BOWLING SPASMS

Observer, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 4, 29 September 1917, Page 22

BOWLING SPASMS

[By Lookeb On.]

DOMINION Bowling Tournament. —The hope expressed by me in these columns a week or so that careful consideration Would be given to important matters concerning the details of the Dominion Tournament, has been, fulfilled. The executive met in Dunedm last week. The meeting was a good' one and showed the spirit of that good fellowship so characteristic oi the bowler, the one deare -being.uppermost to do their very best in the interest of bowling, and to make the 1918 tournament an even greater success than previous ones. Under these circumstances, all bowlers and particularly bowlers in this Province, should endeavour to attend and assist in making the gathering a memorable one. One thing certain, we are assured of true hospitality and our Southern friends and bowlers will see that nothing is lacking to make visiting bowlers comfortable and happy.

The Pairs Tournament will open on the 10th January and 1 will probably be finished on the following Saturday.

The Fours Tournament will open on the following Monday, 14th January, the Singles Tournament following on after the fours are finished.

The executive have expunged the two feet on the mat rule—one foot must, of course, rest on the mat not less than three inches from the front edge. I am pleased this rule has been dropped. I gave my reasons for this in a previous issue.

In the Fours, the same system carried' out at Wellington last year will be adopted except that each team will play each team. This is another point conceded which 1 think will please most bowlers.

In the Singles the executive have decided npon two losses and then out. This is an improvement on> last, year's arrangements. lam informed that after the section winners are found it will be sudden death. I wonder if the principle of 2 losses and out could be continued after the section winners are found? It is worth further consideration and would, I think, be generally acceptable if carried out.

Dunedin is a long, long way from Auckland. Will the Auckland Centre move* in the matter of trying to arrange increased facilities for getting there? A sea trip, a trip on a special fast coastal steamer, might he arranged at reduced fares. Anything like this to relieve the monotony of that torturous railway journey to Wellington weuld be gladly welcomed by Northern bowlers.

Local Jottings.— If local secretaries will kindly send me particulars of their opening for the summer season, I shall be able to deal with them in these columns. Particulars as to date, officers, committee and secretary's address may prove useful for future reference. Lambert Cup Competition.—A whisper has reached my ear that this competition may interfere with the sociability of the game and that two well-known clubs may withdraw from the competition. I hope for the credit of those particular clubs that this is not so. The draw has been published and all arrangements made in connection therewith and it would be very unsportsmanlike on the part, of any club nahied. in, the competition to withdraw after approving the scheme through their delegated. Any club objecting should have reserved their.'compliance with the scheme until they

had consulted their committee or the members of their own club. Anyway, I hope good sense will prevail, ,and the whisper vanish in the wind. I was much amused the other day whem watching the antics of excited bowlers. It reminded me so much of a little touch of human nature exhibited in the following call by a skip:— "Chup and lie, Sandy, and we'll dae them oot o' a four!" "Draw the jack to my feet, Mckie, and sure as a gun we'll get three 1" "Pink that yin out, EVeddie; it is keeping us frae scoring a five." "You've played the shot o' your life; come up and tak' a look at it!" "A dead draw to the jack, .Geordi, and touch nothing." "Can you see the jack, Casey? Into the ditch wi' it and we'll bag a bundle." "Lay yin dofrn in the diraw, Lambert; if'you do it .you'll win us the game." "Man, what a fine shot for an auld yin. Here, gae us a shake <©' your hand." One might be tempted to write a separate article on the enthusiastic skip and his quaint remarks from time to time. On the other hand we get some gloomy pictures depicted'

in the faces of some skips whose anatomy seems filled with vinegar when the game is against them. Perhaps they cannot help it, probably in their wrong place in sport.

We want healthy enthusiasm in the game of bowls, particularly at this time., more 'breeziwess, selfabandenment and good-hearted banter infused into bowling. Do not parade the green with faces like owls, better stay at home.

our highways were made. Dusty roads, broken roads, pitted roads, roads that are a misery to travel over, have become common, even in the heart of London, and thoughtful engineers are everywhere seeking new substances for roads which shall neither be diisty nor wear into holes. The Jatest discovery is that of Mr Francis Wood, the borough engineer.of Fulham. He has experimented with a road made of macadam and bitumen from a natural lake of bitumen in Trinidad. The granite is broken: into two-inch pieces, and the melted bitumen is poured upon it. When set, the mixture forms a solid roadway, hard as iron, through which no water can soak. It yields no dust, and- so' far, under tremendous pressure of heavy traffic of all sorts shows no sign of wear, while an ordinary road of the same age is ruined. The oost of this new road is said to be less than that of the ordinary tar macadam road, and the result of the experiment will be followed with general interest, for good' road's have a great deal to do with the happiness of all. & ® & THE VASTNESS OF LONDON. Nobody can quite realise how big and populous London is, but some figures recently published by the