NOTES BY JACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2451, 6 March 1901, Page 48

NOTES BY JACK.

All the clubs in and around Dunedin are busy playing off their "ties" for their club prizes, consequently there are no matches to report. The of one of the clubs informed me that he had tried last week to get up a return match for Saturday afternoon with no fewer than three different clubs, and had been unsuccessful with each, the same reason being given — "We desire to take advantage of Saturday afternoon to get our club tie 3 played off." This is all very good, so far as the individual club is concerned, but should not be allowed to stand in the way of having a match with another club, and thus popularising the game. Some clubs have a most wholesome rule with regard to this, and that is that "no ties in club prize matches shall be played off earlier than 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoons." Adherence to such a rule allows the whole green to be free for a match with another club, or a rink match amongst the members themselves, and in a manner compels the members to play their ties off in the evenings. Before it was enacted in one or two clubs I have known it to be impossible for members who were not engaged in any of these contests fo- haVe a 'game £t the only time they had at their dbposal for soeh a purpose.

The secretary to the Caledonian Club has' written to~ me as follows — "The much esteemed and .talented contributor who sent the report of the secretary's match which was played at Roslyn on the 23rd ult., and which report appeared, in the Witness of last week, is scarcely correct in some of his items. For instance it was not a match betwixt ' colts ' of the two clubs. (By the way, Ido detest the word ' colts ' as applied to bowlers — it is, in my mind, most vulgar and inappropriate. We are not a lot of horses, asses, or mules, and these are the only animals that lam aware of which have colts.) It was simply a match between sides chosen by the two secretaries ; it was quite immaterial whetker they were senior or junior players, and I should be sorry indeed to class any of the player 3or either side as a ' junior.' If I did I fancy there would be some wige on the green. He also seems to have forgotten that what in an officer is but a choleric word in a private is rank blasphemy, which means, being interpreted, I suppose, that a skip can come out with a big, big d— — , but no one ebe. However, all'p well that ends well, and I am positively certainthat the Caledonian skip is eternally obliged to his confrere of Roslyn for his assurance that the recording angel wiped it out. That is one comfort, after losing the match."

His concluding sentence reminds me of a yarn about the great lexicographer Dr Johnston, who, when he'd sent the last of the proof sheets of his great work back to the publishers asked, "Well, what did they gay?" "Thank God we've done with him," was the reply, to which the doctor drily rejoined, " I'm very glad to hear they thank God for something.'' I leave it to my friend to apply the yarn, trusting he will not require a surgical operation to assist his vision..

I am very sorry indeed to have to record the death of Mr David Baxter, merchant, Dunedin. By his death, whioh took place at his residence, at Caversham, on Friday evening last, the Dunedin Club has lost one of its oldest members, and in his prime one of its best players. To the younger generation of members he was comparatively Tinknown as a player, but to the elders he was always a. host in himself, and a force to be reckoned with. He has" not played much of late years, but always took a great interest in the game and his club. The ranks of the elder players are getting thinned out year by year,, and our turn to bid farewell to the greens and all things mundane will also come in due course.

Next Saturday is the last of the interclub fixtures, when I suppose each club will be putting its best men formost to try to win. Let us pray that the weather wjll be a little more propitious than it is at the time of my writing this. We were pleased to learn that Mr Morrison, M.H.R. , was very much better, and that he would be home on Saturday night last. lam sure that all bowlers join with me in the hope that he will soon be his wonted self again. The fatigue of the journey seems to have caused a relapse to some extent, but I trust this may be only temporary.

I see by the Oamaru Mail that Messrs Thomson and Company, mineral water manufacturers, of Dunedin, have forwarded to Mr A. Potter a pair of handsome silvermounted bowls to be competed for by members of the Phoenix Bowling Club. I shall be very glad to furnish the addresses of the secretaries of other deserving clubs if the firm wish it, always bearing in mind that charity begins at home.

The Western Star reports : — Bowls is now the most popular game in Riverton, and players, young and old, are most regular in their attendance at the green. Last Wednesday members invited their lady friends to be present, and there was a good attendance. During the afternoon tea, provided by Mrs Stephen, wife of Dr Stephen, one of th^ vice presidents of the club, was handed round, and greatly relifhed. The prizes won during ihe recent tournament were presented, Mr J. W. Moore getting the set of bowls, and Mr W. Sprczen the medaL The crockery

used for the afternoon tea was kindly lent by Mr A. E. Willett.