BOWLING

Southland Times, Issue 19099, 17 November 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

BOWLING

(By

“ Measure.”)

Since the bowling season opened the weather has been really good and bowlers have had plenty of opportunities of getting out on the green. So far no competition matches have had to be postponed, the only occasion on which the greens were too heavy for playing being on a recent Saturday when the friendly fixtures set down had to be put off. This season all the clubs have a good playing surface, and taken all round the greens are looking better than they have for several seasons. With the conditions as nearly ideal as it is possible to get them, players are content with the exception that a great many are of the opinion that there is too much match play.

With fixtures set down for both Wednesday and Saturday it certainly does appear to be rather much to expect players to turn out for evening matches, especially when the four-rink and inter-club games come in the same week. In addition to the Centre’s fixtures each club has its own competitions to conduct,, and in order to fill all his engagements a bowler is required to spend a great deal of time on the green. The dissatisfaction in regard to so much fixture play seems to be very general, and the withdrawal of the Inter-club competition would probably be welcomed by all the local clubs.

The Saturday fixtures in which the Bluff and Woodlands clubs are engaged count in the four-rink competition, and on Saturday last both these clubs scored a good win against town clubs.

Up till the present very few country clubs have sent in their bowls to be tested and unless they do so soon it may lead to trouble and delay later on In the meantime town players are taking the opportunity of having their bowls tested and the work of the tester is giving fairly general satisfaction. The Eastern District commenced its fixtures very early this season, making a start on October 31. The Western District however, has been less fortunate in regard to its greens and the fixtures there do not commence until next week.

The Centre has approved of the new colours proposed to be adopted by the Southland Club and has forwarded the club’s application for the approval of the Dominion Council.

Most of the town clubs have their various club competitions under way and owing to the amount of time taken up with interclub play it has been found necessary to place a limit on the time allowed each player to fill his engagements. The entries

all round have been fairly satisfactory, but would probably have been better but for the large number of inter-club fixtures. Te Rangi has received 24 entries for the champion singles, 14 pairs for the champion doubles, and 12 for the handicap doubles.

Following on the discussion at a recent meeting of the executive of the Dominion Bowling Association, at which a case was quoted of a set of bowls failing to pass in one centre being passed without alteration in another, the executive has decided to go into the matter further. At its last meeting Mr Blackwell moved that the various Centre secretaries be circularised and asked to give all the information possibles with regard to methods of bowl-testing e»dopted in their districts, and asking that the test bowl be forwarded to Christchurch in January for the purpose of comp«arison with bowls from other districts. The motion was carried. The Dunedin Centre has been granted permission to hold a rink tournament at Christmas.

In association with the citizens’ carnival, to be held at Petone during Christmas week, the Central Bowling Club, Petone, suggests the holding of a night carnival, open to all, in aid of the carnival fund, says the New Zealand Times. Prizes to the value of £5 are to be offered; and. Wellington players may like to take advantage of the opportunity to show what they can do by electric light. A similar project is being considered by the Petone Club. Games at night have been held in Wellington previously. The last one aroused considerable interest, and the final stages were fought out very keenly, the ultimate winners being a very' good team from Southland, skipped by Hain. His Worship the Mayor has been telling the public that of all sports that of bowling is the most independent and self-helpful, says No. 3 in the Dominion. Whilst cricket, football, tennis, croquet, and hockey clubs are continually' at the throat of the municipality, the bowlers secure and maintain their own grounds. Under the circumstances, and in view of the sums of money expended on the grounds for other sports, the very least the City Council might do is to relieve all bowling clubs of the burden of rates.

New Zealand bowlers will learn with regret of the death of Mr Williacm F. Corbett (an all-round sport) who, himself at one time a champion exponent of the game, wrote for many years the column devoted to bowls in the Sydney Referee. For many people who seldom read a boxing note, his critical and anecdotal treatment of bowls was the most satisfying sporting news of all. One story illustrating tliis phase of Mr Corbett’s knowledge and is well remembered. From a long sojourn in West Australia came the late Tim Martin, wellknown in many Australian States as a writer on bowls under the name of Jack High. Mr Martin came straight to The Referee office announcing that he wanted “to meet Bill Corbett.” The tate Mr Corbett was well-known to the many New Zealand bowlers who have visited New South Wales.—New Zealand Tinies.

It is understood that at least one city bowling club is considering the advisability of throwing open its green for friendly play on Sunday afternoons, says No 3 in the Dominion.

Eight or ten members of the Wakatipu Bowling Club met in Mr J. J. Mcßride’s office, Town Hall building, on Saturday' evening last. Mr A. Simson (president) occupied the chair, states the Wakatip Mail. The business was of a special nature affecting the taking out of season tickets from the Tourist Department. Mr Warren, a vice-president, stated that the Minister of Tourist Reserves (Mr W. Nosworthy), had agreed to reduce the season ticket from £2 15/- to £2 2/- and the locker from 5/- to 4/-. The price of season tickets was reduced provided that 15 members took out tickets. It was now found after a canvas, that it would be impossible to get 15 playing members at present. There were scarcely 12 regular players, and it was doubtful if they would get this number to take out season tickets. It was for the meeting to decide one way or the other. Mr Grant said that, judging by the poor attendance at the green on Saturdays, it was hardly worth while taking out season tickets. Until he was assured that some programme of competition was mapped out in order to give greater interest to the game, he could not see his way to take out a ticket The chairman and several present expressed themselves in favour of season tickets if they could get the number reduced to 12. The consensus of opinion was that the issue of these would undoubtedly conduce to more bowling. Mr Warren informed the meeting that it was the full intention of the Match. Committee to draw up a table of competitions and to start them as early' as possible. The president said he hoped that am effort would be made to engage all the pkyers in the games and not to allow anyone to sit on the bank on the off-chance of his inclusion in a game. After further discussion a canvass was made of those in the room, and promises were received from 12 members to take out season tickets. Messrs L. J. Lynch and W. D. Warren were placed on the" Match Committee.