BOWLING

Southland Times, Issue 19123, 15 December 1923, Page 12 (Supplement)

BOWLING

(By “Measure.”) There has been no competition play this Week and even the annual fixture between the Eastern and Western Districts, which 'Usually takes place on the Southland Club’s green on Show morning, did not eventuate. The Eastern District representatives were present but the men from the Western clubs did not turn out for some reason or other. Fortunately a number of local bowlers had turned out to watch the fixture and these were able to engage the visiting bowlers in a friendly game. The Woodlands and Bluff clubs had an interesting game last Saturday in the fourrink competition, the men from the port securing a lead of ten in the total for the three rinks. Hedges was a long w r ay up against the Woodlands rink, skipped by McKenzie, and although ‘up in the two remaining rinks the margin was not sufficient to enable Woodlands to make up the lee way. It is worthy of note that Harper has not had a loss against his rink this season although to date he has met some of the best skips in the town clubs. In the friendly fixture between the town clubs Invercargill had a comportable win against Te Rangi, while Norihend easily defeated Southland. It is just over a fortnight to the Southland tournament and bowlers intending to take part should forward their entries as ■non as possible. From what I can hear the tournament will receive generous support from town clubs this season, and it is to be hoped that country clubs will also rally round to make the tournament a success. Holloway, Yates and Lillicrap will slap Northend rinks, 4»ut so far I have not heard of the personal of the other town rinks which are taking part. Hain will probably skip a Northend rink it the Timaru tournament. Southland bowlers have been particularly fortunate so far in regard to weather and although there was a good deal of match play early in the season, recently there have been plenty of favourable opportunitie- for club competition play. Most of the clubs have made very satisfactory progress in this direction and it is many seasons since their fixtures were so far advanced at this time of the year. Thomsen and Snow with four wins and no losses hold the best position in the Southland Club’s champion doubles, w’hich also count for the Mayor’s Pairs. Forbes and Murray and Torrance and Stewart, each with 4 wins and 2 losses, are next or. the list. In the champion singles Snow and A. Clark each have two wins. I' a' ’ ' ily all the section winners have been found iu the Northend Club’s Mayor’s Pair- competition. Bird and McKinley, Wallace and Andrews, Steens and Scandrett have e:.'. h won their sections. Hain and Reid and Stevens and O’Toole have to play off to find the winners of the remaining •ection. In the champion doubles Steans and Cutt won in the first section, Adamson Brothers play ‘McDonald and McKillop and a win will place them at the top of section two. If they lose, however, they will play off with Hain and Wallace. D. Wesney has still one game to play in section 4 and in the event of a loss will tie with Smith and Reid. J. Wesney and Grindlay play off with Daubney and Scandrett for number three section.

Entries for the Dominion Bowling Association’s tournament, which opens at Christchurch on January 9, will close on December 11. The late Mr John M Menamen. who oied a few days ago, was a foundation member of the Island Bay Bowling Club, and was one of its most well-liked members, states •‘Number 2” in the Wellington Post. Keenly enthusiastic, no one loved the game of bowk better than Mr M'Menamen. Before taking up the game he was an ardent rose gardener. Only the day before he passed away he said he wished he was on the bowling green having a game. There was a large assemblage of bowlers at the funeral, and reference to his death was made at the Island Bay green by the act-ing-president, Mr W. Kerr, those present standing in silence for a few moments in memory of a man who was loved by all, and whose presence will be greatly missed. Bowls is reported to be becoming increasingly popular in Christchurch, and many new faces are to be seen on different greens. Mr John G. Duthie. formerly of the Victoria Club, and for several years a prominent figure in the Dunedin Bowling Club, in which he filled various offices up to the position of vice-president, has returned to Wellington, and is re-joining the Victorian Club. His departure from the southern city was much regretted by the members of the Dunedin Club, a mark of whose high appreciation of his sendees Mr Duthie carries in the shape of a handsome gold watch. Writing in the Dunedin Star, “Measurer” says that Mr Duthie was above the average as a player, but his especial value was on the social side (ably assisted by Mrs Duthie). Dunedin Club has a good name as a host, and Mr Duthie was one who greatly helped to maintain it. Also, he occupied various offices with complete satisfaction, and his loss is a real one to the club. Members of all clubs will wish Mr Duthie good fortune in Wellington. Dunedin Centre is taking steps to prevent the expectoration-on-the-green nuisance. Its example might very well be followed by Invercargill as the practice is filthy and revolting beyond extreme. OTAUTAU MATCHES. The following is the list of draws and handicaps recently decided in connection with the competitions to be held on the Otautau green. Twenty-one heads are to be played in all matches, and rink matches and doubles are to be played first. The first round of rinks must be completed by December 20, and the first round of doubles by 31st inst. The time limit will be strictly adhered to, and matches will commence at 6 p.m. sharp. The members are requested to make every effort to meet their opponents and help them to get their matches off:— Champion Singles, Gordon Cup.—J. Ross v G. Saxelby, G. Stevens v A. Castle, L. Lumsden v H. Laing, L. Moore v W. Hay, J. Scatter v W. Porteous, J. T. Brooker v W. Stormouth, A. C.: Mills v R. Buchanan, J. Knighton v C. Aitchison. President’s Handicap Singles, trophy valued at £2 2s. — G. Stevens 2, vG. Saxelby 6; H. Laing 6, v G. Sinclair 12; J. Scatter 6, v Rev Dawson 12; W. Porteous scr, v J. Hall 6; A. C. Mills scr, v J. Knighton 6; A. Castle scr, v J. Brooker scr; W. Hay 2, v W. Stormouth 6; R. Buchanan 5, v L. More 6; H. Chandler 8, v C. Aitchison 8. Handicap Doubles, trophies valued at £1 Is.—W. Porteous and W. Stormouth scr, v G. Saxelby and G. Sinclair 9; J T. Brooker and R. Buchanan 2, v W. Hay and L. Lumsden 3; H. Laing and Rev Dawson 9, v L. Moore and J. Hall 8; A. C. Mills and J. Knighton scr, v G. Stevens and C. Aitchison 4; A. Castle and J. Scatter 2, v J. Ross and Chandler 3. Rinks Handicap, trophies value 10s 6d.— Lumsden, Chandler. Buchanan, Mills (s) scr/v Stormouth, Sinclair, Saxelby, Brooker (s) 5; Laing, Aitchison, Hay, Porteous (s> scr, v J. Scatter, Hall, Knighton, Castle (a) 2; Moore, Dawson, Stevens, Ross (s) 3, a bye. PRESIDENTS GALA DAY. '

In order to ascertain the manner in which the “Elderly Bowlers’ Day” is conducted in other parts, inquiries have been made as to the mode of procedure in Sydney, where the day has been a great success for a number of years past. The “Elderly Bowlers’ Day” has been given there since 1914 by Mr John Spence, who is now patron of the New South Wales Bowling Association. A competition is created there by awarding gold medals to the team of elderly bowlers which scores the greatest margin of points against its opponents. A medallion is also presented to ail the elderly bowlers who take part in the play. There are some who have been advocating a competition for the “Elderly Bowlers’ Day” to be held in Wellington in February next, and the above appears to be the only method of providing contest, if it is considered that such is desirable. Mr McEwan, who played lead for Mr J. Nash's rink in the Manawatu Centre’s visit to Wellington, is 78 years of age, and is still hale and hearty, vigorous as a young man of 20, and plays a great game. He and his brother were the two first settlers in Palmerston North, arriving there in 1869 —N.Z. Times. . BOWLERS’ CONVERSAZIONE! Truly, bowlers are keeping pace with the times. It will be noted in the report from the Dominion Bowling Council that, after a lengthy discussion, it was eventually decided that the visitors to the Dominion tournament at Christchurch should be entertained at a conversatione on the evening of January 15. This appears to mark out a new line of entertainment for bowlers, conversaziones being generally associated with Sunday school tea-fights and other gatherings of that kind. Bowlers, rightly or wrongly, have always had the reputation of z being more concerned with bowls that roll and bowls that flow than with entertainments of the conversazione order. A very amusing story is often told of the visit of two Wellington bowlers to the Carlton green at Auckland. They were having an interesting match with two of the elect from the Carlton Club; and the leaders noticed that at every head when' the skips were standing alongside the pavilion they were never in their positions to direct the game. The play continued for some time without comment; but at last the leaders, approaching their respective skips and suggested that it was a pity there was not a pavilion at both ends of the green. This is supposed to be characteristic of bowlers. How they will be able, therefore, to conduct themselves at the conversazione in Christchurch is a matter that will be looked forward to with interest during the next Dominion tournament. — N.Z. Times. THE MOSMAN BOWLERS. Those bowlers who make periodical visits to Sydney during the winter months will regret to learn that the team ot players from the Mosman Club, which was to have made a tour of the Dominion, has had to abandon the trip. The local friends of the Sydney bowlers had made very complete arrangements to take the visitors for a tour through the southern part of the North Island; but these will necessarily have to be cancelled so far as the visitors

are concerned, though it is possible tha' the Wellington players who were to havi been their guides will make the tour or their own account.