A REGRETTABLE INCIDENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18201, 27 February 1929, Page 8

A REGRETTABLE INCIDENT.

BOWLING MATCH AT WAIMATF DISCUSSION BY SOUTH CANTERBURY CENTRE. The president of tho South Canterbury Bowling Centre (Mr F. B. Hawkey) made reierence, at last night’s meeting of the Centre, to what lie considered to be a regrettable incident arising oat of the representative match, South Canterbury v. North Otago, played at \\ aimate on February 2. Mr Hawkey said that lie might be condemned lor what he had to say, but he felt he must, in the interests of bowling, say something about the action of the North Otago team in playing on the green among themselves before the match was timed to commence, and before the South Canterbury representatives had arrived. The match, he said, had been lost by South Canterbury by a margin of seven points, and as a bowler of no little experience, lie considered that seven points was not a very big margin, especially when the winners had a preliminary roll-up before the game was scheduled to commence. He did not wish bowlers to misinterpret what he had said, but ho felt it his duty to point out that, in his opinion, the action of the North Otago team was not right in principle. There was no rule to prevent the green being used by one of the participating Clubs preparatory to a match, but bowlers generally in South Canterbury territory recognised that it was common courtesy to keep on the bank until the. game started. Mr A. Leslie: “Had not any members of the Waimate rink rolled a bowl?” Tho secretary: ‘“I understand they had not.” Mr Leslie said he agreed with tho president’s remarks, and he hoped that nothing of a similar nature would occur in South Canterbury. The action of the North Otago representatives was certainly regrettable, and he hoped that something would be done in tho matter. The president said he made his remarks in open meeting, and lie hoped that any publicity given would prevent a recurrence of the trouble. Mr Leslie: “Do you think this should go in the Press?” The president: “It is for the meeting to say. I want the matter cleared up.” Air T. Currie said he did not think the North Otago team realised that they would secure an advantage by having a roll-up prior to the commencement of the match. The team had probably arrived in a strange town, and had used the green just lor something to do, and not with the idea of securing a point over the South Oa nterbury representatives. Mr M. McLeod (Temuka), said h« quite agreed with what Mr Hawkey had said. In his Club, all bowlers, were warned against using a green prior to a match. Air J. V. MoKeague: “I’ve never seen tho green used in such a manner before.”

Air Watson said that something should be done to finalise the number of rinks to bb played in the North Otago v. South Canterbury match. The president said that- when South Canterbury had held the trophy, the game had gone over 25 heads, lie had discussed the number of heads with the North Otago president, but the latter had favoured 21 hands, and l.ad put ( that number on the board. Air Hawkey said that he did not know at the time that the match of the year , before had comprised 25 heads. The secretary said that lie had it in writing that last year’s match should be 25 heads. Air Watson suggested that definite governing rules should be formulated He moved : “That the North Otago Centre, as holders, be asked to submit for the consideration of this Centre, a set of rules governing the Murray trophy.*-* 'J his was carried unanimously. Air Watson: “Then* lias been a misunderstanding, and I hope this discussion will prevent a recurrence.”