BOWLING

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 13

BOWLING

[By Measurer.]

The results of last Saturday’s interclub games meant a change in the order of the champion shield table. Dunedin, with 12 points against Balmacewen’s 9, regained the lead. Taieri, with 12 points, reached third place, and Kaituna and Green Island, with full scores, now occupy fourth and fifth positions. St. Kilda, with all losses, fell from grace. There were many wide disparities in scores. For instance, a Balmacewen rink had a lead of 36 to its Outran opponents’ 6, and several other games showed a difference of about a score. But it must be remembered that a trotting meeting was on, and many really scratch rinks were engaged. But this is all in the game. One score drew my particular attention. It was J. Rigby’s Dunedin Club rink’s 32 to J. Tonkin’s (Valley) 11. For many seasons Rigby and Tonkin were Valley clubmates, and were associated in quite a number of tournament games. But when they meet in opposition no mercy is shown. Still, any skip who can score 3 to 1 against J. Tonkin deserves a lot of credit. Some of the Caversham-St. Kilda games showed wide margins. Summerell overshadowed Forrester by 29 to 7, 'but against this Blackwood beat Jacobsen 28-14, and Ball accounted for J. D. Cameron 29-14, and so Cavershnm won the section. In this lastmentioned game Cameron was 14-11 on the fifteenth head, but Ball went right away then with 18 points, including that rarity, an 8.. The four-rinks contest is shaping towards an actual result. Roslyn Club has won one of the two sections outright: the other section awaits a final game. St. Kilda Club, with one loss, met Kaituna, with no loss, on Monday night, and defeated its opponents somewhat easily. This medns that the two clubs have to play off to decide who shall meet Roslyn Club for the actual winner. It is probable that the game will bo played on a neutral green next Monday night. The following table shows the result of last week’s interclub matches, with the total points scored so far by each club:—

■'Won by default from Caledonian. tWon by default from St. Clair.

PUBLIC SERVICE TOURNAMENT. The Public Service annual bowling tournament is increasing in importance year by year/ On Friday last the seventh annual gathering was held on Kaituna green, and no fewer than twelve rinks were entered—two formed of retired officers, two of school teachers, one from Seacliff, and teams from tlm Justice, Land and Survey, Agriculture, Post Office, Railways, Police, and Telegraph Departments. The teams were divided into two sections. Everything was perfect from a bowlers’ point of view, both as regarded the renewing of old acquaintances and the playing area. All Friday was occupied with play (tho results have already been published), and the final game had to be postponed till Saturday evening. It was between rinks skipped by Forster (Agriculture) and Kennedy (Railway), and resulted in a win for Forster by 25 to 16. Forster’s men played more consistently than Kennedy’s, as the following details show:—At seventh head, Forster 9, Kennedy 4; at fourteenth head, 19-12; then Kennedy hung fire and did not score for five heads, hut afterwards came with a 2 and two singles, and the game finished with Forster adding 2 more. This is the first time that the Agriculture players have wou the shield. Mr A. IV. Crawford (secretary) had made very complete arrangements for the smooth running of the tourney.

DOMINION TOURNAMENT COMMENTS.

Christchurch ‘ Star ’ writer deals plainly with a matter concerning which complaints were made by several of the returned Dunedin players. He writes; —“ The catering arrangements at many of the greens during the tournament left so much to bo desired that it is to be hoped that when tho next tournament is held in Christchurch there will be a vey decided improvement. Although such an action seems rather incomprehensible, some of the clubs put on such a poor service that they must

have set out with the determination to make as big a profit out of tho tournament as possible, instead of making a special effort to do the thing particularly well. Doubtless the clubs which skimped the afternoon tea for the players and gave them very poor tea for their lunch will hear more about the matter when the Tournament Committee meets again; but the conditions were so bad at _ some greens that it would be a good.idea for the committee to endeavor to make other arrangements in regard to catering at future tournaments. The clubs were allowed Is 3d a head a day for the provision of light refreshments, and for that amount it should surely be possible to provide a refreshing cup of tea at lunch time and a decently-served afternoon tea. There were several clubs that provided an excellent service, and the players who were fortunate enough to visit these greens were most appreciative.” Tho performance of Caledonian Club in winning the Rinks and Singles events at an association tournament was equalled by Ponsonby (Auckland) Club in 1923, when Maxwell Walker won the Singles and a rink from tho same club skipped by Arthur Parsons was successful.

NOTES. At St. Kilda pavilion last Saturday night a genuinely hearty send-off to Britain was given to Mr G. G. Adess by his clubmates. “ George ” is one of the best-liked members, and all the nice things said about him by President J. H. Hinton and others (including the president of the centre, Mr D. M. Pastier) wero meant. Travelling rugs were gifts to Mr Adoss, who was naturally pleased with the sincerity of tho function. Occasion was taken, also, to pay a compliment to Mr Jas. Nelson, for many years a member of the club, but now, as head master of Green Island School, forced to leave his old playing friends. Several expressed pleasure at long association with Mr Nelson, and a suit case was handed him as a reminder of good old times. Both gentlemen replied suitably. _ Mr Adess is sure to do his club credit in all respects as a member of the Now Zealand team. Dunedin Club members last night held a social gathering to wish good luck to Messrs j. Hutchison, W. Smith, J. B. Frame, J. Pietersen, and H. D. Siedeberg, who _ are to represent the mother club with the New Zealand team. The various speakers expressed themselves as certain that their clubmates would uphold the traditions of the game, of which, of course, there is no_ doubt. If good wishes mean anything, the Dunedin Club men should do well. A greenstone tiki was presented to each of them. The Caledonian Club members who did so well at tho recent tournament are to be honored by their clubmates on Saturday night. It was at first intended to hold the function in the club’s pavilion, but it became apparent that more room was needed to accommodate the large crowd who wish to be present, and the South Dunedin Town Hall has been secured for the ceremony. With the admirable idea of showing the outlying clubs that they are not forgotten by their town friends, the Centre Executive heartily supported a suggestion by President D. M. Pastier that delegates should organise rinks from their members to pay them evening visits. Two of them were made this week. On Tuesday evening an executive party went to Port Chalmers, and had a royal welcome and a most pleasant game, winning by a few points. On Thursday evening a visit was paid to Taieri green, where two rinks from Outran) Club joined with a couple of local rinks to oppose their town visitors. Hero again the executive players wero cordially received and a good time spent on the green. The welcome could not have been more hearty, and the ladies had provided an excellent tea. The centre players won both rinks against Outran), also one against Taieri. Motor cars for these journeys wero williugly supplied by executive owners. The whole spirit of such visits is to he commended, and there is little doubt that outside bowlers appreciate the compliment paid them to its full worth. The reception accorded the delegates clearly showed this.

A return match, ‘Daily Times’ v. ‘Evening Star,’-has been arranged for to-morrow evening, two rinks a side. Dunedin Club has kindly granted its green on tbiy occasion. There were disappointed and, truth to tell, rather annoyed Port Chalmers players strolling round on Caledonian green last Saturday. At great trouble two sections had been got together to engage the Caledonian men, and the journey from Port had been made, only to find on arrival that twelve of tho visitors (one section) bad no opponents. This kind of thing, of course, is disappointing at any time, but where the cause for annoyance came in was that the Port Chalmers players had reason to think that the Caledonian authorities knew early in the week that they would bo unable to fulfil their engagement and did not let their opponents know. Of course, the Port men may have been mistaken.

A correspondent writes: “I was playing in opr club singles championship the other night, and on the first head, with perfect drawn shots, three bowls were touching the jack, and you could not separate them (even one was not touching more than the other!). The umpire wiis unable to give either of us the shot. I have known of two bowls touching, but my opponent or myself had never heard of or seen three bowls touching.” Perhaps not a record, but certainy a rare occurrence. There was an exciting finish in the semi-final of the Caversham rinks last night, when Todd, playing Thomson, wanted 7 to win on tiio last head, and got them! The final will be between Todd and Mitchell.

Supplementing rny remarks on Bose Bay (Sydney) balance-sheet last week, the inference was that tho item of £342 profit from the club’s canteen meant that a licensed bar was attached to the club. That was my reading of it. But further information is to tho effect that the club runs no bar, and that tho profits came from the sale of afternoon _ teas, cigarettes, soft drinks, etc. Which makes he fact all the more surprising. By tho way, Mr C. H. Hughes (ex-Kaituna Club member) has just been elected president of Rose Bay Club.

The following are the members of the Victorian, team to visit New Zealand this month:—W. Creath, A. Dunstan, P. Roy, H. Leggo (s); A. Domnton, T. Davie, T. Nurse. W. Newham (s); J. Florant, H. Pilkington, G. Barnett, W. A. Wright (s); J. Handle, J. B. Leith, W. Ferguson, W. Main (s); F. Scharp, H. Bayley, A. Davis, W. Lyon (s). Tho manager of the team. Mr W. Lyon, is a former resident of Victoria, and he represented Scotland in the single-handed championship of Australia at the recent Australian Bowling Council’s carnival at Melbourne, As a whole, tho members of the team are not known as outstanding players, but there are some good country players in the rinks. In the event of any four-rink games being played, the first four rinks, named will represent Victoria. Under altered arrangements, the Victorian visitors will spend two days in Dunedin instead of one—February 15 and 16.

Total Won. Lost. Pts. Pts. Dunedin 6 0 12 64 Balmacewen ... 3 1 9 63 Taieri 2 0 12 60 Kaituna 3 0 12 56 Green Island ... 2 0 12 54 Caledonian S 2 n 48 St. Hilda 0 4 0 45 Oaverslnun 2 1 8 44 Port Chalmers* 1 1 6 42 West Harbor ... 1 1 6 43 Roslyn 2 2 6 39 Leith 1 1 6 36 N.E. Valley ... 0 3 0 82 St. Clair 2 2 6 30 Kaikorai 0 3 0 28 Mornington 0 3 0 28 Otago 1 2 4 28 Anderson’s Bayt 1 2 4 20 Fairfield 0 1 0 12 Outram 0 1 0 12