BOWLING NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 22145, 27 September 1935, Page 4

BOWLING NOTES

[By Draw.] Club secretaries, or those in charge of the social activities of their _ clubs, are invited to send along notices in reference to any club events. Inquiries relating to the rules of the game will be welcomed. Correspondence addressed to “ Draw ” must reach this office not later than noon on Tuesday each week. Questions and Answers. “ Summer.”—l- have to acknowledge yours in reference to hints for young players. As stated in recent issues J have had other inquiries in reference to this subject, and have promised to assist in this direction about the middle of October. “ Dud.”—A copy of the rules of the game, with latest alterations,' can be procured from Mr Hanning, secretary, Dunedin Centre, No. 1 ■ Dowling street, Dunedin, Cl. “ Leith.”—Only too pleased to oblige, though it will be necessary for me .to delay the information for a few weeks, due to circumstances over which I have no control. , Centre Executive Meeting. The. monthly meeting was held 'last Saturday evening. The principal business was to receive a report from the Draw Committee in connection with the regulations controlling the various competitions, and as these rules will appear in the centre’s booklet, which will be available in about four weeks’ time, it is quite unnecessary to produce them here. It was also decided that all rules and regulations be published in. the booklet, and «s every club receives one of these books for each member, every bowler should make himself conversant with all the regulations. The entries for the Saturday competition closed at this meeting, and <IIBOIOB6 the fact that they are identical with those of last season—7s sections, or 225 rinks (approximately). The new club from Brighton has* entered one section /of three' rinks, and as this entry does not in any way deprive any other club of members, it will be seen that without this entry a falling off would have been recorded. It clearly shows that the. town dubs generally are not improving their membership. This state of affairs is to be and if the clubs in this centre wish to improve their numbers they must set to work to enroll' new players. The writer has on many occasions expressed the opinion that there are plenty of men in Dunedin waiting to he roped in, but apparently few clubs possess the necessary rope. However, we will hope and for the game’s sake, that things will improve in the near'future. , The following entries were received:—Dunedin (18 rinks), Roslyn (15), Caledonian (15), Kaituna (15), St. Kilda (15), Anderson’s Bay, Balmacewen, Leith, Caversham, Northeast. Valley,. St. Clair (all 12), Kaikorai, Mornington, and Otago (each 9), Port Chalmers, Tainui, West Harbour. and Taieri (6 rinks each), while Brighton, Outram, Fairfield, and Waikouaiti have each entered three rinks. FOur-rink championship entries are the same as last season, with the addition of the Tainui Club. A new rule in this competition is that no play (roll up) will be permitted prior to the commencement of" these games. The object of this rule is to try and get players to start each evening at the time set down . (5.45). The writer is of the opinion that this is a step in the right direction. This, competition is sure to be played again in two sections, 10 in one and nine in the other. This will take up nine weeks for the sectional play, and will he so arranged as to allow the final to be played on Saturday, February 15. v The “ Wednesday ” competition entries received wore as follows:—Caversham and Leith each four rinks, Anderson’s Bay three rinks, Bahnacewen, St. Clair, North-east Valley, Boslyn, and Otago each two rinks; while Kaikorai, Taieri, and. Logan Park have each entered one rink.

It is proposed to play Saturday shield matches on the following dates:—November 2,9, 16, 23, 30; December 7, 14, 21; January 25; February 1,8, 22, 29; March 14; making 14 in all. _ On January 18, special dub matches will he played (this Saturday is now known as Club Day). On this day the opportunity will also be taken to raise funds for the New Zealand Crippled Children’s Fund. Oh Saturday February 15, besides the final of the four rink games the elderly bowlers’ function and the South Otago tournament .will take place. The champion of champions contest will bo decided on . Saturday, March 7, and Monday the 9th. The single rink championship (Adess Shield) and the special tourney for leads and seconds will be decided on March 21 and 23.

Interprovincial matches against Southland at Invercargill on Saturday, March 14. (Note: Saturday shield matches will be also played on that date). March 28 is set aside for the match with Canterbury at Dunedin. Inter-eentre matches against North Otago, March 7;' against South Otago on March 21. The Easter tournament dates are:— ’April 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14. Christmas pairs: December 25 and 26. = , '

New Zealand Bowling Association. A meeting of the executive was held 'in Christchurch bn Tuesday, 17th inst. Correspondence was received from the General Manager of the New Zealand Railways advising that a reduction of approximately 20 per cent, would be made' on ordinary first-class return fares to howlers proceeding by rail to attend the annual tournament in January. The manager of the Union Steam Ship, Company also intimated that .a ■ concession of 10 per cent, will be allowed on saloon steamer fares. The minutes also disclose the possibility of a visit of an English contingent of bowlers in 1936. It is pleasing to note that the International Bowling Board intends to take action in regard to the rules of the game, with the object of having one code for all the English-speaking countries. The New Zealand executive decided that Mr H. W. S.’King be written to, asking him if he would represent the association on a committee, at the same time requesting him to procure, if possible, a copy of the , present laws of the 1.8.8., and to send with any suggested amendments or new laws, and to give each body affiliated with the board time to consider alter- ' ations that may be under review. Other matters before the meeting were not of any great importance.

Leith Bowling Club. This club has appointed Mr J, Marshall of the Phoenix green, Oamaru, caretaker. Mr Marshall took over his duties with the Oamaru club in January last in succession to Mr H. Estrick; who now has charge of the Dunedin green. Mr C. Rawlinson, a prominent member of this club for many years, will this season be found in the ranks of the St. Clair Club. Leith will miss this player in many ways, for besides being a good bowler, he was a legislator of no mean, ability. Mr Rawlinson will'take'up residence ip the St. Clair iboi'tly* "

Kaituna Club. To-morrow this club is holding opening day. The early date is, the writer understands, to give the bowlers of Duneding an opportunity of seeing the latest addition to the list of Dunedin greens. Mr C. J. Payne, this year’s president, is sure to see that the opening ceremony is carried out in a proper manner. He lias been very liberal with invitations, and it can bo taken as read that there will be a capacity house. The executive officers and members of this club deserve the highest praise for the very fine green they have built on the, summit of Jubilee Park. “ Draw ” wishes this club the best of luck in its opening of the new green. Mr Parkhouse’s Criticisms. Two weeks ago “ Draw ” drew attention to a letter published in a Sydney paper from W. M. Parkhouse, of Wellington, and remarked on the unfairness of a lot of his statements, also expressing the opinion that Mr Parkhouse has plenty of ways of bringing forward legislation that might bo for'the betterment of the game Without running to the other side of the, Tasman to ventilate his feelings. Our friend, “ Short Head,” in the ‘•Sporting Life ’ (Wellington) has taken,the matter up. He writes: “If the winning of Dominion honours carries with it the right and privilege of indiscriminate criticism of bowls ; bowlers, green management, and, indeed, all factors appertaining to the game, then this writer (and he is strongly supported in many quarters) considers that such criticism should be directed to the proper place, and that proper place is certainly not out of . New’Zealand. Little of a constructive nature can be deduced from the information forwarded, the writer of the article confining himself, on the contrary, to a general attack and-condemnation of all and sundry.” He continues: “Another point raised concerns the carrying of dud players by the champions in rinks and pairs play. Our friend has only resurrected a controversial subject that has been very much in the air lately. However, his way of putting his case is likely to offend more bowlers than otherwise. After all, bowls is only a game, and as such one for enjoyment by all. There will always be the few who may be termed the pot-hunters, who, if they had their way, would form their rinks on Saturday afternoons from the ‘champions all’ class, leaving the remainder to fish for themselves best they may. ‘ Short Head ’ is very much afraid that such a policy would very speedily result in depleted memberships. It is rather a selfish viewpoint that prompts such an expression, as ‘ The day when champions are no longer expected to carry the duds; the day when the mediocre will be compelled to come up to the good player, and not, as it is now, the good player come back to the dud. When that day comes bowls will be a great game, and not, as it is now, vanity and vexation.’ ” Vanity and vexation, indeed, would appear to be expressions justly applicable to a few bowlers who consider themselves as super champions, but the game itself lives far above any such reproach. Bowls does not require to be placed on the map; it is already there, filling a very high place on the ladder of sport, and catering for the recreation of many thousands of enthusiasts in New Zealand alone; a great game and may it ever remain so. Obsolete Methods. Our friend, “ Boomerang,” still persists in writing in such a strain that otle wonders if he is endeavouring .to improve the game or ti-ying to ruin it. He leaves no stone unturned to belittle everything that is done in this Dominion, and even goes so far as to make one suspect that he thinks that he is the only person who knows anything about the running of the game. If we were to bring in legislation to conform with this gentleman’s ideas, we would have nothing but an out-and-out professional game. If he wants that state of affairs in Australia, so be it, but we certainly should remind our friend that what we do in New Zealand is our business, and not his. Mr “Boomerang” has been told on numerous occasions in his native land that his ideas and preachings are over the odds, and why he persists in trying to get the bowlers of this fair country all stirred up is beyond me.