BOWLING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 55, 6 March 1914, Page 5

BOWLING.

THE STRATFORD CLUB.

(By P. Steward.)

Yesterday was a big day with the members of the Club, and was one large entertainment, the occasion being the visit of a team of fellowtrundlers from the Auckland Club. It is, safe to say that if the visitors enjoyed their play on the green and journeys round the town as well as the locals seemed to take a pleasure hr catering thereto, Stratford, as a place in the tour, will not be forgotten for many a season. , Such a visit as this one goes far to cement friendship even in bowling, where the height of camaraderie is reached in the realms of sport. There is reason to believe our Auckland visitors were genuinely delighted with their entertainment. The visit to the local Horticultural Society’s show opened their eyes (it is said) to the wealth "f glory in (among other very fine displays) a dahlia exhibit, the like ol which some of tho visitors wore generous enough to admit was as excellent as they have had the pleasure of growing or even witnessing in the ;prolific country of the Queen City and its environments. Then the idea of lunch at the County Hotel, where many of the members of the local club joined the company, must have given the Aucklanders a good impression of the hospitality that Stratford can be guilty of—if she likes. To say that the games on the green both in the morning and afternoon were thoroughly enjoyable seems to savor of repetition ; there is nowhere that a bowler can enjoy himself more than on his beloved rink—even a “dead end” here raises him to exceeding great joy, a statement which to the unin-itiated-may seem paradoxical. But it is a fact, as even tho most green howler will admit. Tho honors of the day were with tho genial vice-pre-sident, Mr G. Smart, and he,carried them lightly and proudly and with the best of grace. He was happy in his remarks in welcoming the visitors, and from the remarks in the reply of the visiting speaker, there can be no doubt of the success of tho visit. They were loud in their praises of the town surroundings as gathered during a drive round the A. and P. grounds and the racecourse, etc. That the visit will be an annual one, there seems to bo no doubt whatever. The result of the games counts for nothing; it is a mere circumstance, and is mentioned merely as something in the’ daily round. The visitors had a meritorious win in the morning, and appeared to succumb as gladly to their hosts in the afternoon by" somewhere about the same number of points. Afternoon tea was dispensed to one and all, and was under the management of Mrs G. Smart and Miss Smart in the morning and Mesdames Edgecombe and Bickerton in the afternoon. jhe pavilion looked very gay in its dressing of flags. The following were the rinks and scores in the afternoon game;— E. Jackson, Edgecombe, McDonald, Sangstcr (s) 44 v. Atkin, Harris (sub.), Wilson, Diddams (s) IG. Bickerton, Wright, Sharp, Smart (s) 21 v. Ashton, Shaw, Court, 'Newbum fs) 27. R. Masters, Penn, Geo. Jackson, Mori son (s) 25 v. Patterson, Lovell, Prime, Hemns (s) 21. Porvitt Dingle, J. Masters, King (s) 22 v.’ Coldicutt, Roberts, McMilllan (sub.), Carlow (s) 20. Totals-r Stratford 112, Auckland 84.