Bowling Notes

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 184, 9 January 1904, Page 14

Bowling Notes

By Wrong Bias.

JACK ARNEIL, who for many years was sole selector of Auckland's representative football teams, has thrown up leather in favour of lignum vitoß, and is now sole selector of Ponsonby's lepresentative bow.ing teams. Which reminds me that it is now a good while since Jack Reich, Wellington's one-time football representative, gave up chasing the oval to chase, the kitty instead. He goes up to Auckland for that purpose this week. Then there is Jack Laughton, another ex-iepresentative of Wellington who no longer kicks the ball, but trundles bowls at Newtown instead. Also the versatile J. J. Roberts sole selector of Association teams in winter, and a bowling enthusiast in summer. * * * At the last moment Churchward has had to drop out of Neil McLean s nnk for the Auckland tournament. He was unable to get leave of absence from his employers As a result, Mentiplay moves un to his place as third man and room is found fos Ted Hill as No. 2. Bell joins Lockie as No. 3. The Thorndon team has undergone even greater change. In Sievwnorhta nnk Lei"-hton and Pascoe take the place of Freeman and Mowbray. HiSlot retires from the other nnk, and Davy Ross takes his place as skip with Trevor Gould as No. 3. The Wellington Club will have three rinks engaged in the Citizens Match at Auckland, namely, the tournament riaks. and a third nnk, consisting of Geddis, Webb Berry, and Ballinger (skip). Berry and Ballinger are also going for the Champion Pairs and Singles; likewise Geddis and Webb. ♦ * * There has been active competition for the Edwin Feathers during the hoi days. On New Year's Day, Drummond, Hamilton. Bell, and Lockie simply romped over the holders (Reich, Mentiplav, Churchward and Neil McLean v beating them by 30 to 10. Next day McLean and Co. had recovered their wind and struck back for the Feathers. They recovered them by 21 to 15, and later in the day successfully withstood attacks by Petone— 24 to 12. and bv Geddis, Parate, Berry, and Ballinger— 24 to 14. The Postal Telegraph and Railway Departments have just found out to their dismay that they are not quite <r O od enough for the rest of the Service lumped together. The point was tested in a four-nnk match on the Wellington green, on Saturday forenoon. Posts, wires and rails went down by 68 to 89. For instance. Davy Ross passed out Gray's posts, etc., at 24 to 22. Scott banged about Rose's little lot for 25 to 16. Lambert sat very heavily on McLean's crowd for 23 to 11. But Longton's sample of posts, wires, and rails stood the test of Gibbes' "Rest" by 19 to 17. Then, the whole Civil Service joined hands, and proceeded to tackle the Wellington Club. It was five rinks side. and the club won by 136 to 77. Still, the 32 made by ?tcKerrow (a Thorndon skip) aeainst Gibbes ought not to count, which would reduce the scores to 104 to 61. * • * I must correct an error in, last week's notes. The Smith was not such a mighty man after all in the play-off against Allen in the Senior Bowls contest. It was Allen, and not Smith, who came out on top by 21 to 9. I mingle my tears with the City Father. Newtown's promising; skip, J. J. Roberts, added another "feather" to his cap last Saturday. With a team composed of juniors and colts he "plucked" the holders of the Danks' Feathers (Mernck, Haworth. Webb, and Powell) to the tune of 25 to 14. "You had better take your team to Auckland, Roberts'" shouted Harry Price, as Laughton, Warren, Goodall, and J. J. wwe making rings around Powell and Co. Victoria's couple of rinks for the Auckland tournament ought to eive a good account of themselves. For instance : Kibblewhite, Trevor, Snaddon, J. Brackenridge, sen. (skip) ; A very, Scott, VaTCoe. Bary (skip} , Avery, strong rink will be put in the field for the Auckland Citizens' Match, viz., Snaddon. Varcoe, Bary, and Brackenridge. sen.

The Wellington and Thoindon sections of the Central Club had an extr<ioidinaiy match on the Wellington green on Wednesday last week. They played four games of 15 heads each, and the four players of each rink skipped game each. But behold the results. Neil McLean skipping against Arthur Dixon, won by 10 points , and Jas. Russell beat Fred. Tovvnsend by 5. With Roach skipping against Witty the Wellington crowd went down by Ito 33 (solemn fact), and then Muir closed the performance by beating Harry Price by 26 to o. In the aggregate, Wellington won by 4 points. But 33 to 1 takes the bun.

The sudden death of the Hon. W. G. Walker removes a public man who has done the State some service, and leaves the Soe&kership of the Legislative Council vacant. Mr. Walker sat in the House of Representatives as member foi Ashburton from 1884 to 1890, and was reckoned a good party man. In 1892, he was called to the Legislative Council, and, on the retirement of Sir Patrick Buckley, he became leader of the Council, and received the portfolio of Educar tion in the Cabinet. He represented the Government in the Council with much tact, and his speeches were up to the best standard of that Chamber. They bore the hall-mark of university training, and were nicely phrased and coloured with a genial spirit. Mr. Walker performed his duties as Speaker last session with dignity and good judgment. Had he lived a little longer there is no doubt his career would have been crowned with knighthood. As it is, he has played his part like a worthy gentleman and a good colonist. The Hutt Valley Gun Club are holding a £25 Open Pigeon Handicap, on their grounds, at Petone, on Wednesday, 20th January. The prizes are £ 15, £7, and £3 respectively. In addition the competitor killing most birds with his first barrel will receive a valuable trophy, presented by one of the club's vice-presidents (Mr. J. Hodgins). The handicaps will be adjusted by Mr. C. H. Chavannes, of Wanganui. One nomination 10s (closing Saturday, 9th inst), and two acceptances of 7s 6d each will be allowed. Full particulars are advertised in another column. * * * We have to thank Messrs. Thos. Ballinger and Co. for a neatly-bound pocket-book, with calendar, and the Australian Alliance Assurance Company for one of their wall calendars. The central picture shows a party of bushmen "Breaking Camp." We are also in receipt from Peter Dawson the wellknown Scotch distiller (local agents Zohrab and Co.) of a handsome desk calendar with interleaved blotting-paper and numerous illustrations. » * • Miss Vulcana, the champion strong woman of the world, now in Melbourne, is quite small, round, and graceful. She does not look her enormous strength. She can toy with a weight of 2241b. The lady is the daughter of a Welsh clergyman, and says she owes her present muscular power to the fact that she was a veritable "Tomboy" when young. Her brother, "Atlas," also a great athlete, assists her in her show. * # • Melbourne ''Table Talk" remarks that Mr. George Fisher, M.H.R., was one time a compositor in the office of that paper. # * * Mr. Arthur J. Vogan, F.R.G.S., author of "The Black Police," the man i\ ho captured a sick Boer commandant, a namesake of whose was afterwards shot for murder and treason, is versatile. As author, journalist scout, explorer and soldier he has been much heard of. The latest evidence of Arthur's versatility is a cartoon by him in the "Arena-Sun." It is an allegorical drawing, in which a shadowy figure, with wheat-ear headgear is pointing out the "true path > o fiscal peace." The said shadow has a horn of plenty under his right arm, out of which are tumbling two loaves of bread. Australia, typified by a squarebuilt young woman, with a miner's pick r one hand, and a sheep fleece ocer heshoulder, is standing on a boulder

' labelled "Advance Australia." The shadow is asKinor Miss Australia to take the road to freedom. This is not Mr. Vogan's first attempt at the' black and white art. Mr. Yogan is now a resident; oi Wellington.