BOWLING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5494, 30 October 1929, Page 2

BOWLING.

CLOTHIER SHIELD AND STARS. MAT AM ATA WINS AGAIN. Shortly after eight on Saturday morning competitors in the Clothier Shield and Goldfields Stars competitions began to arrive at the Paeroa Bowling Club’s green. At the early hour there wa s rather a cold nip in the air, but the sun, gaining power, soon made the few who had come in overcoats, doff them. Just before nine, when the last of the visitors had arrived, Mi’ J. W. Silcock, the local club’s president, in the course of a short speech welcomed the visitors and expressed the hope that all would enjoy themselves to the uttermost, and that the best team would win. Mr Silcock said he had expected Mr Clothier to open the tournament, but Mr Clothier had intimated that he would prefer to defer his speech until the presentation of the trophies. In the meantime, for the benefit of the younger bowlers the speaker gave a short resume of the history of the competitions. The Clothier Shield had been presented by Mr J. A. Clothier, of Te Aroha, in 1917 for competition in the Goldfields group. The principal reason for the presentation of this shield was the fact that the association was by itself and had nothing to play for. The only way to preserve its identity was to have a shield of its own. Since its presentaation the shield had been thrice won by Te. Aroha, thrice by Paeroa, twice by Waihi, twice by Waikino, once by Thames, and in the last two years by Matamata, the present holders.

The Goldfields Stars, presented by Mr Somers, also of Te Aroha, had been in play for 20 years. The first team to win them consisted of Messrs McWatters, H. Taylor, W. Taylor, and W. Hamilton. Of the four Mr MjWatters was now in Te Awamutu and the other three were present on the green that day. The speaker sincerely hoped that for many more years they would be able to enjoy the spoxt of bowling. In conclusion Mr Silcock said he hoped the competitors would find the green in good order ; a good deal had been done to it. ■ If it played as well as the Thames green it would satisfy. Immediately upon the finish of Mr Silcock's speech play commenced Messrs A. Stewart and W. Smith acting as umpires.

The tournament was played under the conditions of 15 heads in a game. In the event of section tie five heads extra would be played, and in the case of a tie in a game an extra head, with seven heads extra for a final tie. First Day’s Play.

First Round. —Section A : Wylie, Clothier, Maingay, A. W. Wallace (Te Aroha) 7, v. Oats, Mclntyre, Livingstone, Stewart (Matamata) 24 ; Taylor, Dare, Mannix, McGonable (Waihi) 19, v. Franklin, Bathwick, Collins, Keatley (Waikino), 14; Brocket Gibb, Towers, W. H. Taylor (Paeroa) 17, v. W. H. Alley, H. Morrison, I. Robinson, A. Robinson (Hikutaia) 8 • Pratt, Whitehead, Delamore, Adamson (Thames) 10, v. Coghill, Crowe, N. Howie, Donald (Morrinsville) 11. Section B : Hedge, Andrews, Heathcote, Kriskovich (Te Aroha) 21, v. Young, Coxhead, Hawes Pulling (Matamata) 10 ; Bowmar, W. Chamberlain, Mettam, L. Williams (Paeroa) 24, v. Boyle, Alexander, Cordes, W. Smith (Thames) 4; Gubb, Reid, W. R. Morrison, Valentine (Hikutaia) 10, v. Dunstan, Paul, Landy, McDermott (Waihi) 16; Banks, Gordon, Egan, Were (Matamata) 17, v. Lowry, Vowles, Holes, Forrest (Paeroa) 12.

Second Round. —Section A : Taylor 18, v. Wallace 8 ; McGonable 17, v. Donald 10 ; Adamson 16, v. Robinson 7; Keatley 15, v. Stewart 9. ’ Section B : Valentine 14, v. Smith 13 ; Pulling IS, v. Were 13 ; McDermott 14, v. Kritkovich 14 ; Williams 20, v. Forrest 8.

Third Round.—Section A : Stewart 15, v. McGonagle 13 ; Adamson 18, v. Taylor .10 ; Wallace 26, v. Keatley 9 ; Robinson 14, v. Donald 13. Section B : McDermott 18, v. Smith 15 ; Pulling 14, v. Forrest 7 ; Williams 17, v. Valentine 9 ; Were 15, v. Kriskovich 10.

Fourth Round.—Section A : Stewart 16, v. Taylor 7 ; Adamson 18, v. McGonagle 11 ; Wallace 20, v. Donald 7; Keatley 11, v. Rdbinson 10. Section B : McDermott 15, v. Forrest 10 ; Smith 12, v. Pulling 11 ; Williams 24, v. Were 10 ; Kriskovich 19, v. Valentine 11.

Second Day’s Play

Fifth Round—Section A : Stewart 18, v. Robinson 12 ; Taylor 16, v. Donald 14 ; Wallace 19, v. McGonagle 14 ; Keatley 11, v. Adamson 6. Section B : Williams 15, v. McDermott 5 ; Kriskovich 21, v. Forrest 12 ; Valentine 23, v. Pulling 7; Smith 18, v. Were 8.

Sixth Round. —Section A : Wallace 18, v. Adamson 16 ; Stewart 17, v. Donald 13 ; Robinson 20, v. McGonagle 10 ; Taylor 11, v. Keatley 10. Section B : Kriskovich 19, v. Smith 14 ; Valentine 19, v. (Forrest 10 ; McDermott 16, v. Were 6 ; Williams 18, v. Pulling 16. Seventh Round.—Section A : Wai-, lace 19, v. Robinson 10 ; Donald 17, v. Keatley 16 ; Adamson 12, v. Stewart 8 ; McGonagle 19, v. Taylor 10. Section B : Smith 14, v. Forrest 13; Kriskovich 13, v. Williams 8 ; McDermott 12, v. Pulling 11 ; Valentine 15, v. Were 10.

Semi-final : Stewart and Wallace having tied in Section A, they played off, with the result that the former won by 7 to 0. The replay between McDermott and Williams in Section B resulted in a win for the former by 6 to 5. Final : Stewart (Matamata) 22, v. McDermott (Waihi) 7. Club Wins. Matamata, three teams, 10 ; Paeroa, thi-ee teams, 10 ; Te Aroha, two teams, 10 ; Waihi, two teams, 9 ; Thames, two teams, 7 ; Hikutaia, two teams, 6 ; Waikino, one team,. 3 ; Morrinsville, one team, 2.

Perfect weather held on both days, and the whole tournament was played in harmony which was never once disturbed. The green played well, and stoo d up splendidly to the continuous play of some 64 bowlers for two days, although the rest over Sunday undoubtedly did it good.

On both days many spectators witnessed the play, and as a result of their attendance many more players will probably be included in the ranks of bowling enthusiasts. Afternoon tea, served by the ladies, was greatly appreciated by all the players.

Presentation of Trophies.

Upon the conclusion of the tournament Mr Clothier, in presenting the shield bearing, his nam,e and also the Goldfields Stars, to the Matamata team, congratulated them heartily on their deserved success, saying that the best team had won. Although the cards did not show it, Waihi had put up a splendid fight in the final. Mataniata now had won the shield and stars for the third time in succession, and, incidentally, it was the thirteenth time the shield had been played for, a fact which he hoped would in no way lessen Matamata’s fortune.

Mr Clothier asked that, in future, to avoid confusion that had been caused in the past, winners of the Goldfields Stars should immediately notify the secretary in Te Aroha of the fact. In future, too, challengers would be called upon to pay Is each member of the team towards the cost of the buttons. That would be half the cost, as the buttons. were 2s each.

Mr Clothier paid special tribute to the Paeroa Bowling Club for the way the contest had been staged. The secretary had been an ideal one, and the president’s opening speech was all that could be desired.

Mr P. Stewart, for Matamata, and Mr. McDermott responded suitably to Mr Clothier’s speech, and three cheers each foi’ Matamata, Waihi, Paeroa, and “The Ladies” closed two days of what were perhaps the pleasantest and most exhilarating bowls ever played at Paeroa.