BOWLING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4760, 6 October 1924, Page 2

BOWLING.

OFFICIAL OPFN'LNG OF SEASON. RAIN INTERFERES WITH GAMES. The twenty-first official opening of the Paeroa Bowling Club was held on Saturday afternoon. The morning was fine; with a good drying wind, and the prospects for an enjoyable afternoon seemed assured. However, shortly after one o’clock a heavy shower passed over, only to be followed by a torrential downpour of rain, which continued uninterruptedly until late afternoon, putting all chances of a game out of the question. Tne rain appears to have been purely local, as visitors from Te Aroha, Thames, Hikutaia, Waihi, and Waikino stated that on leaving their respective homes the weather was qui'e fine, and rain was not met With until they were within a short distance of Paeroa.

’ A large number of ladies and visiting bowlers were present, and there was a general feeling of keen disappointment that .the function had been marred by bad weather. The committee adopted a new departure this year in catering for the enjoyment of the guests in that the services of the Waikiki Orchestra from Thames were engager, and the mipic dispensed by them was much from Thames were engaged, and the contributed in no small degree towards cheering up the dampened spirits of the visitors and local club members. The pavilion and marquee adjoining were well filled with thoee who had braved the elements in the hope that the rain would lift sufficiently to allow of a few heads at least being played, but the fates were unkind. Shortly after 3 o’clock the president, Mr D. Brown, addressed the gathering from under the shelter of an umbrella and heartily welcomed the many visitors, present and expressed the club’s disappointment that the afternoon had turned out so wet, rendering it necessary to cancel play on the greens. He then called on Mrs Brown to deliver the first jack, and amidst cheers formally declared the local bowling season opened. Messrs J. .Pratt (Thames), W. 11. Alley (Hikutaia), F. McCormack (Waihi), W. Quinn (Waikino), and G. Hedge (Te Aroha) returned thanks on behalf of their clubs for the hearty weV-oine that had been accorded them, and trusted that the local club would enjoy a successful, season. During the afternoon a delicious afternoon tea was served by the wives and friends of the local members, and each vied with the other to make the afternoon as enjoyable as possible under tlie circumstances. The official opening of the green for night play, which was to have been performed by His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) on Saturday night, was postponed on account of the wet.