BOWLING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23006, 8 October 1936, Page 4

BOWLING

By Jack The 1936-37 bowling season in the Dunedin Centre was ushered in on Saturday in beautiful weather when the Kaituna and Logan Park Clubs held their official opening ceremonies, the attendance of members and visitors being large at each green. Play at Kaituna was confined to the new green, which was in excellent order and should wear well throughout the season. The Kaituna Club is exceedingly fortunate in possessing two full-sized greens, being thus in the position to rest either one if it is showing any signs of wear and tear. The president, Mr W. F. Forrester, extended a cordial welcome to members and visitors, and the afternoon's play proved thoroughly enjoyable. At the Logan Park green the president, Mr R. A. Crawford, proved the right man in the right place, and left no stone unturned to cater for the enjoyment of members and visitors alike. The green has never previously looked so well at this time of the season and members should have no growls so far as the playing surface is concerned. The ladies' section of the club was also officially opened, the president, Mrs E. F. Lee, doing the honours. According to invitations so far received club openings will. be held as follows on the next two Saturdays:— October 10.—Anderson's Bay (president, Mr James M'lntosh; secretary, Mr James Moonie); Kaikorai (president, Mr William O. Clark; secretary, Mr J. M'Gregor); Mornington (president, Mr R. S. J. A. Macdonald: secretary, Mr Liddle). October 17.—Dunedin (president. Mi J. W. Scurr; secretary, Mr G. A. Nelson); Leith (president, Mr James Newey; secretary, Mr A. Ponton); St. Clair (president, Mr J.' Nicolson; secretary, Mr A. Burns); St. Kilda (president, Mr L. C. Buist; secretary, Mr J. H. Hinton); Caversham (president, Mr L. J. Ballard; secretary, Mr E. D. Smyth); North-East Valley (president, Mr James Coulter; secretary, Mr H. J. Duncan); Otago (president, Mr. J. D. Best; secretary, Mr T. M. Gillies); Port Chalmers (president. Mr T. H. Mathewson: secretary, Mr R. Willmott)- West Harbour (president, Mr R. S. Hutton; secretary, Mr W. Connor); Roslyn (president, Mr G. T. Dennis; secretary, Mr W. J. M'Kay); Taieri (president, Mr F. Bradley; secretary, Mr H. M'L. M'Kinnon); Caledonian (president, Mr J. D. Cameron; secretary, Mr L. J. Edwards). The Otago Ladies' Bowling Association (president, Mrs H. Kane; secretary, Mrs J. Cooke) will hold its official opening next Wednesday. OFFICIAL BOWL-TESTER At a meeting of a special committee of the Dunedin Bowling Centre it was decided to, recommend that Mr G. A. Nelson be appointed official bowltester, in place of Mr W. A. Scott, who, after many years' service, has relinquished the position. BOWLS AGAINST RACES Whether it was proper for bowlers to prefer races to bowls, showing their preference by abandoning matches on race days, was discussed by the Christchurch Bowling Centre. It was argued that for members of bowling clubs Ho hold up matches by going to the races was to show lack of consideration for bowlers who had no interest in racing. Another argument was that the issue narrowed down to a choice between two sports. It was surely right for bowlers to support their own game. However, a motion that bowling matches should not be postponed because of race meetings was lost. QUEENSTOWN GREEN The Queenstown Club's new green, which was laid down last season, is reported to have come on "well, and already appears to be in first-class condition. This green will provide a long-felt want in the holiday season when the accommodation of late years has been unable adequately to cope with the demand. "NEW ZEALAND DISTURBED" Under the caption " New Zealand Disturbed," "Boomerang," the bowls writer in the Sydney Referee, has his usual tilt at the administrative side of bowling in New Zealand. I say tilt, as readers of the Referee cannot fail to have observed that "Boomerang" is nothing if not constant in his attacks on the bowling world in New Zealand generally. I think 95 per cent, of New Zealanders enjoy the game of bowls and equally enjoy taking part in the annual Dominion bowls tournament, in spite of " Boomerang's " hot and bothered attitude because his gratuitous advice is not accepted holus bolus. Here is his latest contribution:— "Nobody seems inclined to answer me in respect to my published comment upon New Zealand laws of the game, as practised in the Dominion, and Australia's avowed refusal to have anything to do with them. New Zealand wants 'world-wide uniformity,' and chides the A.B.C. for adopting the redraft of the old A.B.C. code without calling her into conference. Let us examine the position:— "As I have pointed out time and again, it is quite useless New Zealand seeking ' uniformity' as long as she continues to burlesque the game, as she does annually at her Dominion tournaments. We can quite forgive and overlook certain defects, such as running two-life events in order to give long-distance entrants as many games as possible, but in other directions it is altogether a different matter.

"Cut out certain practices, that In reality are laws .governing these annual events, and there would be mighty little difference between Australian and New Zealand codes. What would New Zealand ask the A.B.C. to do if it was not now too late to confer together? "It will be time enough for the Dominion to seek a conference when she throws overboard the following obsolete and Gilbertian practices governing her competitions. Twenty-one ends instead of 21 points in singles; time limits for events generally, bellrinfing players off the greens after a period of strenuous endeavour, and possible—and often very probablevictory in sight. i "Add to these the cramping process followed in not allowing the mat to be placed at the will of either side, having regard to the 72 feet available as a minimum. Then the marker, or scorer regulations, which the N.Z.C. recently had a 'lick' at, and deleted certain parts. "The weaknesses of these, set out above, have been dealt with by me scores of times, and there is no need for a repetition, except to repeat that Australia is behind me entirely, and even E. C. Cordner would be found in opposition to all of them. "Doubtless, had New Zealand any Intention, that is, had she the remotest idea of dispensing with these timelimiting, bell-ringing ends in lieu of points, 12ft rinks and other absurdities she would have 'got in' long before last April, when she must have, known the redraft would be adopted. I have been inviting New Zealand to swallow the leek and admit that she is behind the times, and must come into line for years. Until then what ends would a conference serve?