BOWLING

Otago Witness, Issue 3757, 16 March 1926, Page 56

BOWLING

BY JACK. Congratulations to J. Tonkin (NorthEast V ailey) on winning the singles Championship lor the 1925-26 season, and to the runnei-up, A. ihomson (Lavershani) This is the second time North-East \ adey champion has achieved the honour, the previous occasion being six years ago. Both Tonkin and Thomson played very conms tc..tly right through the series of games, the Caversham player being undeieated until he met Tonkin, who had met with one reverse, in the final. Tonkin then rose to his best form, and while Ihomson played well he was no match for tne Valle player, who dominated the game from start to finish. After half a dozen heads had been played the result was never in doubt, and Tonkin finally ran out an easy winner by 23 points to 8. Thomson retiring after the seventeenth head. This put the two champions on lovel terms, but those who expected a well-con-tested game in the final were doomed to disappointment. Thomson played doggedly, but was not match for Tonkin, who gave one of the finest exhibi ons of singles play one could wish to see. He maintained an accurate length from start to finish, and when a firm shot was wanted the Valley was rarely found want ing. The gaun soon became a procession Ihomson retired when 16 heads bad been played, the score then being 2"’ to 4 in Tonkin’s favour. The games we played on the Roslyn green, which was in splen did condition, thanks to the expert work of Air Walsh, greenkeeper. The final of the Four-rink Championship was also played pn the Roslyn green between the Dunedin and Caledonian Clubs, and though a close contest was anticipated Duned.n proved too strong for their old rivals, winning in three rinks out of four, and with a margin of 12 points in their favour when the final head had been played. , . , Dunedin have now won the Four-rink Championship on four occasions, Caledonian twice, and Otago and St. Clair once each. “ Many men won’t play in these games because they are not selected as skips,” declared Mr C. J. Payne, when speaking at the social to the Christchurch representative team in reference to the interprovincial games. “ We have these men in Dundin, and you have them in Christchurch,” he remarked to the Canterbury players present. “Those men are not worthy of consideration, in my opinion. The man should be equally interested, even if he is lead, second third, or ;kip.” An interested spectator of the Otago Canterbury bowling match was Dr Parer, of the Fitzroy Bowling Club, Melbourne. In characteristic style he made reference to bowling and bowlers when he was invited to speak at the Exhibition reception to the players on Thursday night lost. “ In the words of the American, * I liko you; you talk like us/ You are supposed to be a conservative lot, but I don’t know where that line of demarcation comes in. I must have passed it. . . . When I arrived in Wellington a total stranger I got into a lot of trouble when inquiring for an old bowler. I was introduced to bowlers.— (Laughter.) Well, the wives know what that means. I met with a great welcome in Wellington, and after six drinks—(laughter)—I had five challenges to games and one afternoon to play them in. 1 left Wellington

rapidly—(laughter)—and came down to Dunedin, only to find myself in the same position. Only one thing frightens me, and that is the number of champions iu New Zealand. I met seven to-day.— (Laughter.) I have challenged about GO, but as I am leaving in the morning, I regret, gentlemen, that time will not permit the playing of the challenges.” Dr Parer said he hoped that bowling would develop an international nature in the matter of matches between New Zealand and Australia. There were differences of style, he admitted, but the old game mattered more.

On Saturday afternoon week the members of the Dunedin Bowling Club stopped play for a time to give an opportunity to say “good-bye” to Mr William Emery, who is leaving Dunedin after a residence of 47 years to take up his residence at Havelock North. Mr W. C. Burt, president of the club, made reference to the many occasions in which Mr Emery had been of great assistance to the club and of his great loyalty to it. The member* felt that it was useless making Mr Emery a preseutaton. as anythng that he required he could purchase for himself, but they could not let him leave the city without showing their high estimation of the many services rendered to the club, and a letter written in parchment was handed to him. The following is tiie text of the letter:—

It is with the depest regret that we learn of your impending departure from Dunedin after a residence here of 47 years. You have been a most valuable member of this club for many years, and your association has been of great benefit to it and of pleasure to all its members In leaving this city you carry with you our highest esteem, together with our best wishes for your future good health aud happiness. On behalf of the mem hers, it gives us much pleasure to extend to you the life membership of the club, and our hope that you may pay us an occasional visit, when a hearty welcome is assured. The letter was signed by the president, the, directors, and the secretary.

Mr James 11. Wilkinson (vice-presi-dent) and Mr H. F. M. Mercer (secretary) also joined in in making reference to Air Emery’s valued membership. Mr W. Emery, in reply, thanked members very sincerely for all the kind things said about him. Anything he had done for the club had been to him a pleasure. He had always felt that he held the sympathy and goodwill of the members He had spent many happy hours on the green, and on looking back to his eonnee tion with the club it would be with feel .ir.gs of die greatest pleasure. It was somewhat of a wrench to leave Dunedin after a residence of over 47 years, but his health at 76 was not so good as it was at, say, 3G, and be felt that a warmer climate, with a drier atmosphere, would be beneficial to his health. He could not find words to convey to members his regret at leaving so many friends. He thanked all for their kind sentiments At present it was an revoir, but not good bye. The singing “ For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow ” concluded the proceedings. Some observations by Mr Arthur Bar nett, an Exhibition director who was present at the reception to the Canterbury and Otago bowlers. “Bowling is a very ancient game, developed, 1 think, from the boys’ game of marbles. It lias developed all over the world until it is now like a disease. It is not so bad as golf, though.” These remarks from Air Barnett, in welcoming the representatives of the game from Otago and Canterbury placed the company in good humour, and bowlers agreed, at the conclusion of the function, that the directors were “a jolly fine lot of fellows.”

An interesting and at times diverting bowline match was plaved at the Caledonion Ground on Tuesday afternoon. The cross-talk between the “tea merchants” and the member of the legal profession became at times most pointed, and when “Shortv’ ear'.v in the game in his particular rink turned one down into one up in a good head by a miraculous shot, the 'tea merchant” nearly collapsed and emphatically asserted that they were not playing a team of howler- at all but a team of “rubbers Th member of the legal fraternity was just as free in his comments o his own players, and “Bert” had his attention repeatedly called to the location of the kitty by his loquacious skip. Even G. Nelson, on the adjoining rink, was criticised for his solemn demeanour by the legal person, and the remark was made that he had never been known to smile during a game of bowls. But when “Charlie” drove on one occasion, and had no back stuff, and gave his opponents six, pandemonium broke out, “Shorty” leading the storm of protest from the Kaitunaites. After playing the last head, Nelson’s rink was two down, and Payne’s rir ’ in the last head was lying one, with the "tea merchant” to play his last bowl. Stuart burnt the head and got one fh the final, thus turning defeat into victory by a point. Results (Rugby Union names first): — G. APLaren, 11. H. S. White, H. F. Harris, G. A. Nelson 14. Dr Kenneth Ross, Mirams, A. M’Kenzie, P. Scelye 16; E. S. Wilson, J. Wootton, V. G. Cavanagh, D. M. Stuart 17, H. F. Sincock, J. Elvidge, F. M. Shortt, C. J. Payne 14. Totals:— Rugby l ion, 31: Kaituna, 30. Who is the luckiest man in the bowling game in Otago? This question was asked by Mr Arthur Barnett at the Exhibition directors’ reception to the Canterbury and Otago bowlers on Thursday night last. “Now, who is he?” demanded All* Barnett, and there was a concerted reply, “Charlie Payne!” AUCKLAND DEFEAT TARANAKI. AUCKLAND, March 9. The first test match between the Taranaki and Auckland bowlers resulted in n victory for Auckland by 147 points to 123. Eight rinks were played, Auckland winning in six. TARANAKI DEFEAT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, March 11. The Taranaki bowlers in the second test match defeated Auckland by 177 points to 137.