NEW ZEALAND BOWLERS.

Shannon News, 30 March 1928, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND BOWLERS.

THE WESTRALIAN VISIT.

Pleasant references to the visit of the New Zealand bowlers are made bysports writers in West Australian papers. “Backhand” says: —“The New Zealand bowlers have'been, and gone, and a good advertisement for Western Australia has resulted from the visit, thanks to the efforts of the W.A.B.A. in making their short stay such a liap'py one. Western Australia won, but New Zealand >did very well considering those plajyers were just off the boat, and were new to the green. They nearly all played with wooden bowls, and it. seemed strange to see them play with only one foot on the mat. This is very useful at. times, more especially .with the mats in use in Western Australia, as a bowler very often strikes it in deliverings his bowl. This would be obviated under New Zealand rules. Also they used wipers for the bowls 1 and brought \ hem into requisition for di- ; reeling. The team is in for . a peasant I time, as the manager is . the right man in the right place. ' - “The next game by New Zealand will be played, in the Isle of Wight. Games are to be played also in England, Wales, .Scotland, Ireland, and on the way home in New York, Canada, Chicago and Vancouver. Mr G. Olney, acting president of the W.A.8.A., welcomed the visitors on the wharf. They, together with the ladies of the party, were taken'for a motor trip to Perth, . a the river; viewing the reserves and main streets of Perth, back to Fremantle by wav of the ocean beach at Cottesloe, and to the Fremantle Council .Chambers, where a reception was tendered them, presided over by the Mayor

,“'Mr T. Winham, of the Fremantle Club, took the opportunity of presenting a framed photograph of the veteran bowlers who took part in the 1926 match, to the visitors, ( and this will be hung in the association rooms of New Zealand on their return. Mr Hardley passed a New Zealand badge' to Messrs Gibson, Franklin, Hammill, and Olney, and Mrs Hardley did likewise to Mesdames Gibson and Franklin."

i ‘ We shall talk about this until we get ,to England,” said one of the New Zealand bowlers as they went back to their ship last Monday (reports the Sunday Times). Most of the old boys —they refused to be called old men—let themselves go for their day ashore. It did the spectators good - to see and hear them. They sang “grace” before eating and drinking the,*, good things provided by the W.A.8.A., they danced something like a Maori haka on the bowling green, and their cheers for the winners had a genuine British ring which was good to hear. Every one of them goes home full of praise for the hospitable spirit which they found amongst fellow bowlers in Western Australia.

“Rangitira Maori nganuitirini . atua whenua —Kiaora, Arohanui.” As set down here, this Maori “haka” or welcome, which issued full throated from 34 visiting bowlers from the Dominion of New Zealand, on the Fremantle green, inadequately , conveys . what a soul-stirring cry the Maori welcome is, when rendered with realistic and appropriate gestures (writes “Skipjack”). In its translation is breathed the spirit pf good fellowship, which is paramount wherever bowlers congregate, and there was ample evidence that our visitors were acting in all sincerity when they loudly proclaimed their “liaka,” which, rcnder'ed into English, means “Maori chiefs of New Zealand, God’s own country, wish you good life and good luck,” and the final “Arohanui” signifies “our greatest love for you.” The hail-and-farewell yisit of the New Zealand bowlers, who spent Monday at Fremantle, was twice-blessed, for they appreciated our hearty welcome, and Ave felt invigorated by their robust manifestation of the Dominion boAAiiug spirit (Avrites “Noah Little”). As manager. J. W. Hardley put it: “Sociability, hospitality, and goodfelloAvship” is the slogan of NeAV Zealand boAvlers, and no one could better exemplify these fraternal qualities than the genial manager and his hilarious company. Such visits must -impress local 'bowlers with the deadening effects of our isolation, for while we as a body are just as sociable, hospitable and brotherly as our visitors, ■ collectively Ave lack the happy abandon that, enabled them to carry off their self-revelation with ease and hilarity. To VA T hat extent choir-master Eagleton is responsible for the fine comradely spirit shoAA’n, it is impossible to say, but the popularity of the team abroad must be enhanced as a result of his thorough training in Maori songs and dances, which delighted the spectators on the Fremantle .green.