ROUND THE BOWLING GREENS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 249, 21 October 1936, Page 4

ROUND THE BOWLING GREENS

COMPETITION PREPARATIONS

By "THE SKIP" With the observance of “Visitors’ Day” last Saturday bowlers may look forward to the commencement of their elub competitions in the very near future.

T t was fitting recognition of visitors' the tun shone brightly, with ihe result that this annual interchange of visits was conducted under the happiest conditions. Greens were in some instances a little bit more holding than could have been desired, but everything went off splendidly and much good resulted from the social visits. The Rapanui Club will open its season to-morrow in fitting style, and present indications are that there will be another happy gathering at this popular green. Visitors are extended a cordial invitation and may be assured of an interesting afternoon. The light refreshments provided by the ladies’ committee must be partaken | of to be appreciated. • • * ♦ Some Wanganui rinks will make the | journey to VVaverley on Saturday for I the opening of the season at that 1 centre. These visits invariably prove I most enjoyable, and it is to be hoped [ that the weather on this occasion is Jn keeping with the important func- ' tion. . . » Labour Day holiday at the various Wanganui greens will be marked by the holding of pairs and rinks tournaments. Bowlers will no doubt be early on the scene and will make these tournaments all-day affairs that should prove enjoyable from all aspects. ♦ ♦ • • Last week the Cosmopolitan Bowling Club opened their season. It was a most enjoyable day for bowlers. It is understood that there is a likelihood of this chib extending its green to full size. If this were done it would be a decided asset in inter-club I fixtures. The Wanganui Bowiing Club s gol- i ien jubilee will be celebrated this' season on December 16. The pro-' gramme is receiving attention at the 1 hands of the committee. The Wellington Bowling Club is ar- ' ranging a list of special festivities to ! celebrate its golden jubilee. The Auck- I land Bowling Club is, I think, the ; oldest in New Zealand, having been | formed about 1860. The Dunedin Bowling Club is the oldest in the Sovih Island and the second oldest in New Zealand, its sixtieth anniversary being celebrated in 1931. The Wellington Club has grown steadily and at present its membership exceeds 200. It is a fortunate circumstance that the next annual New Zealand bowling carnival will be held in Wellington. In honour of its jubilee the Wellington Club has elected Mr. Harry Mayer as its president. Mr. Mayer is well known to many Wanganui bowlers, who will unanimously agree that he is the Tight man for the important job he iias before him. Mr. Mayer was president *bf the Wellington Club in the 1925-25 season. 1 The Wellington Centre has always ■been fortunate enough to secure bowlers with the interests of the game at heart for the onerous task of acting as umpires at tournaments, and members of the centre are probably confident that Wellington bowlers will rise to the occasion in January and supply umpires for the Dominion tournament. However, a good supply of suitable men is essential, and the centre is not leaving anything to chance. At the last meeting of the executive of the centre the secretary read a letter from the New Zealand Bowling Association asking for assistance in the matter, and all clubs are to be asked to nominate suitable members who will be willing io act.

Bowling depends very largely on i the weather, and consequently what - ' bowlers want most at the present time ' iis a fine summer. Two seasons ago ? | they had a long succession of sunny ? .days that enabled them to enjoy the . J game to the full, but last season acr itivities on the greens were curtailed ‘ materially, and naturally those who draw the shot consider that another fine summer is due. At the same time, ■ some are what effect the I 40-hour week is going to have on I playing time, and the shorter working ; week has been mentioned at several I club openings. If, as has been stated, ■ the five-day week is secured by work- • ing later in the afternoon, the time • lost then will not be made up on the II green on the sixth day. As every i bowler knows, the •most pleasant | hours on the green are those spent ’ | with his clubmates in a quiet game I during the summer evening, and as • [bowlers also know how tiring a full day's play can be, they are not likely I to play on Saturday mornings if they 1 i have competition games set down for ! the afternoon. ; Whatever the position may be, ' bowlers should remember that the shorter working week will tend to bring more bowlers on to the greens, ■ and if that happens the game will benefit in general, even if individual bowlers lost some of the privileges they have enjoyed in the past. As the ranks of the bowling fraternity increase bowlers will be faced with another problem, quite apart from sunshine or hours of daylight after the day’s work is done. Already some clubs have full membership, and the majority of the greens cannot carry i many more players. More play might jbe provided by those who are free all [day playing during the forenoon, but that would not be altogether fair to 'them or to the green. Some greens [will stand more traffic than others, [but there is a limit to the amount of work any green can do, and the time [will come when extra greens will be ! essential if the game is to progress as ■it should. The provision of extra greens is a .real problem and it is a pity that the last Government did not follow the [lead of Australia and encourage the ! formation of greens by unemployed | labour. The last Australian players to visit New Zealand had a good deal to say about the new greens that had been formed there and their claim that the game of bowls should be encouraged because it encouraged good citizenship is worthy of the consideration of the present Government. It has already been suggested that either the Government or local bodies should provide public bowling greens, and there is no reason why bowls should not help towards that education in the use of leisure several of our politicians have mentioned. Bowling is no longer regarded as an I old man’s game; it is not held to be ‘ a man’s game only by many clubs [ with women members, and no one can Isay that it is a game for the wealthy only. While being one of the best summer sports, it is within the means of most men. and even with the reasonable club subscriptions ruling greens have been laid down and paid for. It follows that greens laid down by public bodies could be paid for by those who used them without imposing any undue charge on the players. Everyone will admit that recreation is essential to the well-being of the race, and the development of bowling greens is one means towards providing for exercise and good fellowship for a large number of people. Those who want to play will find time for play, but they may not be able to find the means if, as appears possible, the capacity of the present greens is I overtaxed.