BOWLING IN NEW ZEALAND IS NATIONAL INSTITUTION SAYS SYDNEY AUTHORITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 21, 16 April 1927, Page 21 (Supplement)

BOWLING IN NEW ZEALAND IS NATIONAL INSTITUTION SAYS SYDNEY AUTHORITY

SIDELIGHTS OF N.S.W: TEAM’S TOUR The offer of the use of a pri ze bull as the price of victory in a bowling match in a North Island country centre is described by Mr. Tom Yates, prominent Sydney bowler, in the course of an interesting and racy interview with “Backwood,” of the “Sydney Sun,” on his return from New Zealand with the New South Wales bowling team.

“The ono thing that stands right out wherever one goes in New Zealand Is the enthusiasm shown for the game and the keenness of the New Zealand players,” stated Mr. Yates, who is vicepresident of the N.S.W. Bowling Association. “In many games this keenness was in marked contrast with the holiday spirit of our team. As a result, the standard of play in New Zealand is much higher than that which obtains in Australia.”

“Wellington is the biggest club in the Dominion, having a membership of 230,” states “Backwood” in recording Mr. Yates’s impressions. “This club has a three-storeyed pavilion. There are some 16,000 bowlers in New Zealand. When you compare the population, say, with New South Wales, and take into consideration that we cannot boast of more than 5,000 at the outside, it looks as if bowls is a national institution in the Dominion. This becomes more apparent If you get off the beaten track and visit some of the smaller towns, or rather hamlets. For instance, Woodville has 600 souls all told, and yet has quite a good bowling green. Opotiki, with a population of 1,250, has two clubs, each with a full-size green. This town can also boast of good electric lighting and sewerage systems. No matter what town you go into, there you will find at least one bowling green. Auckland’s System “Auckland centre, which embraces 35 clubs, has a unique method of playing its pennant matches. Each club registers its playing members and the centre executive then determines how many rinks shall compete for that club The Carlton Club, with a registration of 187 players, was allotted 20 rinks and the smallest club had an allotment of two rinks. The result is decided on the percentage of wins by the rinks, so that the smaller clubs have an equal chance with the large. “It would appear somewhat incongruous for a club of 20 rinks meeting a club with two rinks in the final. This is overcome by the centre representative drawing two rinks out of the 20 from the hat. As a matter of fact, the last final was played between two clubs having respectively 12 and 10 rinks. It simply meant that two of the larger club’s rinks had to stand down. “Anyway, the Auckland centre would not depart from this system in any circumstances. “I’ll Lend You My Bull” "The interest in tournaments is simply wonderful. Take, for example, Rotorua, which holds two each year for rinks. They limit the number of r {nk entries to 55 and on every occasion have to close out entries. The entrance fee is £2 10s per rink and the trophies are never worth more than £l6 for the rink. Competitors travel hundreds of miles from all parts 'North and South Islands. In one of these tournaments two rinks from the same farming district met in the section. One rink had a good winning chance and the other rink looked well out of the running. The «kip of the former rink suggested to his opponent that he might ease up •tnd let them win; but this did not appeal, as his friend had in mind the honour of his club, and so on. Not to be outdone, skip No. 1 then said, ‘lf Vou let us win 1 11 lend you my prize bull.’ Tempting though the offer was. skip No. 2 stood firm and the ‘bull’ man went down. "AH singles tournaments and championships are conducted on the twosystem, as adopted in New South wales for the president’s two-rinks competition. "in pairs tournaments the play is in sections and the draw is arranged in such a way that each pair is guaranieed at least five games. The rinks ‘h’e similarly managed, excepting that rink is sure of nine games ooden bowls are in general use roughout and there would not be Jhore than 1 per cent, of composition kowls playing. Pairs and rink games are 21 mas. The rinks, however, are not K ?' vlde ours, measuring from T2ft. SJS: to 15ft., as against our 17ft. to T, This means more dead ends, mus prolonging a game. Peking of dead ends, or burnt nas. as our New Zealand friends call nem. reminded Mr. Yates of a semi- ? a J in the Auckland centre champion ' champions, played while the tourists j there. The contestants wore Pro-

fessor Max Walker, Auckland, and G. Hosking, West End, game 21 up. The score stood. Walker 20, Hosking 19. For five consecutive ends Walker was lying game, and Hosking, by driving, made dead ends. Next end Walker had one out. Walker put his last well behind. Hosking then drove the shot bowl into the ditch and scored two, winning 21-20. “Hosking had thus won a singles game by seven consecutive drives. Surely this is a-record! Auckland Club’s Green “A factor conducive to good play in New Zealand is the excellent state of the greens generally. The grasses are much finer and being kept closecropped run more smoothly than the Australian greens. The Carlton Club, Auckland, has a novel method for taking care of its beautiful green at top-dressing. The soil to be used is sterilised by steam from a vertical boiler. This is blown through pipes into a kind of incinerator, in which the soil has been placed. In this way the soil is practically boiled, and they claim that this process eliminates all possibility of weed growth. Anyway, Mr. Yates states that there were no weeds apparent. “New Zealand is divided into 19 different bowling centres. Each sends delegates to the Dominion Council, which meets once each year in January. Auckland. Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin take it in turn as the meeting-place and the Dominion Carnival is held at the same time. Each centre holds its own championships and finds its own champion of champions—quite distinct from the Dominion championships. The pavillions throughout the Dominion are almost without exception two-storeyed buildings, with large balconies for spectators. “The hospitality of the New Zealand folk was unbounded right throughout .the tour. The New South Wales team motored 1,400 miles, played 15 matches, won 7, lost S. Bowls are tested with a shoot on the greens in their various centres. No table is used. “There is every chance of an Auckland touring team visiting New South Wales about June next. A fair batch of New Zealand entries is expected for the Australian carnival, to be held at Melbourne next Christmas.”