BOWLING.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1924, Page 2

BOWLING.

WEST COAST TOURNAMENT. The West Coast Bowling tournament was concluded yesterday at Groyniouth when the semi-finals and finals of the rink competition and the final of the pair:; competition were played. In the Rinks competition tho four teams left in were skipped respectively by Jjlaxall (Westport). Harrison (Westport). McKay (Greymouth). ami Stevenson (Hokitika). The semifinals wort' commenced at 9 a.m., the first named and the two hist named meeting, they l>eii)g the respective winners of the lour sections. The green was in good order, and the play was closely watched. In the game between the two Westport rinks the play was oi ail even nature and a keen tussle resulted. Harrison eventually being success! til by 22 lo 19. I ho game between Molxay and Stevenson was well contested, hut the Hokitika rink had an advantage from the start, and scored regularly, the play continuing with a handy lead of several points, and McKay had a difficult* position at times, Stevenson oventimll) winning by 17 to !■!. Tho iiual between Harrison and bteveiuion was commit ucc-d at 1 o'doth Again the Hokitika rink iai the opening adi antiigo, scorr.'.f; so - '•sit in the first four head: , and they held the upper hand throughout. On the J4th. head a drive by Harrison broke the head in which his opponent was lying one ami this proved disastrous, a live to Stevenson resulting. Front this on Hokitika had a distinct advantage, and by steady play had their opononts in difficulties and on the 20th. head the game ended a throe to Hokitika, making the score 28 to 18, so the last head was not played. BATHS FINAL.

The final in the pairs competition was somewhat marred hy rain, which commenced to fall just alter a start was made. The teams were: Ahern and .McLeod (Westport), and Horne and Quereo iSt. Albans' Club, ( hell.) Tile St Albans pair easily established a pood lead, which they gradually increased .until at the eoncliisioii ol the Kith, head the score was 22- 5 in their favour, and the Westport pair decided that further play could not alter the position. CONGRATULATORY. At the conclusion of play. .Mr •). Ring, President of the West Coast Centre, presented the ('slier Cup to tne winners of the Kink Championship, and the Pairs Cup to the St Albans players. In doing so. lie congratulated the winners on their success, and referred also to the great success the tournament had lieon. Mr I’aseand. on behalf of the visiting Iwiwlers, expressed appreciation of the hospitable manner in which they had been treated, and paid a special tribute to the work done hy tin* ladies in providing refreshments. Mr (,Pierce also spoke on similar lines, saying that of all the tournaments he had attended, he had never experienced such hospitable treatment as had boon meted out to them on the West Coast. The ladies must have gone to great pains and expense to provide in the manner they had done and the howlers appreciated it very much. Mr IV. Wilson of Hokitika, and Mr Xtruthcrs of Westport, also returned thanks for the splendid treatment received). Mr King then formally handed back the control of tin' green from tile Centre to tin- Greymouth Club. Mr Steer. President of the Grcymouth Club, thanked all those who had assisted in making the tournament so successful, specially mi'iitioning the good work of Messrs filackwood and McKay. On behalf of Mrs Steer, he also thanked all those who had assisted in connection with the entering arrangements. Cheers for the successful players and the tallies brought what was undoubtedly tno West Coast’s most successful tournament to a close. PREVIOUS WINNERS. The following are the winners of the Rink Championship, and holders of the Usher Cup. at the West Coast Tournaments of the past eleven years: 1913- —Hokitika (.1. Maunder. A. B. King. J. X. Xakler. D. Stevenson (s) )• 1914- Hokitika (H. A. Thompson. A. E. Benjamin, A. B. King, .1. H. Wilson (s) ). 1915- (Treymonth (W. Ulotiher. Renai. Reynolds, Buck (s) ). 1910-17—Hokitika (G. Anderson, A. B. Bovd. X. Xalder. W. Wilson (s) ).* 1017-1S—Greymnuth (W. Blair. T. Baxter, T. .Tones, Spiller (s) ). 1918- —United Christchurch, (Hull. Brown. Lillington, J. Brown (s) ). 1919- —Westport (Xngleton, J.

i McLeod, P. Struthers. W. Panckhurst I W .)• 1920- —-Westport < Hark ness, J. Rose, E. 0. Cameron, F. Blax-all (s) ). 1921- —Hokitika (H. A. Thompson. A. B. King, J. Wilson, A. E. Benjamin (s) ). 1922- Hokitika (G. 11. Blank, A. B. King, 11. A. Thompson, A. E. Benjamin (s) ).. 1923- —Hokitika (L. Aldridge. AV. Wilson. J. Bain. 1). Stevenson Is) j. Hokitika has now won tho Rink champinoship 6 times, Greymouth 2, AA'ostport 2, United (Christchurch) 1, out of the 11 years that the championship has been played for.