BOWLING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 22 (Supplement)

BOWLING.

Bowling has always been amongst the most popular summer -sports in New Zealand, and nowhere in the Dominion are to be found more enthusiastic bonders than in South Canterbury. Its history, as far as Timaru is concerned, commenced with the foundation of the Timaru Bowling Club in 1886, but it was not until 1907 that the South Canterbury Bowling Centre was formed to control the clubs in this district. The first meeting of the Centre was held on October 25, 1907, delegates being present from the Waimate, Timaru, Kia Toa and Temuka Clubs. Mr Moses White (now in Auckland) was elected first president of the Centre, and the late Mr J. L. Gillies, secretary. The total ' membership of the affiliated clubs at that time was about 250. Seven clubs are now affiliated, these being Waimate, Temuka, Geraldine, Timaru, Ivia Toa, Park and West End, and a newly-formed club, North End, has applied for affiliation. Every year a number of competitions are held by the Centre, in which' all affiliated clubs take the keenest interest. The most valuable of the Centre's trophies is the challenge cup (presented by the late Mr. S. A. Bristol) which is competed for every year by all the clubs between the Rakaia and Waitaki rivers. It was first won by the Timaru Club, which held it for many years, and is now in the possession of the Ashburton Club, which last season successfully defended it against all comers. One of the oldest clubs in New Zealand, and the parent club of Timaru, is the Timaru Bowling Club. The first meeting of the club was held in the Ship Hotel in April 1886, when the following officers were elected—President, Mr S. A. Bristol; vice-president, Mr A. A. Spalding; treasurer, Mr T. Wilson Smith; secretary, Mr R. R. Taylor; committee, Messrs R. S. Black, J. Mee, C. S. Fraser and J. W. Ziesler. At this time the club had about 30 members, who played on a green in Elizabeth Street. In October 1890 the section on the corner of Sarah Street and Sefton Street was purchased play commencing on the new green in November of the following year. The present pavilion, which is one of the finest in New Zealand, was opened on October 7, 1910. Of the players who joined in the early days of the club, Messrs W. Evans, J. G. Gow, C. S. Fraser, R. H. Ferguson and W. A. Courtis are still members, the club now having a membership of about 100. The following is a list of the presidents who have held office since the formation of the club:—S. A. Bristol, 1886-94; W. Evans, 1894-96; Dr. R. S. Reid, 1896-97; S. A. Bristol, 1897-1903; J. Mee, 1903-06; W. Priest, 190607; W. Evans, 1907-08; M. White, 1908-09; R. H. Ferguson, 1909-14; W. Priest, 1914-15; J. Lillico, 1915-16; I. J. Bradley, 1916-17; D. A. Morgan, 1917-18; A. M. H. Shirtcliffe, 1918-19; E. D. Bust, 1919-20; R. Orwin, 1920-21; J. Moyes, 1921-22; J. G. Gow, 1922-23; S. E. Torlesse, 1923-24.