BOWLING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19617, 22 October 1925, Page 4

BOWLING.

By Jack. The local bowling season has now been fairly launched. Six clubs hold their opening functions on Saturday lust, and ten more will follow suit on Saturday next. The clubs to open on Saturday last were: Kahuna, I.eith, Caledonian, Fairfield, Green Island, and St. Kilda, and as the weather conditions were perfect, it is needless to say chat bowlers had a field day. Representatives of the Dunedin Centre and tho Dominion Council did the round of the greens, and expressed best wishes for an enjoyable and successful season. Tho following clubs will open their greens on Saturday next Outram, Dunedin. Port Chalmers, North-East Valley. Otago, Kaikorai, Roslyn, Balmacewcn, Taie.ri, and Anderson’s Bay. At the meeting of the Dunedin Centre on (Monday evening there were on view some 50 designs of medallions suitable for presentation purposes. In view of the approaching visit of the British bowlers, some discussion arose regarding the design considered most suitable for presentation to the visitors. It was finally decided to fix on a design similar to tho executive's existing official medal —blue enamel, with tho words “Dunedin Bowlers” and a gilt centre carrying the city arms. Viewed from everv standpoint, this would seem to be. most suitable, both as an advertisement for the city and as a happy souvenir for tho recipient. Although it is estimated that it will coat the British howlers £4OO each for the trip to tho Antipodes, this covers only tho bowling side of the tour. By the time thev have finished, it is reckoned that tho trip will cost them £IOOO each, and as the party comprises 40, and 17 ladies, it is a low estimate to say that the tour will cost them an aggregate of £40.000 Few howlers can equal the record of Mr AV. 11. Sebo. a member of the Southland Bowling Club, of 10 years’ standing (says the Southland Times). He joined up with that club when it was first founded, and during two generations has not missed a single opening ceremony. He was the only original member of the club present at the, official opening for the 1923-2 G season ou Saturday. Mr W. F. AVade, an English bowler who has been asking for advice concerning the kind of bowls the British team should use in the forthcoming Australian and New Zealand tdur, is answered by an Australian bowler now staying in London. “Opinions differ in Australia, just as they do here,” says this writer. "My own preference is for wood. As a small-fisted man they suit mo hotter. There was an unexplainable deadweight or density in composition howls, which causefl me to drop them on the point of delivery, and, further, my experience was that the compo dirt not run nearly so generously ou a dead green. Mr AVade is altogether misled in his statement that the use of composition bowls in Australia is almost universal. In my owui club not more than three or four members use them, and I should say that not more than 10 per cent, of Australians favour them. In my own State few of the best players have been converted to composition, and I do know that one of the most skilful bowlers in Australia, who had a pecuniary Interest in selling composition bowls, stuck to his woods. I do think the narrow-running surface of one of the composition makes appeal to many, as they did to me; hut it was tho shape, and as I can get the manufacturers of wood to make lignum vitae on the same lines, I intend to take back a set of lignum, which has proved to mo the best all-ronader. (Mr Melbourne Orchard agrees that the days ,of the lignum vitae bowl arc by no means numbered in Australia and New Zealand. If Mr AVade, he says, had raise! the matter of differing bias in the dominions he would have hit upon a very thorny subject. There are no secrets in bowling, and in Australia they recognise this by inviting visitors to their most important meetings. Thus in Sydney last month, at the annual meeting of the Now South Wales Bowling Association a New Zealander attended at the Invention of the N.S.W. president, Mr James AVall. This was Mr George Redmond, of the Victoria Club, Wellington, who Avas attending the meeting for (he third year in succession. Mr Redmond sprang a surprise on the delegates by taking Avith him the Mayor of Wellington, Mr C. J. B. Norwood, a former president of the Victoria Club, Avho Avas over in Sydney on a health visit. Naturally Mr Norwood got a tremendous reception, possibly exceeding c\'en the cordiality Aidiich lias ahvays been extended to his clubmute on previous occasions. Ho Avas invited to sit alongside the president and vice-president, but he could stay only a feAV minutes, ns he had another engagement. HoAvever, it was a A’ery pleasant, episode in his Sydney visit, and uoav that he has returned to Wellington, much improA-ed in health, it will be no surprise to hear that Wellington boAvlcrs will similarly open their doors to distinguished visitors. Hung up in the Wellington Club is tho carved Maori tiki, about 18in in length, with eyes of ruby colour, presented by Mr M. F. Barnett, of Christchurch, to be competed for every year by Wellington and Christchurch Bowling Clubs (says a Wellington paper). It is to be played for alternately at Wellington and Christchurch, and irrespective of which club wins the trophy, the visitors take it away and hang it up in their club until the return visit is paid. Thus tho interest in the event is maintained. Christchurch had the honour of Avinning it for tho first time, and tho name of the winners is engraved in one of tho miniature tikis at the foot of the trophy. Accidents ou the howling green arc fortunately of rare occurrence, but, a Sit. Kilda bowler,* who, in an exuberance of spirit at the opening of his club’s green on Saturday last, Avas indulging in some gymnastics, had the misfortune to strain a tendon in one of liis legs, rvith the result that ho had to spend the remainder of tho week-end in his bedroom. '

At the last meeting of the Australian Bowling Council (held in Sydney in April) the Queensland delegates reported that composition howls apparently altered their shape when exposed to the hot sun. In view of this, the council decided to send standard bowls of wood, rubber, and other composition to the various testers, so that the particular class of bowl could bo tested against a standard bowl of the same material. Further reports having reached the Bowl-testing Committee on the same subject, a scries of exhaustive experiments has bpen -carried out. and the committee finds that all bowls, if heated irregularly, alter in shape, the most pronounced alteration taking place in the wooden bowl. Up to a temperature of 150 deg Fahr. the alteration in shape is not very pronounced; hut it increases rapidly at higher temperatures ranging up to 165d0g Fahr. If the howls are heated evenly the alteration in shapes does nol affect the bias, as all the materials (wood, i-übbor, and excellite) expand evenly with the increase in temperature; but if the howls are exposed to the bet sun, and one side only is heated, then the expansion of that side affects the bias. The committee, therefore, would advise bowlej-s to see that during an interval in the game, or between names, the bowls are put in the shade; and on very hot days, when the game is in progress, to sec that bowls are exposed in such a manner that they are evenly heated, so that the bias will nol: ho affected. It will be only on very hot days that the temperature will be high enough to alter the bias of bowls; hut, as the sun temperatures of practically all the Australian States in summer range up to over IfcOdog, it will be -necessary for howlers lo lake precautions on hot days to minimise the effect of tempera!nre on the bins. Howlers will be interested In know that bowls raised to a temperature of 212 deg Fahr. resumed (heir original shape on cooling, and drew equally with the standard howl.

Thc question of town clubs visiting country greens was discussed at some length at the mooting of the Dunedin Bowling Centro on Monday evening. It. was suggested that, whenever possible, town clubs should make an effort, to send one or two rinks to try conclusions with such country clubs as could conveniently accommodate them. The suggestion is valuable, in that, if carried mil, with any degree of regularity, it, would go far towords promoting amicable relations between town and country players and give the latter a good idea of their comparative strength.