THE GOOD OLD GAME OF BOWLS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5776, 29 October 1897, Page 3

THE GOOD OLD GAME OF BOWLS.

—♦ — FESTIVITIES AT CAItTERTON. (From Our Sjieeinl CorrespondentJ. Cahtertox, Thursday. It was most unfortunate) that the weather should have proved so very unfavorable for the opening of the Bowling Green at Carterton. The Committee had spared no pains to mako the function a success, and it would assuredly have been so had not tho thunderstorm come on. Bowlers, representing the four Wellington clubs, had come up from tho metropolis, and were prepared to do battle on the tine lawn. The wives of the committee-moil had gone to endless trouble preparing lunch for fifty people, and full justice was done to the good things provided. "Ah," said one mail,"it's worth coming to the country to get cream like this," and ho helped himself largely, both on liis fruit nr.d in his tea, mid passed on tho jug magnanimously, it was afterwards discovered to be salad-dressing ! Tho ladies who provided the lunch and the subsequent delightful afternoon tea were Mesdames Dennett, B. Brown, Coriiinck, L, Brown, JloncrieiT, ll'isher, Cameron, Ordisli, White, McKenzie, Johnston and Allan. As regards tho luncheon several gentlemen also rendered much good service. They were Messrs G. W. Deller—a veteran conimauder of tho commissariat—C. H. Cormack, E. W. Dorset and Dr, D. G. Johnston.

Mr W. C. Biiclmnnn, M.11.1i, tho Patron of the Club, opened the ground with appropriate remarks. He said that though lie wns a Scotchman he knew nothing of bowling, but he intended to learn. He stated tho art of bowling dated from tho 12th century. He wns told the balls had a bins, but tho only bias ho knew anything about was political bias—of course, on the Government side, The influence of bowline; was undoubtedly for good, and ho would be glad to further the game in any-wny. This ground was the first opened in the Wairarapa, but he hoped many others would follow in different districts. The Wellington members informed him that the lawn was a credit to Carterton, and would bear comparison with most others. Fur his great services in •forming and

working at the ground, Mr Blomquist had been made a life-member of the Howling Cinb.

Mf Buchanan then started tlm ball by (browing (he jack and the iirst bowl, but the rain soon put the players (o rout, and the pavilion was crowded with bowlers and visitors, who wiled away the rainy time by haying afternoon tea. The ground itself is very good, and when the shrubs and trees planted [roundabout have grown to any size, will boa delightful place of recreation. A seated terrace, having a wide border, planted with shrubs and llowers, runs round the grass, and the lawn itself seems (o be in tine condition. But the unfortunate bowlers were obliged to gather up their bowls, and peer from the pavilion at (ho storm-clouds and driving rain. When resignation to the mysterious ways of providence had taken the place of annoyance, and people were beginning to think of home, Mr A. Campbell—one of|lbo visiting team and President of the Northern Bowlers' Association rose and thanked the Carterton Club heartily for their hospitality. He said four Wellington Clubs were represented by the visitors, and should any Carterton member, when in Wellington, like a game any one of those four Clubs would be delighted to welcome him to its green. He congratulated them heartily on the acquisition of so capital a ground. He called for a hearty cheer for the Carterton Club, and another for llio ladies, wlioseliospitality they had tested ami appreciated. Perhaps 1 should give you the names of the officers of the Carterton Bowling Club in detail, for they can indeed feel proud of being associated with so successful an undertaking. Sir W. C. Euchanan is the patron; Dr. D. G, Johnston, the president; I Mr \Y, Booth the vice-president and [the committee consists of Messrs James Brown, R W. Dorset, G. W. W. Deller, F. Bennett, C. H. Cormack, W. Parker and James Moncrieff. The last-named gentleman is also the honorary Secretary of the Club.

The visitors from Wellington represented, us I have mentioned, four Clubs, the Wellington, the Thorndon, the Mount Victoria and the Newtown, und included among them were Messrs J. H. Mentiplay, P. Mclntyre, W. J. Hueston, A, Lawson, John Banks, Thomas \V. Rowe, Charles Swiney, D. Boss, J. S. Fleming, A, Campbell, R. J. Collins, Charles Hill, 13 Buttle, D, McLean, W. F. Richards, G. E, Prince, A. Veitcli, Alfred Lindsay, James Russell, W. H. Green, C. A. Hicksun, William Cricliton, Thomas Rose, F, Toivnend, 8, Brown, W. McDowell, 11. Davis, Cordoza and A. Sample.

The Carterton Bowling Green, I should tell you, lins incurred a total expenditureof about £4OO. It is what is known as" full-size" (120 feet by 120 feet), ami accommodates eight complete rinks—sixty-four players. The outlay covers the cost of a commodious and handsome pavilion, and it also includes sufficient ground to lay out a second bowling green should later on such bo necessary. At present the Club has nearly sixty members, a very satisfactory record. Of course it takes several years to get a bowling green into quite the pink of condition. Thus the Carterton Green, already unusually good for a new ground, will go on improving as it is cut antl rolled, until outside of Wellington, where exists the pick of the Colony, thero will be nono in New Zealand to beat it and few to equal it. 1 Yesterday altogether there must have been about one hundred and fifty peoplo at the Carterton Bowling Club's opening celebration, including over thirty from Wellington, The attendance would, of course, have been much larger but for the extremely uncertain weather,