BOWLING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3655, 1 April 1924, Page 46

BOWLING.

By Jack. Congratulations to the Caledonian Club on winning the inter-club banner for the fifth year in succession. When it is remembered that the 19 clubs in tho Dunedin Centre compete for this banner, tho Caledonicn Club’s record is a remarkable one, and probably will never be surpassed, if, indeed, it is ever equalled. The Caledonian Club is represented by 15 rinks in the competition, and although this is practically its full strength, the general average of the play in tho club is of a. high standard, and when all the players are available it is probably quite as strong with 15 as with less rinks. The selector (Air J. Abbott) has been hard pressed on occasions to get the required number of players for Saturday’s games, but. he has always made the most of the material available, and, generally speaking, the players have supported him loyally. It is certainly not too much to say that the credit for winning tho banner is principally due to the efforts of Air Abbott, whose work on behalf of his club is second to none in the centre. St. Clair, which finished a close second to Caledonian (only one point behind)), and St. Kilda, two points further back, are also deserving of hearty congratulations on the consistently high standard set by their representatives throughout the season. Caledonian and St. Clair ran practically a neck and neck race right through the competition. and until the final games were played on Saturday it was impossible to forecast the winner. Indeed, St. Kilcla still had a winning chance, as_ the defeat _of Caledonian and St. Clair, and a win for St. Kilda, would have placed all three level. As it happened, Caledonian secured a twopoint win at the expense of Otago (four sections) and Balmacewen (one section), and St. Clair and St. Kilda, who were opponents in Saturday’s game, finished with honours easy, each securing one banner point.

x\orth-East Valley from a winning point of view has had a very lean year, and score a first and only banner point. It therefore wins the wooden spoon without serious opposition, the next lowest on the list being Outram with six points.. Since tne inter-club banner was instituted 16 years ago the banner has been shared by four clubs. Caledonian have won It six times, Dunedin five times, Kahuna three times, and Taieri three.

The following is a list of the winners of the inter-club banner to date: — 1908- Taieri. 1909- —Dunedin. 1910- : —Kaituna. 1911- —Caledonian. 1912- —Kaituna. 1913- —Dunedin. 1914- —Dunedin. 1915- —Dunedin. 1916- —Kaituna. 1917- —'Taieri. 1918- —Dunedin. 1919- —Caledonian. 1920- . —Caledonian. 1921- —Caledonian. 1920-23. —Caledonian. 1923-24. —Caledonian. The next meeting of the council of the Dominion Bowling Association is not to be held until September, and it will be held in Wellington. This should be an important meeting (writes No. 3 in the Wellington Dominion) —a more important one than th,4t which is held during the excitement of the annual tournament, when affairs of local moment are apt to disturb the consideration of matters affecting the game generally. Among the matters to be decided will probably be a request from the Otago Centre to hold the next tournament at ixunedin Instead of Wellington, in view of the Exhibition. However strongly the Otago Centre may put its case, its claim for sympathetic consideration was nullified by the wretched entry from the centre returned for the last tournament at Christchurch. If Otago bowlers treat, a tournament at Christchurch so cavalierly, what sort of an entry can be expected from that centre at Wellington next January, and at Auckland the year after? Dunedin will he luoky if it is awarded the champion pairs and singles. If that is proposed, I do not think it will be objected to by the Wellington Centre.

The winners of sections A and B In the Dunedin Centre four-rink games—Dunedin and Caledonian—-will meet on Saturday on t>h* Kaikoral green. The seventh round

to decide the winner of Section C will be played the same -day.

CALEDONIAN SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP.

Dear “Jack,” —I see by your notes of last week that C. Tillie has put in his claim to be declared champion of the Caledonian green. I am convinced that it is time that I placed my side of the case before bowlers and the public generally. In the first place I told Tillie before I met him in the first round to get his bowls put over the shoot, as I considered that they were “pokers.” His reply was that his bowls had the stamp on them and they were all right. I replied, “Stamp or no stamp, I don’t think that they will pass the test-,’ and when they were put over the testing { machine not one of the four Would pass. I know that because I was there to see them put over and saw that they were all found wanting. Tillie took an undue advantage of his opponents, and over myself in particular, as I was the only bowler to meet him on two occasions—the first time as I have stated above, and the second time when there were three left in the competition—namely, Tillie (two lives), Amtman (one life), and myself (one life). Amtman had the bye and Tillie and I met for the second time and as bad luck would have it we had to play between rinks, and you know what that means. When Amtman was beaten by Tillie in the final, I asked him why he did not protest against Tillie’s bowls, and his roplv was that he was too good a sport to do so. Yet lie'met and beat Tillie after Tillie’s bowls had been and were still in the hands of the tester. Tillie had to play Amtman with bowls that he had never had in his hands before, and this gave Amtman an undue advantage. It was like getting 10 points start in 21 heads. To sum up the position I put is this way: Three are left in the competition; Tillie and Hutchison meet for the second time and Tillie wins; Amtman a bye. Tillie plays Amtman, Tillie wins. Tillie is disqualified for one round only, but should have been disqualified for the whole competition, laws or no laws. Commonsense should have been brought to bear, as Tillie had won all his games and had put as good players if not better than himself on the bank. I ask bowlers what is the position? Has the Caledonian Club a champion for this season? I say emphatically no.—l am, etc., D. Htjtchisox (member Caledonian Club). Alarch 24, 1924. AVOOD VERSUS COMBO. Country Week brought to light bowls in all shapes and colour (says the Sydney Bowling Life). A prominent Orange player was the proud possessor of lignum vitae bowls of varied hue. Another visitor had his bowls adorned with colours that would have done cred’t to a barber's pole. There were bowls yellow, bowls brindle, and bowls black, bowls with red discs, bowls with metal discs, and bowls embellished with huge silver shields. Composition bowls predominated, and one would say that in a few years wooden bowls will be a rarity. It is quite easy to understand why the compos, have grown in popularity, for it is becoming more difficult each year to procure lignumvitae bowls of equal density or weight. In a four bowls’ game it is essential that the biased spheres be identical in weight, and character ; for how can anyone expect to play consistent games with bowls that vary. “ Get heavy bowls” is a popular cry; and recently there has been a run on small, heavy composition bowls (sin, weighing 31b 8oz). Discerning players, however, are of the opinion that these dense bowls are far from ideal and practically without “ finish ” on slow greens. For driving they are excellent, but one cannot have his game re stricted to one class of shot and hope for success. Experiments with these modem bowls have proved that a sin bowl should not exceed 31b 3ox in weight. In larger bowls a sane specification would be 5 l-16in, weight 31b 4oz, or, if siin in circumference, 31b 6oz. Why bowlers of the older school cling to woods that have lost weight and developed eccentricities year after year is difficult to fathom; but one is inclined to think it is merely sentiment that prevents them from using the more accurate and easy to handle composition bowl. Alderson won the singles championship with Excelite bowls in 1923, and the Australasian championship has been won with rubber bowls. This year fully 80 per cent, of the players now remaining in this year's Singles championship are using composition bowls. I consider that the wielder of woods is handicapped fully five points in a game of 21 up, in which an opponent of equal prowess Is playfog with “ compos.” From an economic standpoint-, the new bowls are preferable, for lignumvitae bowls, whatever may be said to the contrary, do lose weight and alter ip character. Composition or rubber bowls are, barring accidents, everlasting. BOWLS NEXT TO ARCHERY. Next to archery, the game of bowls is tPe oldest British pastime still extant. In tne Royal Library, Windsor, an MS. of the thirteenth century contains a drawing of two players aiming at a small cone, equivalent to the present-day “jack.” A contemporary artist, apparently with a good sense of humour, has ably caught a part of the spirit of the game, which is as strong as ever to-day. The first player’s bowl has come to rest just in front of the “jack,” the second player is following after the bowl, whioh he has just delivered, in the contortions whioh present-day players emulate, and the first player is making a repressive gesture as if to influence the bowl to stop short of his own. The third is in the act of delivering his bowi. -is bowling waxed in popularity, so it grew in disfavour with constituted authority, for it was feared that it would detract from the interest in archery, which was at the time a national art of high importance in defepoe or assault. In the reigns of Edward 111, Richard 11, and other monarchs, it and other sports were forbidden by statute. By ap Act of 1541 artificers, labourers, apprentices, servants, and the like were forbidden to play bowls at any time save Christmas and then only in their master’s house and presence. Anyone playing howls outside hig own garden or orchard was liable to a penalty of 6s Bd, with the exception of those who possessed lands ot ipe yearly value of £IOO who could obtain licences t 6 play on their own private greens. This Act wa9 not repealed until 1845. Nevertheless ft sidelight on human nature is furnished by the foot that Henry V 111 nftd Constructed at Whitehall bowling greens

for his pleasure, and did not hesitate to back himself when he played.

Like bell-ringing, bowling drifted into undesirable relations with the pothouse, and fell into disrepute. In 1555, on the ground luat the game was an excuse for “unlawful assemblies, conventicles, seditions, and conspiracies,” the licenses were withdrawn. Street says; “It appears that soon after the introduction of bowling alleys they were productive of very evil consequences, for they became not only exceedingly numerous, but were often attached to places of public resort, which rendered them the receptacles of idle and dissolute persons, and were the means of promoting a pernicious spirit of gambling among the younger and most unwary. In the sixteenth century these nurseries of vice were universally decreed, and especially such as were established within the city and suburbs of London, where the ill-effects arising from them were most offensive.” AVAIKOUAITI v. PALMERSTON. Two rinks from the Palmerston. Club visited AVaikouaiti on Wednesday and had a friendly game on the AVaikouaiti gTeen. The scores were as under (Palmerston names first): —Christie, M'Gregor, Adams, Galloway 34, Hunt, Aliller, Prescott, Carson 17; Davies, Aloodie, Black, Wilson 16, E. Davis, Malloch, Stewart, Templeton 22. Totals: Palmerston 50, AVaikouaiti 39. FOUR-RINK CHAMPIONSHIP. The winners of Section A and B—Dunedin and Caledonian —met on the Kaikorai Green on Saturday afternoon, 'Caledonian, winning comfortably by 108 points to 75. Taieri defeated Anderson’s Bay by 114 points to 75, and wins Section C. Scores: Dunedin v. Caledonian (Dunedin names first). —J. D. Smith, Black, M'Fadden, Bentley 24, Eyre. Honeyman, Lyng, Foster 29; Sullivan, Neill, Nelson, Harraway 19, Forbes, Cavanagh, Amtman, Dey 21; Dow, Gregory, S. Hutchison, Hogg 14, Farrell, Brockie, Tillie, Anderson 31; Best, Bardslcy, J. Hutchison, Stewart 18, Hamilton, Henaghan, A. Ross, Isaac 27. Totals: Dunedin, 75; Caledonian, 108. Taieri v. Anderson’s Bay (Taieri names first). —M'Kinnon, AV. Ai'Leod, Millar, J. Thomson 21, Ashton, Harrison, Hinchcliff, AVeatherburn 21; Johnston, Haigh, A. M'Leod, AV. Allan 22, Mooney, Pearce, Read, Campbell 22; M'Nab, Gibson, Turnbull, Carswell 39, Hodson, Renfree, jun., Irvine, Ledlie 18; Currie, D. Thomson, Leith, Stevenson 32, M'Kenzie, AVheeler, Spencer, Simpson 14. Totals: Taieri, 114; Anderson’s Bay. 75. LOVING CUP MATCH. Balmacewen v. Otago (Balmacewen names first). —Swann, Ritchie, J. Adamson, Malcolm 23, Omand, Stabb, Salmond, Robson 13; Pogeon, Leslie, Rolfe, Bennie 23, Dr Falconer, Riach, Hay, Smith 16; Cumming, M'Rae, Pilkington, Millin 17, Crawford, Omand Philip, Hamilton 29; Smith, M'liugn, Buchan, AVatson 26, Thompson, Swanson, Weir, Brown 20; M'Connochie, M'lntosh, M'Lennan, Glover 11, Rodgers, Timmings, Morrison, Falconer 25; Ross, E. Adamson, Rigby, Morrison 32, Scoones, Strang, M'lntosh, Melville 13; Hindle, Chillingwortli, Melville, Allen 22; Flynn, Ellison, Kennedy, Henderson 19; Alexander, Collier, Sharp, Lambeth 20, Cameron, Walker, Telford, Cooke 19; Harrison, Coxhead, Baird, Nisbet 19, Edwards, M'Giashan, M'Leod, AVatts 15; J. M'Arthur, A. M'Arthur, Bringans, M'Donald 36, Gascoigne, Gillies, Young, King 10; Barns, Hogg, Moir, Grater 14, Dixon, Rose, Lucas, A. Walker 25; Clark, Turner. Bringans, Balk 22, Bills, Wadie, Cook, Beasley 20. Totals: Balmacewen, 265; Otago, 224. KAITUNA v. SEACLIFF. Oil Saturday afternoon four rinks from Kaituna motored to Seacliff and played against the local club. With the exception of an intermittent gusty wind the conditions were excellent. Good play was general. At the close of a keenly-contested match Air J. N. Moir voiced the appreciation of the visitors for the privilege of having a game with the Seacliff Club. He further conveyed hearty thanks for the hospitable entertainment provided. Dr Lee thanked the visitors for the game. Their only regret was that there could not be another match arranged this season. Results (Kaituna names first) : —E. J. Smith, A. Al'Naughton, AV. Briton, J. N. Moir 22, F. Taylor, J. Shearer, A. Sutherland, W. Aitcheson 20; G. Kellan, F. W. Hoddinott-, H. Frapwell, J. H. AValker 20; Dr Lee, C. Duncan, AV. Leyland, R. Aliller 15; H. S. Reid, F. AV. Coates, J. G. Paterson, J. Allan 24, J. B. Thomson, A. S. Smith, A. M'Arthur, A. Wiley 7; J. Davis, W. Henderson, S. P. Mirams, C. Lamboume 17, J. G. M'Grath, AV. Thompson, A. Edmen§on, G. L. Swift 22. Totals: —Kaituna 83, Seacliff 64. CHIUSTCIIURCH RINKS CHAAIPIONSHIP. CHRISTCHURCH, Alarch 29. In the final of the Christchurch Centre’s rinks championship, Edgeware defeated Lyttelton by 28 points to 10. DUNEDIN CENTRE EXECUTIVE. The monthly meeting of executive of the Dunedin Bowling Centre was held in the secretary’s board room on Saturday night. Air W. Connor (president) occupying the chair. THE EASTER TOURNAMENT. Owing to the limited number of greens at the disposal pf the centre it was decided that the Easter tournament consist of rinks only, and that three games a day he played on Good Friday and Easter Saturday, 10 or 12 rinks to competo on each green. Play is to commence at 9 a.m. AIORNINGTON CLUB’S COAIPLAINT. The Secretary of tho Alomington Bowling Club forwarded a letter stating that he had been authorised to write to the centre drawing its attention to the lamentable weakness of the executive in allowing any one club affiliated to the centre to dictate in regard to the playing of the four-rink games, especially drawing attention to the discourtesy of the Taieri Club, and also of the centre in not consulting the Mornington Club with regard to the date of play of that fixture. The members of the Alorningtou Club, continued the letter, holding to the time fixed by the centre, made other arrangements for Alarch 8, which was a vacant date, so that the club was under a great disadvantage by playing ou that date. The club thought that the least the centre could have done was to have consulted both clubs before deciding on the date for that fixture. A Alember: That’s pretty hot. The President: It is certainly not a nice letter. The Mornington Club could have

stated its ease without using the expression “lamentable weakness.” I feel it my duty to express my disapproval with the attitude taken up by some bowlers at the present time. It appears to me that there is a selfishness and a keenness creeping into bowls that should not be, for, after all, it is a game for sport and enjoyment. In the recent Champion of Champions match, other games, and also in some of the correspondence, the remarks passed about the centre and its work were not very gentlemanly or encouraging to men who give their time and money, and of their best in the interests of the game. lam convinced of this, that if these men who do not give the centre credit for its work or its honesty of purpose will only come along they will be welcomed and given the reins of office to carry out the work in an efficient manner. The sporting element seems to be dying out, and members are annoyed when decisions go against them. I feel very much the attitude taken up by some bowlers, especially after the time, personal expense, and trouble taken by the members of the centre w T ho are endeavouring to do their best in the interests of the sport. Mr W. Jacobsen: The letter is a most discourteous one ! A Member: The letter should be returned to the Mornington Club with a request that it be submitted to the centre when couched in a proper and courteous manner. It was eventually decided that the letter be received, and that the executive support the action of the Match Committee. BOWL TESTING. Messrs J. J. Marlow and H. F. M. Mercer, the centre’s delegates to the New Zealand Council, submitted a verbal report on the testing of bowls held in Christchurch after the New Zealand championships in January last. Mr Marlow said that the testing had been carried out on the Canterbury Club’s green, and neither the green nor the machine were in a proper condition for testing bowls.He did not wish to criticise the Canterbury testing as the machines of the other centres what he meant. The bowls had been sent ■were also not in perfect condition. If they saw the Canterbury and the Dunedin machines they would understand exactly to the Dominion Billiards (Ltd.), but that company was not recognised by the New Zealand Bowling Association as official testers. The Wellington delegates had been astonished at this statement, hut on consulting the minutes it was found that ho was quite correct, as Mr W. A. Scott was the official tester for the association. An official tester had been appointed for the Canterbury Centre, but he had not been recognised by the association, nor had the table testers appointed by the Auckland and Wellington Centres, as it had been finally decided that Mr Scott bring all the bowls to the one standard. Billiards (Ltd.) had treated the bowlers very well, and had forwarded diagrams of the table showing what each bowl could do. The tests cai'ried out on the Dunedin green with four bowls, and proved of one standard by the table test, showed a' divergence of 2ft 9in (actual measurement) when tried on the green, but in his report he would show a divergence of 18in, as he would rather under-estimate somewhat the actual measurement. That, to his mind, continued Mr Marlow, was conclusive that the table test was not sufficient. Auckland and Wellington maintained that the table test was quite good, but he was quite convinced that the North Island and South Island Centres could not have two different systems. He would he sorry to see any change from the green te.st. Mr Mercer said that Mr Scott stated in his report that the bowl-testing machines in the other districts were in a similar condition to that of Christchurch. The report turther indicated that after the test Christchurch showed nine inches slack, Dunedin five inches slack, Wellington and Taranaki were correct, Auckland was one foot slack, Napier one foot six inches over, Timaru one foot six inches stack, and Wanganui two feet over. Mr Scott had had the machines repaired, and had recommended that six bowls lie secured from Taylors (Ltd.), and that recommendation had been acted upon. There was no doubt that Mr Scott was in favour of the green test, but the North Island wanted the table lest. There would he some trouble in deciding which was to be the official test, hut it would be a grave mistake to go hack to the table system. The table test had one advantage, and that was that it could be carried out in all weathers, hut it should he remembered that when a proper green was used it provided a perfect test, as, after all. it was the green that was played on and not the tables. Mr Jacobsen said that he was present at the test carried out on the Dunedin green, and the bowls had been carefully tested hv all the means possible and in every direction. Proper care had not been taken of the test bowl. Each centre should have two test bowls, and they should he used alternatively, the one not in use being kept in a glass case. The President remarked that the diagrams supplied showed a decided difference between the table and the green tests. A member pointed out that even if the test bowls were kept in a glass case the bias would alter in time. The discussion did not proceed any further, and Messrs Marlow and Mercer were thanked for the lucid manner in which they had submitted their report. GENERAL. The Secretary of the Christchurch Bowling Centre wrote conveying the thanks of his centre for the hospitality extended to the Christchurch team which competed at Dunedin during February.—The President remarked that it was very pleasing to know that the centre’s efforts had been appreciated, which was the reward of those who had assisted in the entertainment of the visitors.—The letter was received. The Secretary of the Military Pageant wrote inviting the centre to assist- in the production of the pageant, and suggesting that it provide one officer and 10 men to represent the characters of Drake and his men. —The letter was received, and it was decided to render every assistance possible, and to comply with the request.