THE ASSOCIATION'S SOUTHERN TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 32

THE ASSOCIATION'S SOUTHERN TOUR.

The inauguration of a round trip to the Qhvoral bowling club} south of Duucdiu, commenced by Mr Horsburgh, president of the New Zealand Bjwliug Association, was an excellout idea, and was well carried out. It meant a holiday of the most pleasing kind to those who were able to spare the time to avail themselves of it. All who had pub their name 3 doTn to go turned up, and the trip was begun on the ■day fix«-d upon, Monday, sth inst. The genial secretary, Mr E. D. Butts, had arranged with the railway ■ authorities fora special carriage, and had received concessions on the fares ; and on the way to Milton the Green Island and Taieri Bowling Clubs' representatives were picked up. A meeting of the committee was held, and the members of the team were selected for the different positions in the several rinks. A3 five rinks were too many to go to the inland greenß, it w»_s resolved that three rinks should play at Milton and Lawrence, and two at Kaitangata and Balclutha.

The weather from start to finish was all that could be desired. After finishing the game at Milton, several of the visitors kept on playing, and a very exciting and close game throughout resulted between Blaney and Capstick (Caledonian) and Sprosen and M'Laren (Milton), Milton winning with the last bowl played by Sprosen, the game beiDg won by one point. The game was 20 all at the 20th head, and Caledonians were lying game when Sprosen played his la&fc bowl and thus turned the tables on the visitors. Upon their arrival at Lawrence the same evening, and after partaking of supper, a meeting was held, when Messrs Chalmers and Jeffrey stated the unpreparedness of the Lawrence bowlers to play till next morning, as not expecting to be asked to play that afternoon, they had arranged to drive their visitors round the mines and show them over the district. There was therefore nothing for it but to fall in with this programme. The unfortunate part about the affair was that Messrs Horsburgh and J. B. Smith had business in Milton, and so were compelled to leave before the game could be played, thus weakening very materially the association team. The green of the Lawrence Club is situated on the old coach road to Waitahuna. It is surrounded by a fence, which forms a capital shelter. The green was in capital order and very keen. After the game was over a match was played between M'Donald and Darton (Lawrence), and Capstick and Blaney (Caledonian). The appearances were at one time all in favour of the visitors gettiug a thorough thrashing for their temerity, the game at one time being — Lawrence 13, Caledonians 1. After five or six more heads had been played, the game wss 13 all, wben owing to night coming on it was agreed that two more ends should be played, at which thft local team scored 3, the game ending 16—13, the Caledonians thus losiDg by 3. At half-past 5 next morning a start was made for luvircargiil via Milton.

At B^lclulha the other contingent were met. They one and all spoke highly of the very handsome manner in which they had been treated at Kaitangata and Balclutha. They had visited the tnmes at Kaitangata,and had had a good time at Balclutha. The greens in both places were fairly good. The Balclutha one would have been splendid had it not been bare at the ends, which made good play difficult. Cheers, and a wish for better luck from the Balclutha bowlers after the. train was in motion, was a vury good send off, and proved that the visit had been appreciated. A little after 4 o'clock Invercargill was reached, when a large detatchmeat of Southland bowlers met the visitors and gave them a hearty reception. After ablutions the visitors were entertained to a tea at the A'bion Hottl, and at 6 o'clock a friendly game was played, resulting in a win for the local club by 49 point", the scores being — Invercargill 119, Arsochition 77. There were a very large number of spectators present, who appeared to take a k^f.u interest in the game. Nest day the match was played, the banks being thronged v.ah s;>ccfcutora. The rc-sult was much worse tl. .a tho i-'tacrire gamh the ui^ht before, the -cores be'ug — Invercaryill 123, Association 62, leaving a n-.pjorily for thn local players of ?5 poiuta. The visitors were complimented upon the manner in which they took their defeat In the evening a, tmoke concert was held, when th<) president of the Invercargill Club and the mayor (Mr A. Raesidu) occupied the chair and vice-chair respectively. The speeches were of the usual congratulatory nature, the chairman commiserating with the

visitors on their luck in losing the game. He was, however, humorously brought up with a round turn by our old and esteemed friend Mr Mitchell. During the course of Mr Horsburgh's speech a suggestion was made to the effect that, seeing that the cricketing, lawn tennis, and football associations had seen their way to send teams round the world, he hoped that some day in the near future a team of first-class bowlers would travel the world and show how bowling was played in New Zealand . Songs and recitations were given, enlivening the proceedings, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. The object aimed at has been, in the estimation of those in the team, fully carried out, and ib is to be hoped that these visits will bear fruit The President (Mr Horsburgh) is of opinion that this tour should be an annual one. The Invercargill Club, I believe, intend joining the asso- ! ciation, and also paying a visit to Dunedin at Easter to play interclub matches, when no doubt they will be made heartily welcome. One suggestion I might make in connection with similar tours in connection with the association, and that is that they should send an invitation to "Jack" to accompany them, and not impose on him the necessity of finding out from the several players any particulars he may wish to make public. The programme of the Northern Bowling Association's tournament, which is to be played at Napier on Easter week, is to hand. Good Friday, March 23, the first day, is set down for interclub matches ; Saturday, interclub matches are to bo concluded, and champion rink and champion singles will bo commenced, to be finished on Easter Monday, when the champion pairs will be commenced. If practicable, a North v. South Island match and a Now Zealand v. Australasian match will bo played. Clubs j are invited to send rink«, and to elect represen- | tativea in tho Tournament Committee, and if required accommodation will be secured. The New Zealaid Bowling Association intend to inaugurate some kind of match games during Eaßter, when prizes will be given to be competed for. Ib is also proposed to hold a tournament at Oamaru at Easter, and a meeting is to be called shortly to arrange matters. It is a pity the movement was not started a little earlier. This Matches. Invercaroiix, February 8. The representatives of tho New Zealand Bowling Association (21 in number) arrived at Invercargill by yesterday afternoon's express, and were met at tho station by the mayor and the president and other members of the Southlaud Bowling Club. After dinner the vibifcors and local bowlers had a friendly practice on the green, and afterwards spent the evening in social intercourse. This afternoon the Rink Match took place, in, which the visitors, as will be eeen from the scores below, were not by a loiig way as strong as the local men. From slact to fiuibh the Southland bowlers held a strong lead. • In justice, however, to the association men it should ba mentioned that they were not represented by their strongest players, bub by those who were a,ble to gut away from home and business. The players, h-jwever, from the Caledonian Clubof Duuedin — Capstick, Blauey, and Fagmi— and tho Taieri representatives, notably Howell, jun., would be hard to beat at any time and on any green. In the evening a Pairs Match was played, which resulted .- Southland, 93 ; Association, 82. The visit had evidently afforded great j pleasure to all bowlers, and the utmost ! gocd feeling prevailed on the green and at a social held in the Albion Hotel this evening. One result of this will be that the Southland Club, which seceded from the association some 18 months ago, will be likely to again apply for affiliation. Piayers and scores :—: — INVERCARGILL. ASSOCIATION. Thompson A. Tapper Sebo J. Monson Lock E. D. Butts Lindsay (s) 26 U. T. Patterson (s) .. 9 Raeside Morgan Dunlop M'Farlanc Taylor Brown M'llwrick(s) ... 19 Smith (s) 13 Hawkins P. Fagan Woodward O. Greenslado Mehaffey J. Blaney Hain(s) 22 G. Gapstick (s) ... 17 Storie J. W. Brindley D'Emden Black 11. Wesney J. Horsburgh Howorth(s) 27 C. Fyninore (s) ... 14 Roby Howell, sen. J . W. Mitchell Prentice W. Wesney Howell, jun. Hannah (s) 29 Murdoch (s) 15 Total ... ... 123 6S In the evening a two-handed four-ball match was played. The visitors were again beaten, but this game evidently suited their capabilities better than the rink match. Invercargill was credited with 93 points and the Associatioa with 82, the scores being : — SOUTHLVND. OTAGO ASSOCIATION. Dv nlop G. Howell Hannah 8 Murdoch 16 Lock Brindley "Lindsay 21 Horsburgh 8 Thomson Butts Howorth 9 Patterson 16 It. Wesney Tapper Ham It Fyninore 13 Mitchell Greenslade Raeside 12 Capstick S Woodward Brown W. Wesuey 15 Smith 13 Miller Fagan ! M'llwrick 14 Blaney S Play finished at 8.30, and a couple of pleasant honrs were spent in a sociable manner. The President of the Southland Club, Mr A. Raeside, proposed the health of the. visiting tpam, coupled with the name of Mr James Horsburgh, president of the association. In doing bo he said that the local club, following the lead of tho Dunedin Club, seceded from the assosiation some 18 months ago, but had since yesterday seen the error of their ways, and would do their utmost to gain admission again to the union. Mr Horsburgh said that tho object of this visib was to cement that cordiality and good feeling which was a characteristic of bowlers wherever found. They had been exceedingly well treated in all the country towns in wh'"ch they played, but the reception given them by the Invercargill people surpassed tbeir (xp etations. They felt so pleased that he thought he could promise that their visit would be an annual one — in fact some of his comrades wished to stay altogether if a guarantee could be given that the same treatment would be continuously extended to them.

Songs were sung with much acceptance by Messrs Godso, Patterson, D'Bmden, and Horsburgh, and a very plfsaeanb day brought to a close at 11 o'clock with " Au!d langsyne. ' The majority of the team representing the Otago Bowling Association left Invercargill by Friday's express, and had a good hearty sendoff by the local bowlers. F.iur of the members of the Caledonian Club (Dunodin) remained behind to play a match with an equal number of lavercargill players, and had a most interesting aud t-xciting game on Friday afternoon. Tho result was a victory for Invercargill by one point only. The Caledonian Club was represented by Messrs Greenslade, Capstick, Blaney, aud Fagan (skip) ; and Invercargill by Messrs A. Raeside, J. W. Mitchell, W. Lock, and W. Y. Miller (skip).