BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 28

BOWLING.

{Secretaries are requested to forward particulars of games played, and of forthcoming matches.)

NOTES BI JACK.

The bowlers of New South Wales last year invited their brethren of New Zealand over to the land of the Cornstalks to compete with players from the other group of colonies in a series of matches in connection with their centenary, but owing to various causes a representative team could not be got together from Maoriland ; the principal reason was, I think, that the festivities in connection with the Melbourne Exhibition were to be held this year, and the New Zealanders were holding back in order to pay a visit to the metropolis of the Southern Hemisphere in 1888. That Exhibition is announced to open on the Ist of August next, or in about two months time, and if a team is to be got together to try conclusions with our cousins of the Australian colonies, it is about time that the association, as the mouthpiece of the various clubs of this colony, should be on the outlook for the purpo&e of 1 selecting suitable representatives

3 to do battle' in' bur honour. 'In making . such a selection I take it that the associa5 tipn, , will not . have to choose them' from 1 1 any particular, club or clubs, but, to pick the • best men from every club' in „the colony. j In. 4 an important tournament such as this will ; be, the very best players must be sent — there r must be no favouritism — if the credit of the ■ colony is to be maintained, and not a day should i be lost in taking the preliminary steps towards I the accomplishment of the selection. Scattered • as the clubs are over the whole length of the, i colony, it. will necessarily take some weeks to i make a proper choice, and, besides, there will be ! the arrangements which each player will require : to make to set his house in order before leaving, I which will' require leisure and forethought to satisfactorily accomplish. As to the date when • such a tournament should be held, I consider the most suitable time would be about the end of October or the beginning of November, when the great carnival of the Victorians — the* Melbourne Cup meeting — is held. At that time the elite of the Australian , colonies and all the world and his wife are ; gathered together in Melbourne, and the game , would receive that attention and prominence which hitherto it has not enjoyed at the hands of the public generally, and, no doubt, would by ; this, means become more popular with the , masses.' Of course it goes without saying that the representative teams would be right royally entertained by the Victorians. Colonists are famed the world over for their hospitalities, and > amongst the most hospitable are ,the bowlers. It seems to me the way in which the various clubs treat their guests almost verges on the 1 border of prodigality, and on an occasion such as this, when the principal event will i not recur for possibly another 100 years, i the team who have the good fortune to be > selected, and those members of the various clubs i who visit Melbourne at that time, will find that their lines have fallen into pleasant places indeed. I would therefore urge upon the council of the Bowling Association of New Zealand to be up . and doing. No time is to be lost if thorough , arrangements are to be made and a team i worthy of the iand of our adoption is to be sent over. ' The members of the Kaitangata Bowling Club .decided to have their green reformed and levelled, and a 3tart has been made. The whole of the green is being dug up, and the contractor 'is convinced that when finished it will be one of jthe best in the colony.