Bowling.

Southland Times, Issue 19727, 30 January 1906, Page 4

Bowling.

—.— TOURNAMENT PRACTICE. (.From Our Own Correspondent.) Contrasting the methods o! the N.Z.B.A. with those of the Northern Dowling Association, Mr Geddos, a prominent Wellington player, said in Dunedin '. ‘in the South the authorities act on the principle of ‘let 'em all come’ and it is u case of the survival of the fittest. The weakest point ol our system is that strong metropolitan clubs may only enter two rinks. In that respect they are placed on the some level as some remote country club of a lew players and the bulk of the members arc compelled to forsake the tournament on stand and watch games in which they are not allowed to participate. This rule also Imposes a hardship on small country clubs who, though they might have one strong four to send to a tournament, are practically penalised out of the race by being obliged to carry through with them, another scratch rink to imako up the two teams necessary to qualify them for entry. Another objection to the North island system is that young players find a difficulty in getting an entrance to rink tournaments because the reputation men are always chosen first. Besides this, the pairs and singles, though being played concurrently with inter-club matches, are really reduced to the status of consolation events, because all the best players are engaged In the rinks. The effect of this is seen In the entries for while at last tournament we had only 30 entries lor pairs and 30 lor singles, here you had l'B2 lor pairs and M 3 for singles. There is a strong feeling vn the part ol northern players who hava( not played under your rules that you have got ahead of us in popularising your tournaments, in extending tlielr scope and enlisting the interest of the largest proportion of players. This (act is sees in the increasing number of play-

era from Wellington who come down for ] your tournaments. Up North wo intend. to prosecute our effort* to bring our pro- ( gramme Into harmony with yours, and. perhaps that may pave the way lor a subsequent federation of the two Associations. There might be tt tournament for each Island, each Association making members ot the other free of all the t>rivileges of their gathering. 1 think myself that the North'island Association should treat the South Island clubs as_ affiliated and allow them to compote, not only for the medals and prizes, but lor tho shield and champion ling us well. The Southern Association, I suppose, would willingly reciprocate. At any rate, those tournaments and these visits ol one set of howlers to tho otner have established a feeling of camaraderie. South and North bowlons are beginning to know each other better, and an excellent spirit of good fellowship is springing up which must tend to the growth ol a fine patriotic feeling. Wo are glad to have made tho acquaintance of so many ursv.-class bowlers in the South. On our side there is a very warm feeling towards our fellow players hero, and we shall go back feeling that we have been treated with the almost possible kindacss and consideration —just us at Christchurch lust year—by all your ollicials, from the president downwards.”