VICTORIAN BOWLERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20334, 16 February 1928, Page 10

VICTORIAN BOWLERS.

MATCH AGAINST DUNEDIN. WIN FOR LOCAL TEAM, The Victorian bowlers, who arrived in Duuediu on Tuesday evening, played a match against the Dunedin Centre ou the Dunedin green yesterday afternoon. The weather, which looked threatening at times, remained fine, and players and visitors alike spent a very pleasant afternoon. Mr D. M. Fastier (president of the 'ocal centre) welcomed the visitors on behalf of the centre, and a welcome on behalf of the city was extended by the. Deputy Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas), who -remarked that this was the third occasion on which he hud had the privilege of extending a welcome to bowlers from Australia. The previous visitors had come from Queensland and New South Wales. Ou behalf of the Dunedin Club, which had lent its green for the occasion, Mr C Stephens (the president) also extended a welcome, after which tho visitors were given three cheers, followed by the singing of “For They arc Jolly Good Fellows.” The visitors’ spokesman was Mr W. Lyon, whose reply to the welcome was witty and entertaining. He referred to tlie unnerving tendencies of a battery of cameras before the match was played, bo* he assured the local players that if that was intended to put them off their game they were mistaken. “If we play as well as we feel,” he added, “ we’ll do, as the Scotsman said, ‘ no’ so had,’ and if ■ we can keep the score as high as our hopes then it’s good-h e to you.”—(Laughter.) The musical honours and the cheers were then reciprocated, and the game was proceeded with. The green -as in good order, although not very keen. The Dunedin players were, on the whole, too strong for the visitors, who were inclined to rake through the headi too much. Wright’s was easily the best of the Victorian rinks. On the day’s play Wright showed himself to be an outstanding player. He has every shot in his locker. Bentlev’s team, against whom Wright’s rink was matched, played good bowls- hut at times were inclined to play short. This game, which was watched with keen interest, was closely contested, with the visitors slightly in the lead until about the nineteenth head, when the local rink caught up and established a lead which they held, the visitors being defeated by two points. The following are the scores:— Vic. Dun. Florent, Pilkington, Barnett, . Wright 22 Best, Langley, J. Scott, Bentley Hindis, Leith, Ferguson, Main 10 Robson, Hinton, Ferguson, M’Cuicly ‘2l Scharf, H. Davie, Baylcy, Lyon 17 Love, Stephens, Stevenson, Carswell Creath, Roy, Whallcy, H. M. Lcggo 15 Black, Jones, Smcllic, Harraway Kingsbury, T. M. Davie, Gaylord, Newham 19 Ledlie, Connor, Rowley, T. Sanders Totals 80 145 SOCIAL EVENING. A BRIGHT FUNCTION. It is safe to assume that a gathering of howler s is much the same the world over. It is on occasions like these that the old word “ convivial ” is useful in a descriptive sense, and that is the word that best describes the gathering in the Somerset Lounge, Savoy, last night, when the visiting Victorian bowlers were entertained at a social evening by the Dunedin Bowling Centre. The toasts were liberally interspersed by songs, instrumental numbers, and stories of that type clear to tho heart of the bowler, ■and. in the old familiar phraseology, “ a good time was had by all.” The president of the Dunedin Centre, Mr D. M. Fastier, occupied tho chair. During the evening Mr 11. H. Leo-go, of Bendigo, presented to tho chairman four miniature bowls manufactured from gold from tho Bendigo mines for competition in the champion of champion rinks to be decided next month. Mr Fastier returned the grateful thanks of the centre for these valuable tropie s and his thanks were enthusiastically endorsed by tho Dunedin section of the gathering. The first toast after that of the King, was that of the visitors, proposed by Mr D. M. Fastier (president of the centre), who remarked that not only had they had the pleasure of renewing old friendships, but also of making new friendships with those whose first trip is was to our bonnv town, Dunedin. In the short period which was at their disposal in New Zealand they were to have a very strenuous time, and ho did not propose to burden them with a heavy speech. “ I would like to say this, however,” Mr Fastier added. “We have appreciated tho spirit in which our visitors played tho game this afternoon, and although the margin was fairly wide in our favour, they showed smiling faces all through the games.” He referred also to tho fact that a member of the Melbourne Club—the oldest in Victoria—was included in the party. The Melbourne Club had been formed in 1864; and the Dunedin Club was formed in 1871 —seven years laCr. New Zealand now had 16,000 odd bowlers out of a total population of 1,250,000 —a very high average indeed.™(Applause.; In conclusion he extended the visitors a very cordial welcome to this city, add ing that if in any way they could maim their visit enjoyable it was their privilege to do so, for the social element was 95 per cent, of the game, tho game itself being 5 per cent. Ho coupled with the toast the name of Mr Lyon, who was an ambassador not only of Victoria, but also of Scotland. , _ ~ “ For They are Jolly Good Fellows was. sung lustily and the visitors were cheered Mr Walter Lyon, in reply, said that the “youn" fellows” who accompanied him were heartily pleased and gratified at their welcome, and • when they left they would carry away from Dunedin the memories of tho beautiful landscape, the welcome and everything, in fact except the result of the game. —(Laughter.) “Some of us, he said “ have met travelling New Zealanders and 'travelling South Africans, and we have listened to their war cries which, to us are a heterogeneous conglomeration ot linguistic mysteries accompanied by anatomical evictions. We have no war cries for wo have had no wars in our land of sunsh'ne. We come as little children meek, as so many little Davids to as many great Goliaths, and , we are sorry wo didn’t boat you as David did Goliath, hut we hope to do it yet ” In conclusion, he said, that they had been well fed well feted, well feasted and well flogged, for all of which they were truly thankful. , . . _ The toast of the Dominion Bowling Council was proposed by Mr J C. Stephens, who said that New Zealand bowlers ought to congratulate themselves on the men who formed the executive. Ho thought that it was often the case that they accepted the work that was done for thorn by officers of the clubs as if it belonged to them as a right. Too seldom was it acknowledged. . ~ . Mr J. J. Marlow, in reply, said that one of the best things the council bad done was to initiate interstate contests, they were now playincr under tho rules from the North Capo to the Bluff and in the near future it was hoped that the good old crame would be played under the same conditions all through Australia and New Zealand. . Mr W. A. Wright, ot the \ictonan howling party, proposed tho toast of the Dunedin Bowling Centre. “We did not expect to see what is to mo the finest city in the British Empire.” he said. “ After that beautiful drive round tho city I cannot visualise anything better.” He paid a warm tribute to the cdWire’s homitahty Tho toast was replied to by Mr R. 11. Todd. Another toast that was honoured was “Civic Authorities,” proposed by Air J Sutherland Ross, who coupled with the toast the name of the cDputy Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas). , Mr Douglas responded. Tho chairman was also the subject of a toast. . . Tho musical portion of the programme was contributed by Messrs S. G. An sell. C. C. Scott. E. IT. Leirgo (songs), J. Connor (flute solo), while tho stories were told by Messrs A. W. Martin. Florend and W Lvon The singing of “ Anld Lang Svno,” followed by the National Anthem, brought tho evening to a close.