a severo test, as tho younger player made no openings, and an the-end won somewhat easily. Jlr R. T. Wheeler has circularised affiliated clubs to the following ctTect: "A. special general meeting of delegates of the N.Z.B.A. will bo held on Monday, 20th May, -ill the Stock Exchange. Business: To consider t.ho notieoa oi motion by Mr W. C. Ailnntt: ' (a) That the next, annual bowling tournament, to be held in Duncdin under the auspices of the N1Z.8.A., begin on December 27, 1907. (b) That in-order to meet, the financial out-lay necessary to promoto a successful annual tournament a special financial and catering committee (or, if thought fit, a special tournament committee, with; full power) bo appointed in whatever centre such tournament, is to bo held, the said committee to have full control of all moneys received as entry fees for the .various events, and to be further 'empowered to solicit, if found requisite, a donation of Is per member from those city and suburban clubs in proximity to the ccntro in which the annual tournament is

to be hold.'

Anv other notices of motion

must. bo. in tho hands of the. secretary not less than 14- dava previous lo the meeting." Duncdin Club purposes playing four rinks against Pnlmerston on the latter olub's'grcen on Saturday next,

. E. H. Fountain and Greg Wedderapoon were successful in winning the Handicap Singles of Roslyn Club thie eeason. It is pleasing to note Weddcrspoon's win. seeing that it is the first occasion on which ho has been at, the head of the poll in a doubles contest. Greg is so well known and, I might say, so great a player that it is unuccesiMT to sing his praises, but it just shows the uncertainty of the game when a player of his ability shonid come at the eleventh hour, as it were, and scoop up tKo covctcd honour. Fountain is a. young player, who has shown fine form, and if ho continues to heed his skip's • advice will, within the next season or two, "be counted on as one of. RouVyn'e leading representatives. I compliment both players on their success,'and wish thorn heaps of luck in futuro. An Australian bowlin* scrite comments ilnis on the rofusal of tho English Bowling Association to play a test match agoinst Prince's team, now in England"Tho English Bowling Association, I might remark. is oomDarativnlr a new power only thought of or suggested when that strong army of Australian bowlers invaded Old Albion a few years back. The controlling body of bowls down under i? apparently on its "dig." If cricket committees or powers say and do those things, why shouldn't we? is prolnhly their stand. Tlicy will only enter the lists against- foemen worthy of their steel, or, in other words, if .the flower of howling England is lo be put into ho field it must be against (lie flower of howling Jlaoriland—fully accredited and tearing the imprimatur of tho country whence they come, which is good business, for should England be beaten, tho fall will bo nothing liko so heavy as if it were brought about by a. mediocre side, and, if fortune 'favours the Home team, thou victory will ,bc great indeed. Reasoning on the way in which pick-up Australian and Now Zealand one and two-rink teams have shaped against forefront players of (ho Old Land, I don't think the job of defeating a thoroughly representative English bowling side quite calls for the .highest class lot we could send over-even though the game has been well rooted in that little island in the Gorman Ocean almost ever since it was thrown up by tho sea." ifv J. Hain (Northern!) has starved out oarlv to form a rink for tournament purposes. The combination in future: .T. A. Wallace, 0. -Wilson, A. E. Smith, .1. Hain (skip). This is a particularly warm lot, and if they "get doing all together" there should l>e something interesting to watch next tournament. St. Clair Olub tics are nsarly completed. The junior prize has reached the semi-final stage and tho vice-presidf nt.'s prizes (doubles) the'final; president's prize (championship), ■li.,Popn winner. The championship was this vear decided on the following plan: To qualifv for competition each entrant bad to win two games out of three, each same being against a different opponent. Then winners of two or move games started afresh, every competitor playing every other. Mr Pope lost only one game, while every other competitor lest two or more.

The sintrlfl-handnd matches at North lind (Tnvcrcari»ill) were brought to a conclusion last week, w'hen the finals for the club clmmpiori'liip and Mr A. E. Smith's trophy respectively were ulaved. A good deal of interest attached to the former, as cach of iho players (Wallace and Wilson) had won a reputation for .consistently, gcod play that propiiscd a' keen battle v.'hen the moeting

took place. Wilson was the first to pick up the length accurately, and had a substantial load at the end o[ the third head. At tho eighth end Wilton s score stood at 10 a era in st Ins opponent's 6, but. Wallacc lAade the scoro level by getting in all four shots in tlio next head. Three singles mid I lion another four to Wallace turned things roimd, the majority at seven" points bom* now against Wilson, who from the third to the thirtoenth end had scored'only 3 to his opponent's 17. But he then, at the oighlocntn oiid Wilson got 011 forms acnitu—lß all.-and each had scored 20 with the last e,:id to go. AYalinco scored in tlio last head and won the championship. Holloway and M'Curdy met oil tho same afternoon to decide (.lie proprietorship of tho barometer presented by Mr Smith. It- was thought Hint M'Onrdy would have no chance ill "his .fiame. but (ho unexpected happened, and 11 Curdy not only held his opponent right through, but he succeeded in winning 'bv 19 to 17. " 3

Mr.R. P % Wheeler, secretary Now Zealand Bowling Association, has kindly handed me ,i rouplo of letters received recently from Australia. Mr J. A. Morgan, ho.n. sec. of tho New South Wales Bowling Association writes:-"Sydney. March 28.' The Hon' .Secretary, N.'Z.B.A. Dear Sir,-At the last meoling of this association I was ilireel«l to convey to your association tho warmest thanks of our" officers and members for the very kind treatment accorded to the team of bowlers which recently visited you from this Slate. The members of the team speak in ths highest terms of praise of Ilie hearty and lavish manner in --which they wore received and entertained,, aml our only regret Js that we shall rover be ablo to equal it in reciprocating. My committer desires mo to give yon a cord ill invitation to pay na anot her visit, at as early a dale as you may be able to arrange, and you may depend upon a \orv heartv we.'conic and our best endeavours to make tho stay of your repro. senlatives an cujoyable one." Mr W. Hodgson, hon. secretary Queensland Bowling Association. writes":—" Brisbane. March 8. Mr E. T. Wheeler. Dear Sir,—ln a copr of the 'Now Zealand l;owlo«"s Annual,' which I had the privilege of perusing, I saw an interesting article on pennant, games, which verv ranch aopealfld to me, as, I am of the' omnion hat they (pennant frames) -jcorardie.i tho lrarißO:uoiis snirif. for which the ga.mo is noted. That is pat. the only point of interest. T saw in tho excellent production. • . . Will you be (rood enough to lot MO Urov; what aro the other eoinjictit'ons the compile;' refers to ns being hiler tilum Vcymnnt matches.. nartiouWty. t-He ono hi refers to as the Edrrin- Feathers," etc.

GOLF

By The Prnrijin. The semi-finais for., tho club cbanipionsjip of the O.ngo Golf Club wore T»lav«l ci\ Saturday last, when B. J. Sm'rth 'hoat C. lurnbull by tliree and-two and G. H. MacJuvan beat J. R. Scott-by thvon up r .nd ono to piny. Tne first,round of. the final will be played on Saturday firet. This match ought to bo both interest ing and instruc-tu-o to watch, as Maeliwsn and Smith are both plnymjr well. I hope .tlio committee of the club, or even the players themselves, have arranged for a referee or referees, because, even though thia match is likely to be.played,in a spirit, of friendly rivaJdy, there aro times when it is best to have an independent decision. The adjourned play-off of the putting competition also took place on Saturday, when C. Turnbull had to play. but. h© failed to beat. Brasch, who had played on the previous Saturday.

A team of 14 incmbcirs from tlio Otago Golf Club played a friendly match ou tho St. Clair links' with 1,4 members of Ihc St. C|ajr_ Golf Club, The St. Clair won gave their visitors a good time both in regard to golf and racially, and altogether a very pleasant afternoon was spent, I hope to he able to report a return match on the Balmaoowan links shortly. The Secretary of the Kaitangata.- Golf Club informs me that their annual meeting , was held, on April 8. Tlio report and balanco-ehcet shows 1 hat - the ■ club ie in & ■prosperous ajid liealtliy state. The officers for the ensuing year arc;-President, L, E. yatcs; ricc-prcsident, Dr. Fitzgerald; with J. H. Moir a>s hoa. secretary. Tho opening, day of the new- seasou. has been fixed- for Saturday, tho 27th 'inst. It ia intended during' the season to cany out a schoino of turfing arid draining a number of the greena. '

• "Split Again" writes to ask mo about ba.Ua splitting. My cxperionco is that even the best balls split, and unfortunately there is no one in Duncdin who remakes or rooovors tJiem. I find that tho "Professional" or tho "Colonel" stand a lot Lof knocking about and keep their shape well, and those who !hhvo used tho

''Matabic" speak woli of them. I would recommend "Split Again "-to carry tho ball in his pocket for a little while beforo actually playing. ,

The Chriatchuroh Golf .Club hold their first modal match on tho 13th. April, when L. Bonnington and S. E. Sleigh tied for the senior modal with 80 net, W. Harman boing second with 81. ' In the junior medal A. C. Fryer and J. P. Poulton tied with 75 _ not. In tho play-off Bonnington beat Sleigh. for tho senior medal ar,d Fryer beat Poulton for tho junior medal. A very interesting- point -was recently rai6Ctl in England as to whether a player, having won a holo and'having tho honour, ■could insist on his opponent driving. first from'the next Icoing ground; in'other words, whether the honour at golf is optional, or imperative.' The editor of Golf Illustrate,d .(being appealed to) gave his opinion that it was optional, and not but.it is doubtful if the liko interpretation would be given if a case were submitted to the Rules of Golf Committee. Tho rules of' golf, Rule 1 (a) defines the- "honour" as tho privilege of playing first from a teeing ground, and if this wcro the only rule on tho point it might lie said without much doubt thai tho framer.i of the rule 6 extended tho won! "prJvilego" to mean, "option"; but. if one loola at rule 2, matters become somewhat complicated, as rule 2 sajs: " Tho option of taking the honour at the first toeing ground shall be dccided, if ncccssary, by lot," Now, if the word "privilege " in rule 1 is to bo interpreted aa, Golf Illustrated suggests, then surely the words "the option of taking" in rule 2 ate useless and needless, and tho rule ought to run: " The honour at the fir6t teeing"' ground shall be decided,' if necessary, by lot"; and later on, in rule 2, are these words: "The side which wins la holo shall have tho honour at the next teeing ground." Now, if "tho framere of the rules intended tho honour to be optional they would havo repeated the words "tho option of taking" as in the first part of tlm rule, and the passage *ould havo run: "Tho side which wins a, hole shall havo the option of taking tho honour at tho next toeing ground." >T. H. Taylor, tho English professional (thrice open champion), \vii6 paid £100 and travelling expenses for going to Cairo and advising lis tn the best methods foT. improv. iug the local courses. This is a record fee. It would be interesting to know how this compares with tho fees paid to our local professionals for the laying out of golf courses. Forty-two clubs were represented at ,the council meeting of tho Ladies' Golf Union

Nt the Empress Club, Piccadilly. Tho chair was taken by Mr Talbot. Fair,. and amongst those present • were Col. M'Calmont, M.P., Mr T. H. Miller, Mr W. Ryder Richardson, and Mr Robert Whyte. It was announced that a party of wellknown Aiiicrican lady golfers, including Miss Harriet Curtis (Essex County Club, Boston)._ tho present United States champion, Miss M, Curtis, a eist-er of the champion. and Miss Goorgina Bishop (Brooklawn), a United Slates ex-champion, would compete in tho British ladio3' championsnip, which takes plaoc at Newcastle, Co. Down, on May 7, 8, 9, and 10. It is hoped that an international matoh Ixitwccn toams representing the United States and tho United Kinjrdom will also be decided oil tlie Newcastle links. The usual international matches, in which England. Ireland, and Scotland take part, will be played on May 3 and 4. Entries (or the championship close cn Saturday. April 20, and the draw will be made in London cn April 22. Miss Isse'te Pearson, the hon. (secretary of the .mion, spoke in favour of a universal! handicapping system, and after some discussion the proposal to adopt such a system was carried by a large majority. Tho union's handicap competition for a new silver ehallengo cup and memento was fixed to take place next month on the Heskefh Clnl/s course at Soutliport. Most of the British professionals who took part in the Grand Duke Michael's recent tournament at Cannes competed at live res recently for prizes presented by the Hyeres Club. Intensely hot weather prevailed. Pour-ball foursome matches were decided in the morning! while in tho afternoon there was an 13-liole stroke competition. In the foursome?. Edward Ray and Alexander Tlcnl halved with Jame6 Braid and Tom Vardon. while. Rowland Jones and ,1. IT. Taylor beat Harry Vardon and Jack White'by ihree holes up and one to play. In the stroke competition E. Ray (§carborougb) and Alec Herd (Huddersfield) tied with 71. J. H. Tavlor (Mid-Surrey) and Rowland .Tones (Wimbledon Park) being second with 73..