ON THE GREEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 362, 24 May 1928, Page 10

ON THE GREEN

Bowls and Bowlers

ONE ON THE JACK “Oh, this is a perfect g.reen. Just watch me place one on the jack. You can play bowls on this green,” was the running fire of exuberant exclamations in appreciative admiration of the Carlton Club’s fine playing surface by Tim. Tracey the other day. This veteran enthusiast was positively revelling in the ideal condition of the excellent winter greens there. Tim. is the proud father of New Zealand’s erstwhile light-weight champion boxe.r, who was defeated for that title by Gault some years ago. At that time young Tim was in the wane of his fighting years, while Gault was at the zenith of his form. At the present time Tim. Tracey, junr., is in New Plymouth teaching the younger fry the “manly art.” Tim., senr., came to Auckland some years ago from the Capital City and received his initiation into the game on the green at the parent club. Although never aspiring to the high honour at the skippers’ end, he is a very fine lead, and one of the steadiest players that the club has in that position. Indeed, he can always be relied upon to place “one on the jack” when the contest ia at its height and reflects in bowls that indomitable spirit that was so evidenced by his son in the boxing ring. AMONG HIS OLD PALS Archie Coltman, the popular past secretary of the Dominion Bowling Council, visited his old club, Carlton, last Saturday. He was up for a few days from Cambridge and welcomed an opportunity to be with his old clubmates again for a roll on the green. THE WELCOME GUEST “Plenty of room for visitors” is the announcement of Mr. Wishart. the secretary of the Carlton Club. “We are not forced to restrict our visitors now we have the new green.” This news will be hailed by many as most welcome. It is an extreme pleasure to play at Carlton at the present time. Despite the wintry weather, the greens are running with mid-summer fastness. It is a rare treat to play on such surfaces. REMARKABLE FORM DISPLAYED A. J. Letham, the holder of the champion singles title for the Ponsonby Club, is displaying amazing form at the present time. On Saturday last, he skipped a team, with the front-rankers, King, Aitchison, Dick, of his club, against Bates, Coltman, Gladding, Sneddon, of Carlton. On the ninth head, the scores were 16-1 in his favour. However, the Carlton men sprung a clean surprise on him then —a full eight—making the scores 16-9 at the afternoon tea adjournment. Detham, well supported by his men. retained his remarkable form, ,

however, and the game ended 27-17. Very often, he drew the shot to bare inches and his splendid farm was the admiration of all on the green. HILLSBORO’S CONTINUED SUCCESS The success that attended Hillsboro's efforts recently is being maintained and even enlarged. On Saturday last, not only was the club successful in retaining the Denison Pins, but added further laurels by annexing the new Jordan Pins. The Denison Pins team was Anderson, Pollard, F. Wilson, R. Sheath, against Mount Albert, Wallace, Gladding, Garlick, Stevens, and the scores were 23-19, while the Jordan Pins team was Thomson, Ward, Goldsmith, Williamson, v. Tattersall, Dunn, Gatword, Hay (Mount Wellington), 22-19. Both were well-fought games. THE EDWIN STARS The Dominion Road Club, with the team Clarke, Kelly, Ramsay and Roberts, was successful in retaining the Edwin Stars on Saturday against the challengers (Ellerslie>, the scores being 24-14. In the early part of the game the Ellerslie men failed to show form, and the lead was easily sustained by the defending team. NEXT SATURDAY'S CHALLENGERS A rather good team comprising W. J. Campbell, G. J. Mackay, C. Muston. P. J. Scantlebury, of Auckland, is the next on the list to contest the Denison Pins; Jordan Pins (Te Papapa). Johnson, Speight, Marks, Bridge; Edwin Stars (Mount Eden), Delamore, Joll, Vivian, Fraser. All these teams should well dispute the present holders’ right to retain the coveted bowling honours, which are so prized in winter bowling in Auckland. A PROGRESSIVE CLUB The Carlton Club is usually the first each successive year to hold its annual meeting. This pleasurable event took place this week. The treasurer brought down the usual balance sheet, which is the envy of all clubs in Auckland. As usual, it shows a remarkably healthy condition of finances. The club paid off the mortgage of £1,200, raised another £2,000, bought and formed a new green costing £1,134, and has a credit balance of* £405 to face the incoming year with. Other clubs are naturally gasping in sheer amazement and are asking ho\/ it is done. There is a big chance of someone stealing the financial wizard of the Carlton Club if this envious state of things continues. Certainly other clubs cannot but glance with the green eye of rank jealousy at such a persistent state of affairs. Mr. W.

Ball is to be heartily congratulated on such a successful year during the term of his presidency.

A TREASURE OF A TREASURER With. few exceptions, treasurers appear to be hard, unimaginative persons, of the purely mathematical type of mind, who usually display little initiative, but, whose dismal auty appears to be solely to place the yard st.icK of hard figures over optimistic proposals for advancement, and with infinite pains and accuracy, measure, with exasperating care, the purse strings of the respective organisations to which they belong. Having done this, they coldly pronounce, yea or nay; and everyone concerned holds a breath and breathes accordingly. It’s a dismal calling—purely a matter of mind and not of heart. It breeds an unelastic outlook. But there are, fortunately, exceptions to every rule —the gem shining out with exceeding brilliance from the dross —the treasurer of treasurers. And the Auckland Bowling Centre has that person in A. H. Yeoman. Arthur, as he is familiarly called by all his intimates, does not confine himself, solely, to the doleful duties of his office. He delves into every angle of the work of that fine administrative body in bowling with the utmost zest. Indeed, he is a great acquisition to the sport in Auckland. Arthur Yeoman first joined the ranks of bowling in 1910 at the Dominion Road Club. The same year he was elected to the office of secretary of that club, and has with the exception of the year that he was president there, continued in that office ever since. Ten years ago he was elected to an executive position on the Auckland Bowling Centre, and six years ago took up the duties of treasurer there, and on the last two occasions when the Dominion Bowling Council was situated in Auckland, he carried out similar duties for that body. ARTHUR YEOMAN’S IDEALS Arthur Yeoman says “Keep some of the old ideals in the sport; make it a common meeting ground for men to foregather on to Lave a good time; don’t let the competitions take full charge. If this advice is followed then the game on the green will have nothing to fear.” And for this ideal he works hard and long. The inter-club pennant competition, the arrangement for which he is largely responsible, he contends, is taken too seriously by the clubs. It should be entered as a huge friendly inter-club fixture only. The responsibility for its success rests with the clubs. It is for the entrants to justify the inter-club pennant competition’s existence and continuation. A COSTLY GREEN While the formation of the Auckland Club’s new green cost something in the region of £1,600 comparative figures for a similar proposition at Carlton ran only to £202, the huge difference being absorbed by the necessity of shifting some thousands of tons of earth to gain the flat land at Auckland. The obvious lesson to be learned therefrom is to acquire the flat land, if possible, for bowling greens. Some years ago the parent club turned down the acquisition of an extensive flat area in Stanley Street at a purely nominal rental, in favour of their present property, the only excuse being that the latter, was time-

honoured. But if the members were fancy free, as they are at the present time, they would have rushed the Stanley Street proposition, and all that would be seen of them would be a streak of dust made by the rush. The proposition was positively giltedged, and thein, not recognised as such. As it is now the club is compelled to face this huge expenditure with only an optimistic outlook and hope for the best. But without even digging into musty records, it would be safe to assume that it is the most expensive green yet- laid down in the Dominion, if there is any merit in that. KING’S BIRTHDAY TOURNAMENT No less than five clubs have announced full-rink tournaments on the King’s Birthday. If the weather holds anything like fair there should be a huge rush of entries. The clubs are Mangere, Hillsboro’, Mount Albert, Epsom and Onehunga. All these greens are running well. CLUBS AND MATCHES Rotorua Singles Title.—The final in the championship singles of the Rotorua Bowling Club was played yesterday between W. Loffley and R. Millen. Loffley played the best game and saved the position on several heads when Millen was holding two and three shots. The game ended: Loffley, 3 9 points; Millen, 10. Two heads were not played. Claudelands Club. —The balance sheet presented at the annual meeting of the Claudelands Bowling Club last evening disclosed a satisfactory condition. The assets of the club totalled £1,003 and the liabilities £BB6. The club’s income amounted to £337, and a profit of £6 18s was shown on the year’s working. The club has a membership of 70. A second croquet lawn was laid down, and the greens generally stood up to the extra play involved by the daylight saving. A tribute was paid to Mr. Clevely for the work he had done as green superintendent. Mr. W. A. Carter had won the club championship, Mr. Clevely the handicap singles, and Mr. H. Coombes had won the junior competition. The following officers were elected: President, Mr. G. Clevely; vice-presidents, Messrs. C. R. B. Speight and B. Bagley; secretary, Air. W. Fraser; treasurer, Air. C. A. Speight; green superintendent, Mr. Clevely; committee, Messrs. J. G. Reynolds, H. M. Baker, A. Hargreaves, C. H. Holloway C. H. Houlden and H. H. Rolfe; auditor, Air. Reynolds; delegates to the South Auckland Centre, Alessrs. Clevely and Fraser.