BOWLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1928, Page 16

BOWLING.

THE COMING SEASON. PREPARING FOR TOURNAMENTS, INTERESTING SEASON AHEAD. (By TRUNDLER.) Th* equinoctial galea came just ?4 hours too late, so far as bowlers were eoneerned, and play was out of the question on Saturday. The Press match was declared off in good time to prevent «ompetitors taking the trip to Carlton in vain, the news of the postponement being available at No. 394. Not even the Edwin Stars could be played, and this unfortunate postponement is a timely reminder that the late Captain Edwin, the donor pf these popular trophies, managed thing* much bettor in th* good eld days when he was ths weather prophet. If he had still been in charge of the weather last week the equinoctial gales would have been over and done with during Thursday and Friday, and not even the Avondale raees nor the spots on the sun would have induced him to postpone the® fro® their proper date, to spoil all the games on Saturday with the most atrocious weather that could very well be imagined.

As accommodation is again vailable at Carlton next Saturday, the Press match wijl take place there, as arranged for last week, if the same team* will attend at 1.45. It will be a convenience if any Unable to play will give early notice to that effect.

Mount Eden will hold a full-rink tournament on Wednesday, October 10. In addition to all the clubs mentioned last week tournaments will be held on Labour Pay at Mount Albert and Papatoetq*, the latter bing a club pairs tourney.

With so many elubs selecting Labour Day, and all the consequent competition, ft is rather surprising that no club selected to,day, Dominion Day, in case it turned ©ut fine, for there would probably have been a large entry. With the banks and the Stock Exchange closed, and all the insurance and legal ’offices as well, ther* would be quite a number who would have been glad to join the “idle rich” Who usually make up the entries for the mid-week tournaments during the winter.

Takapuna is one of the fortunate elub* which will be strengthened during the coming season by an influx of new members, for several experienced players are joining, in addition to those already mentioned. These will all get th*, benefit of the increased accommodation now available, and the summer green promises to be in very fine order for the season. The clubs on the other side of th* water are all looking forward to a busy season, for they will have special competitions, in addition to the pennant matches and tournaments available to all the clubs in th* centre. The Marine Pennant always creates great interest, and several cups are open for competition, while It is understood that there will be trophies for challenge matches, something on the lines of the Jordan Pins. NX Tourists from Canada.

There w*s probably * ®i*tak* in the I*Nt fort -of the cable fro® Vancouver la»t Thursday, where it stated that 23 bowlers had embarked for Auckland by the Niagara, due this day fortnight, and the rest were going to San Francisco, to !<?•• e there a fortnig t later. This would make them travel by the Makura, tn Wellington, whereas various private letters to friends in Auckland support the intimation in this column that only four »re returning by that route. The reet, comprising 17 bowlers and ten ladies, are planning to return by the Aorangi a month due here on November 5. A few may possibly have altered their plans, in which ease definite news may arrive to-morrow, for the mail arriving in Wellington to-day would be written after spending a week or ten days in Canada. A Veteran Bowler.

Congratulations are due to Mr. t. a. Ashton (Remuera) and his good wife on celebrating their golden wedding last week. Mr. Ashton was one of the founders of the Mount Albert Bowling Club in 1897, associated with the late Mesrs. J. T. Garlick and J. W. James and such stalwarts as Mr. A. C. Caughey and Mr. (now Sir) George Fowlds. All these occupied the presidential chair ip the club’s earliest years, and Mr. Ashton wag not long in following them, besides being probably the most successful in maintaining the reputation of the club fro® a playing point of view. Twenty years ago Tom Ashton’s drive was a shot to be reckoned with, and many * worthy player breathed more freely when both his bowls were delivered. Bowling has kept him young, and any who now saw his active amL sprightly walk would far more readily credit hi® with half a century than the three-quarters which he has seen. Having known Mr. and Mrs. Ashton from the day they jn Mount Albert with their very young little family over 40 years ago, jt is a pleasure to convey to them the best wishes of the bowlers of Auckland, T«ken in th* Prime of Lit*.

Keen surprise and deep regret would be felt last week at the death of Mr. Chas. S. Goldsmith (Grey Lynn), for it was only in the last two or three weeks that he was in anything but his usual health. Having held various offices in his club during h’S membership of about 15 years, he will be greatly missed by his fellow-members, and their attendance at his fupsral on Saturday testified to the esteem jn which he was held. Modest and retiring, he never sought office, but he was a model of loyalty to his dub, and he will probably be remembered best for his great work during the past few years in helping to get the club established in their new grounds. As treasurer of the fund for this purpose, his services were Invaluable,