ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 180, 20 October 1927, Page 9

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

By

JACK HIGH

Great disappointment is felt that the party of New Zealand bowlers which is to visit Great Britain during the early months of next year will only include forty people, all told. Final confirmation of this news has reached Mr. J. "W - Hardley by cable toward the end of last This means, of course, that the players will be limited to a maximum of thirty, as it Is to be expected that at least ten ladies will be included in the party.

As organiser of the party, Mr. Hardley's task is no light one. The obvious difficulty is the limitation to such a small number from the whole Dominion. With the brilliant prospects to be exploited on such a trip, it would be safe to predict that at least double the number would be voluntarily forthcoming for such an occasion. The attractive rounds of events —both social and competitive—that were given previous New Zealand touring teams, when in the Homeland, have provided a great incentive to aspirants for inclusion on this occasion. To those who will have to stand out, it will mean keen disappointment indeed.

However, the prospects for bowling abroad are fortunately not confined solely to the trip to Great Britain; there a re still some vacancies to be filled in the ranks of the Dominion party that is to visit Australia next December. And the final date for entrants to present thdr names for inclusion —October 26 is close at hand. . . H the members of the Dominion Council were really energetic and adhered rigidly to “the objects of their Association," which are clearly laid down in plain type—“to promote, manage and control Intercolonial and international matches"—they would immedistely take advantage of this opportunity a nd invite the plavers who will thus h e shut out of the British tour, to pavficipate in the first annual bowling test match between All Australia and New Zealand. Bv doing this the members w ould, at least, be only doing their bounden duty to their fellow bowlers who elected them to the Dominion Council to carry out the declared objects of their association. It is to these members of the Dominion Council that the great rank and file of the players throughout New Zealand look to to make his stepping stone in bowling life lh e great success that its inception warra nts. it is for these councillors to fise to the occasion. “To promote inter- * olonial bowling” should not be left an ern Pty slogan. THE GREY LYNN CLUB

The Orey Lynn members are to be ' °ngratulated on their fixed determinali°n to place their club right in the front ra nk of bowling in Auckland. No effort l!l being spared to accomplish big su 9* ' es s this season. A new’ pavilion, which, 11 ia hoped, will be completed for the un°ffieial opening on November 5, is now m the course of erection. The top green *nd half of the lower green has now a v ery healthy coating of playable sward the surfaces, and a substantial stone now replaces the bank that subsided a few weeks ago. The club has still much to do in meeting the heavy financial obligations of its new home. However, enthusiasm ar »d effort are not wanting; for, in August lust, £l5O was forthcoming as a of a bazaar that the club successfully organised. .. . Something in the manner of a noveit 18 being introduced by the member* oi

this enterprising club. November 19 < n. bowlers excursion will be run vy ' boat to the Thames Bowling Club, where 1 a tournament will be conducted. rr sion has been made to include eight) players in rink play. An invitation will i be extended to bowlers of other clubs, who would like to join in the nor el combination of a very P le . as >^ and a real good game of bovrts. The date and further particulars vill dulj be advertised in the columns of THE &l The official opening of the Grey Lvnn Bowling Club is fixed for February - . The club will have ever} detail of its heavy task, in providing a new home, completed. bowling in full swing With one or two exceptions, all the clubs in Auckland will have opened their respective summer seasons foi play by next Saturday, and Labour Day will see tournament play in progress m real earnest. Seven clubs opened under ier> poor weather conditions last . They included Dominion Road Lden dale! Hillsboro’, Mount Kden, Takaouiia and Waitemata. Next Satui day Die following clubs are listed to open—Avondale, Carlton, Devonport, EHerslie. Epsom, Glen Eden Manurewa Maungaturoto, Mount Albert, New Lynn, Onehunga, Ponsonby, Kemueia, Rocky Nook, Stanley, West End and A *Nearly l all the clubs are conducting pairs and rink tournaments on Laboui Dav. Of the open full rink tournaments, nrobablv the moat outstanding in lecent years is the Carlton Labour Day tournament. Twenty-four very strong teams have entered. 1 he^ t winners and runners-up of the Cent!es last Christmas tournament—Clarkson, Coutts Ball. Truscott, and Campbell. Mackay. Cater, Scantlebury nciden - altv. Mr. George Cater is \eij ill at ti e present moment and it is expected that his place in his team will have to be tilled bv a substitute. It is notable that both Jury (Rocky Nook) and Walker ' (Auckland), the winners and runners-up . respectively, of this event last year have entered teams. It will probably be re- ’ membered that Jury won this touina- : ment after a most brilliant recovery and > brought his team home to victory with . ,?st bowl. Several other teams are > worthy of interest. They include • Barter Gladding, W. Coltman, A. Colt- ) ®, an . French, Rolfe. Rowbottom, Tor- ’ mnee; Edmunds. Wrightson, Warren, 1 Hoskings; Bates, Buxton, Mclntyre, Clarke; McNab, Casey. Kllgour. Sneddon. The result of this contest should cerminlv be watched with closest Interest. 5 Other clubs are conducting open ■ rink tournaments on ‘ t Vheso include Edendale, Ellerslie. Ept Zam Mount Albert, New Lynn, Otahuhu - Rawhiti. Rocky Nook, Takapuna and - "cluTrink tournaments are fixed for v Avondale, Devonport, Dominion Road, n Onehunga. Auckland a Pairs tournaments at AucKiana d Hemuera and Mangere. e i- OFFICIAL OPENINGS _ Tt is to be commended that this yeai ' there is a distinct tendency even on th< u part of the larger clubs to curtail lav ■ n ish expenditure on the official opening: a of bowling clubs. In the past, whei * there were fewer clubs in existence am ' the official openings were thereby con V fined to a small number in the city, 1 Jf was the occasion for much entertain

ment of many visitors. At the present time, with some twenty clubs within a radius of a mile or so, scattered throughout Auckland, there is no novelty in this entertainment. As a matter of fact, with so many clubs in ex- : istence, it is a matter of wonder that there are many men available, tvho have , not been drawn into the ranks of the , sport. Certainly the opportunity is afforded almost at everyone’s door to join the club in the next street —they are so numerous. Moreover, it has been rightly stressed on more than on one occasion that because of this modern growth in clubs, the novelty of the big feature opening day has gone. In fact, it has been recommended to existing presidents that it is only needlessly maintaining a standard of entertainment, which makes it ever increasingly difficult for future presidents to follow. Now that a definite stand has been taken in this direction, it might be a guide in future years that all clubs could reasonably open their respective greens without unnecessarily broadcasting so many needless invitations as in the past. It can be advanced that, during the season, there are full and ample opportunities for the entertainment by the clubs without needlessly pressing on the good nature of the incoming presidents. Such functions it must be admitted are time-honoured, but they certainly have now outlived their usefulness. THE DENISON PINS It is customary for the donor of these pins—Mr. Walter Denison —to occasionaly take out a team and try his bowling strength in annexing them for his club —the Dominion Road. However, last week his luck was out. The holders had an easy win. The results were:— Blakey, Jenkins, Inglis, Blanchard Epsom) 23, v. Truman, Brown, Denison. Ramsay (Dominion Road) 15. The final of the recent mid-week tournament at Mount Eden resulted in a win for the home team:—Harris, Farrow, Russell, Frame 22, v. Miller, Brittain, Kilgour, Gordon 17. Frames’s team made a wonderful recovery from a very , bad position. They richly deserved their , win. 'Deep sympathy is expressed on all ’ sides at the loss sustained by Sir Wil- ' liam Brunton while in Auckland in the ’ death of his wife, Lady Brunton. It ! was unfortunate that this deep shadow * passed over Sir William Brunton's life ' while on his visit to Auckland.