BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2152, 23 May 1895, Page 33

BOWLING.

Secretaries are requested to forward pin lioalaijorsaDiojpli.r*^ and of forthcoming matches.

NOTES BY JACK. My readors doubtless perused with interest in last week's witness the account of the interview with that G.O.M. of bowling, Mr Paul, of tha New Plymouth Club. The statement made by the Australasian that Mr Paul is one of New Zealand's best and roost intelligent bowlcra will b» readily subscribed to by his South Island friends, who will also unanimouslysulscrib8 1 o tha as*6'.tion (hat his opinions on bowling in Australia and Nuw Zealand ate of great value. I had tbe pleasure of ineetiDg Mr Paul in Duuedin when on his way to his home ia New Plymouth from Australia, and had a long ehafc with him on bowling matters, and I purpose making a few remarks on his chat with tha representative of the Australasian with a view to inducing some discussion on tho subjsot by the bowiera of New Zealand. I quite agree with Me Paul when he eaya that the great difference in the style of Australian and New Zealand bowling lies in tha delivery of the bowl. The general style adopted iv M«o<i!and is really a free and graceful motion ; but I do not go so far us to say that until the Australians adopt our style they will uever be able tso send a team to New Zealand capable of winning a single match, for I do not tbiuk that is the sole reason why the Australians do not play so well as their Maoriland counins. They should, however, make their rules more in conformity with those of New Zealand. There can be no doubt that; the Australian style is a great deal too stiff and formal, and it would be wise if they relaxtd their rules to some extent. Mr Paul, in alluding to tha difference between the Australian and New Zealand greeas, rather surprised me in his remark that our greens play much keener than theirs. I naturally thought thoir gec-eng would bo the keenest. Of course if their greens aro heavier to play upon, that ia a very good reason why thoir play is not so good as ours. When a bowler accustomed to play on a heavy green first plays on a eotnewhat keen one he quickly finds out his weaknesß. He is constantly playing too heavy, and cannot form any idea as to the new conditions under which ho is playing. Australians should cultivate couch grass, and out their grass closor. They would by these naeaus get their greens capable of playiug faster, and would tl> us be able to form aud improve in their met-hods of play. Mr Paul slates that we grow nothing else but couch grass on our greens, but in that he makes a mistake. In the case of tho clubs in the Middle Island couch grass is the particular aversion of those in charge, who do all they can to eradicate it, nolw»thjt:u;diog the fact that it makes a beautiful sward tor a green, aud stands the drought and heat better tb.au any othtr gtass. The minimum length the jack cau be thrown iv Now >S-uth Wales is 30ft, in Victoria and the Middle Island of New Zt aland 50. t. Fifty feet when played hore appears very short, but 30ffc ia New South Wales must fieem ridiculously short, aud, as Mr Paul says, a game under Buch^conditiona is more like playing marbles than bowls. However, the fact of thwr greens being so heavy may account for the short play. When the Victorian bowlers paid New Zealand a visit at the time of the Exhibition I wafl very much amused at my opponent playing a bowl as a block 4ft or s£t away from the mat. In my case, however, thi» did not avail him much cs a block ; bufc really no man with any pretension to the name of a bowler would try on such an unsoienriSc method of play. Personally I do not> object to the practice, or consider it unfair, as it ia fltigm&tised by Mr Paul. It is nob bowling ; and wLen a block 16 wanted I always like it as near the j&ck as possible, so that if ray opponent should rest upon ib the bowl may stilt get nearer the jack or behind. I rs&lly do not see the force of the contention " that if the jack is driven into a neighbouring rink during the play that is a ' de*d end' with you as it is with us ; but jou do not make it a dead end if it is driven into the ditch at the side of the riDk, whilst we do." I don'fc see why if the jack is driven into the side ditch it should be a dead head. Anyway it is not so played in Ofcago. It is only made a doad head wheu driven into a neighbouring rink, because it has been found to iuterfera with the next rink's play. Should there ba no one playing in the adjoirtiDg riuk that law is not pufc in force, because thrreis plenty of room to play; and wheu it does not interfere with anyone, why should not the pl&yers play to the jack in a side ditch ? why make it a burnt head ? It has been found after trial in Otago that the time game is not suitable, and Mr Paul's contentious ou this point are jusfc and reasonable. lam very glad Mr Paul and his team so thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I certainly uphold Mr Paul in his opinion that in intorclab, interisland, and intercolonial matches the game is better played without trophies. I for one, should the New South Wales or tbe Victorian bowlers see fit to pay this pait of New Zealand a visit, will do my best to make them welcome, and I trust when they do come that onr association rules aud theirs will be made to agree. There will be no mistake, though, as to the one-foot-on-the-mat business. Anyway I know that the New Zealand Bowling Associations will do all they can to meet the AuAtralian rules, even to the block they play bo close to the mat. When passing through Wellington Mr Paul was entertained by the bowl«rs there. Both therp and in Dunedin he advocated a North Islnnd v. South Island match, to be played in Wellington next season; and I see no reason why a match should not be co arranged for next season. There is no tournament on, but the Invercargill Olub is determined that a visit shall be paid them, and they intend to try very hard by getting up some kind of a contest to induce a number of bowlers to go south. The South Inland bowlers are anxious to meet the northerners and try conclusions. The result, I fancy, would be anything bub doubtful, for oertainly the southern clubs would win. I think the proposal for such a match will become very popular. Wellington is not very far away, it has an advantage of. being most centrally situated, and a tiip to ifc ia not very expensive— not more so than going t« Chrintchurch. If an arrangement could ba made by which the Australians would b« included bowling would probably receive a fillip which could not fail to help in the advance* ment of the game.