EMPIRE-WIDE ORGANISATION TO POPULARISE BOWLING URGED BY N.S.W. PRESIDENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 9, 1 April 1927, Page 12

EMPIRE-WIDE ORGANISATION TO POPULARISE BOWLING URGED BY N.S.W. PRESIDENT

STRIKING TRIBUTE TO MR. J. W. HARDLEY

This article deals with a proposal which, if adopted, will effectively bring bowling into public prominence throughout the Empire. It embodies the views expressed by Mr. J. Scott, President of the New South Wales Bowling Association. and deals with the great work that has been done for bowling in New Zealand by Mr. J. W. Hardley, President of the New Zealand Bowling Association.

(By

JACK HIGH.)

The New South Wales president’s touring team has come and gone—- “ The visit has ended —it is only a memory—but a live memory that will live long in the hearts of all those who took part in it;” were the numerous appreciative expressions on the departure of the Niagara on Monday last. For four weeks the party has been the guests of the Dominion N.Z.B.A. During that time the whole of the North Island has been covered and the principal bowling clubs visited. No attempt was made at playing strenuous competitions. Only friendly matches were indulged in. In fact on some occasions the visitors were happily mixed with the teams of the clubs visited, giving an added zest to social intercourse, which was the main feature of the tournament. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that Mr. J. W. Hardley, the president of the D. of N.Z.8.A., in his official capacity, accompanied the party. He took this favourable opportunity of doing so for two reasons: Firstly, to pilot the party; and, secondly, to complete a personal tour of the whole ‘of the bowling centres of New Zealand as host of the bowling fraternity of the Dominion—an admirable precedent never established before or even attempted by any predecessor in this high office. Previous to his departure, Mr. J. Scott, president of the New South Wales Bowling Association, made some friendly criticism of bowling in New Zealand, and some constructive suggestions for the future. The criticism is well merited, and the suggestions should engage the earnest attention of the Dominion Council. A GREAT WEAKNESS “In Australia,” remarked Mr. Scott, “it is the custom to instal a good man as president, train him and keep him. As a proof of this we have only had six presidents since 1880. In New Zealand you do the reverse, you obtain the services of a good man, train him and lose him. I understand that a new president is elected every twelve months and that the rules of your associatipn provide for this. “You have a president at the present time who has given three years as president of that fine club, the West End —three years of splendid work on your Auckland Centre Executive, including tw'o years as president and one year as president of the Dominion Council. In the latter office he has done specially wonderful work. Then you have no further use for him. May I suggest that this is a great weakness and a big loss to bowling in New Zealand?” A NATION-WIDE PROPOSAL Mr. Scott is strongly in* favour of a nation-wide board of bowlers throughout the Empire to promote the sport. He believes that there is no sport in existence like bowling that carries with it such a fine element of sociability or so effectively cements the bonds of strong friendships and at the same time calls for a very high element of skill. He suggests to begin with that an annual tournament could be arranged between Australia and New Zealand to be played alternatively in each place. As far as New Zealand is concerned it will be played every other year in turn in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin; and in Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. A regular, officially-arranged interchange of visits would be most advantageous and at the same time would capture the attention of the public as well as the great army of bowlers. Such a contest would become a great annual event of the sporting world. He suggests that there should be four rinks each side, the selection of players to be made by the Dominion N.Z.B.A. on this side and the Australian Bowling Council on the other. Mr. Scott thinks that such a test would earnestly commend itself to New Zealand bowlers and to the N.Z. Bowling Association. It would not interfere with the irregular, friendly visits which are now being so freely indulged in and enjoyed. * FRIENDLY TOURS Mr. Scott is so impressed with the fine reception his touring team received on its tour through the North Island that he has issued an invitation to Mr. Hardley to make a return visit. He feels that these friendly visits are so important that they should be steadily continued in the future. Incidentally it may be mentioned that the president’s recent tour, which has just been completed, was an outcome of an effort on the part of the New Zealand Council to induce the

Australians to participate in our hiannual tournament held in Auckland January last. The Australians ai though they strongly desired to’tafcl part in our big contest of strength found that it was impossible to emh as this event clashed with their fir tures in Australia. They eventual decided to postpone their visit anil make a friendlv visit, and » t~ a through the North Island. ,OUr This tour has been an unqualified success, and is an indication that firm and lasting friendships have been established. This should reflect greatlv to the advantage and the commence ment of the New South Wales presi' dent’s scheme for a nation-wide national board throughout the Empire. THE PRESIDENT’S SCHEME This scheme is so important that comment is hardly necessary. It requires no elaborating upon here. In fact it should immediately commend itself to all bowlers, not only as a means to the furtherance of the playing side, but as an advantage in bringing the game of bowls right into public attention. This is greatly needed. True it is that bowling has made tremendous strides in New Zealand, to a place which has no equal in other parts of the world. But it may also be said that it has utterly failed as yet to capture the attention of the public. In fact it is well known that bowling is followed only by bowlers. The public are not interested at the present time. They have never attempted to understand the game and are content to regard it solely as “an old man’s game.” They have not yet come to realise that in the last few years the game has been revolutionised into one that commands masterly skill, and that it claims the attention of nearly 16,000 players in New Zealand. That this important suggestion should come therefore from such a prominent bowler as the president of the New South Wales Bowling Association is sufficient guarantee of its importance and at the same time is an assurance that it will not be overlooked by the Dominion Council. OUR PRESIDENT'S TERM OF OFFICE The weakness referred to in respect to the Dominion president’s term of office is a matter that calls for serious thought and attention. Incidentally, it cannot be said that the Dominion Council has been lax in the government of the game. Everything that could be accomplished has been done for the playing side. For many years past there has been a steady and very necessary enforcement of the rule? of the game. This has been well done. That the matter has had to be handled very tactfully and carefully goes without saying. The council has done splendid work in respect to this. But this is where it ends. On the other hand Mr. Hardley has seized upon the weakness. But he has been fighting a single-handed battle. During his term of office Mr. Hardley lias clearly shown that there is a wider life for the bowlers of New Zealand. He has shown that the playing side is not all and that out of a membership of 16,000 players only the remarkably small number of 750 took part in the biggest tournament that the Dominion Association has ever held in New Zealand. He immediately realised that out of 16,000 this was only a small fraction, and that the ether 15,000 players were in the game for more than the playing side. Unfortunately the Dominion Council left him alone in his great work of the year. In fact it fas been suggested that Mr. Hardley’* generosity has been widely exploited in this respect. He has gone to the four corners of New Zealand spending manyl weeks visiting the nineteen bowling centres and numerous clubs. He has entertained the bowlers of New Zealand royally, and has been an ideal host. The memory of the wonderful night given on the beautiful Ellexslie racecourse will long live in the memories of the 4,319 bowlers whom he entertained. That such a fitting person should be out of office in four months’ time is surely an oversight. It appeals to the New South Wales president as such. An endeavour should be made to retain Mr. Hardley’s personal services in the general interests of the welfare of bowling of New eZaland as recommended by Mr. Scott. “To be an euthusiast is to be the worthiest of attention, the best tliat a mortal can be.”