NOTES BY JACK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 58

NOTES BY JACK.

The proposal to reintroduce pennant matches next season in the Dunedin Centre when brought, before the committee of the centre disclosed, I am informed, such diversity of .opinion that it was .decided to devote a whole evening to discussing the matter, so aa to bring up a recommendation to a meeting of the- full centre-. From this, I take it that the matter will really have to. be decided by the various clubs at their annual .neeting, after which the delegates to the centre will be able to voice the opinion of a majority of the members. To devote every Saturday to -match play — whether inter-club or pennant — would be to revolutionise the game. Instead of providing gentle relaxation for the business man and those Approaching the evening of life, bowling would be placed on the earn© .plane as football and cricket, and the young and the vigorous will displace the olass of players who have heretofore played a prominent part in the game. Thie is no doubt a sign of the times, and owing to the inflex of young players the change ie probably inevitable. The" game on the Dunedin green on Saturday between Ancients and Moderns should be the club match of the year, and had the fact of its taking place been known earlier there would probably have been a larger turn out, of old members. Mr C. S. Reeves was the only original member of the club who took part in the game. Messrs M'Diarmid, D. Russell, J. Mitchell, T. G. Young, J. Hunter, W. .Cowie, M. Sinclair, J. F. Peake, and H. Guthrie, came next in ' order of senority as players, with Messrs Mowat, Gillies, and others belonging to a slightly younger generation. Mr M'Diarmid was the sole representative of his one-time invincible rink and he showed that despite failing eyesight his right hand has^Jost none of its cunning. Among the spectators on the bank were two old member© in Messrs J. H. Morrison and Alick Fraser. The Ancients of the day won by a handsome majority. Some members of the Taieri Bowling Club are determined «o get full value for their ffiiinea this year. The' usual amount of daylight, ie insufficient for their wants, and the acetylene gaslight has been turned on to the green. Play proceeds on occasions from 2 p.m. till midnight, without intermission. Two gaslight, tournaments have been held to date, and they Tiave proved so successful that several more will probably follow. T*he light supplied proved so effective that the bare whito was successfully driven on several occasions, and the play proved enjoyable. Such enthusiasm deserves to be placed on record. The Taieri Green, notwithstanding the dry weather, is playing well, thanks to the caretaker's services. The committee have succeeded in getting it fairly level, but the gra9s is giving out badly on the ends of the rinks. Next year, if there Is any luck with the seeding, a good sole of grass should cover the whole green, as very little top-dressing will be required, and all the present turf will be made uee of. * i The Taieri Championship Club Singles fojt the year was won by Alexr. Davidson, who beat James Campbell in the final. The other competitions 'in which members have been engaged during the season are nearly concluded. In the Handicap Singles, the following players are still battling:— T. M'Fadden (6), Gfio. Gibson (9). Jos. Tait (1). Dr Allan (4), and W. Wedderspoon (11). Tait or Dr Allan should be near The top when the numbers are up. The Handicap Doubles are divided into two- grades. Thqee who have lost the first round go into B Orade: — A Grade: W. A. Turnbull and J L. Fleming (8). meet Gillian and Cheque, and A. Christie and W. C. Todd meet A. C. M'Tntyre and E. Currie. and the wumaw 'clay off- B Grad«: T. and J.

M'Fadden mcci J. Campbell and F. Stoddart, and the wiijner plays D. Gibson, and W. Knox in the final. Handicap doubles are difficult games to pick, but I think M'lntyre and Gibson, with their respective partners, will not be far away at the finish. Two certain starters for the rinks at Oamaru are White and Mollison from St. Kilda. The former has with him J. J. Marlow, J. M. Gallaway, and H. M. Bwing, while Mollison's hope is in A. H. Allen, W. Jacobsen, and D. C. Cameron, junr. Another rink may also go from St. Kilda skipped by D. M'Farlane. J, M'Ourdy (St. Kilda). is taking a strong rink to Invercarzill. They will doubtless worthily uphold his club'e fair name. The St. Kilda colte' prize has this tear been won by W. M. Clark, whp plays a consistent drawing game. The runner-up was F. G. Alfrey. Jaok I^'Lennan (late of Caledonian), now among the "Slaints," is in good form this season. So far he is the "goldetone" of St. Kilda, being in the finals for the rinks, meeting W. Carroll. He is also in the finals for the doubles, and is still alive in the championship. St. Kilda members will be pleased if M'Lennan wins a first prize, as they all recognise in him a consistent bowler and a true sport. St. Kilda. Club flooded their green last week, and then put the two ton roller over it. Besulty-a great improvement in the playing qualities of the green. One of the features of the keenly-con-teeted match between Taieri and Babnacewen on Saturday was 'the victory which' Ademeon, one of the Balmaoewen Colts, scored over the redoubtable ■ M'lntyre. Adamson, who was welly supported by his men, was not intimidated by the Taieri man's hard driving — which lead " to the burning of quite a large number of heads — j I and eventually finished 5 points up. Carswell's rink was responsible for the largest score in favour of hie eide, while the same honour fell to Macdonald and Company on behalf of Balmacewen. Christie met his last year's opponent, Balk, and turned the tables on the Balmacewen veteran. The game was thoroughly enjoyed by both teams, and that the Taieri lads are "good sports" was evidenced when one of the Balmacewen players had the misfortune to send a ball away "wrong bias," and found it rolled back to him with a request to try it over again. The PaJmerston players are no soft snap for any club. After so decisively defeating a team from the Dunedin Club they accounted for a strong team from Meadowbank on the 27th Tilt., winning by 5 points. Lefevre went down before Taylor, the scores being 15 — 28, but Clark beat Martin by 22 to 10 and Dr Hislop defeated Kennedy by 24 to 18. Mr Waddell, the president of the N.Z.B.A M who is doing won T dere in the way of encouraging the game in hie own centre, was present during the play. • Te Rangi Club, InvercargiU, scored a win against Northend on the 26th by 6 points after an exciting finish. J. Lock had a lead of 11 points against Hannah. ■ j Harper and Hunter tied at 21 each. - Cunningham was defeated by Allan by 26 to 21, and Howie had to lower his colours to Haih by 22 to 17. Findlay met Wallace, ] the Northend president, and when the other rinks had finished they had two ends j ,to play. With an effective drive Findjay shifted the Northend shot, and was lying four. Wallace, in trying a draw, went «• little wide, and Findlay drew another shot. The last end resulted -in Fin lay scoring another 3 and thus winning the match. Three rinks of Te Rangi colts accounted for a similar number of Nortihendetrs by 75 to 47. With two months to go before the season closes the revenue derived from players on the- Lake Wakatipu Green is already double that of the previous year. The contract for a pavillion has been let to a Dunedin contractor, the price being £258 10s. The green is said to be in beautiful order. The singles champ ionshio of the Milton Club has been won by A. Buchanan, who in the final against R. Robertson scored 31 to 14. The Christchurch Bowling Centre has arranged a local tournament for Easter. Rinks will be played on Good Friday, doubles on Saturday, and the finals of the rinks and a consolation match on Easter j Monday for losers in the rinks games. Three rjnks from the Bliiff Club visited Otautau, and sustained defeat by 65 to 54. Mr George, president of the Bluff Club, congratulated the Otautau players on having such a good green. Afternon tea was provided, and relished by all, the visitors expressing themselves as well pleased with their visit. , ' The programme for the Southland Centre's Easter tournament is to hand. The number of entries for the rink match ia, limited to '35, and' the money alloted for trophies is £30. The rinks are to be divided into four sections, each rink playin« five games. The section winners play off for the prize*. The pairs are to be played on -the sudden death principle. The prize money for the purchase of trophies amounts to £15. / A second general meeting of those interested in the formation of a bowling club 0b Wakari was held in the local school on Thursday xiight. Mr Bunting was elected chairman. The report of the committee previously elected was placed before the meeting. Already over 40 gentlemen have promised to become members of the new club, and an ideal site for a green has been secured from Mr Greenslade. On the motion of Mr Millar it was unanimously agreed to form a club, which should be known as the Wakari Bowling Club, and the following were chosen to form a provisional committee: — Messrs Bunting (chairman), Mills, Millar, Gebbie. Hood. Sharp©, Gordon, Garside, Jones. Gieenslade, Moir (secretary pro tern), end Tilburn (treasurer). Of these Messrs Bunting, Tilburn, Gordon, Gebbie, and Hoed were elected a^ Works Committee. It was decided that the annual subscription be fixed at 358, less 20 per cent., to founders who paid their suzscription not later than April 30, 1908. Much heartiness has been hhown in the matter, and those who are competent to express an opinion say that the ground shou'd be in a playable condition during the coming season. The site is an exceptionally good one, being very central, well sheltered, and free from shadows.