ON THE GREEN Bowls and Bowlers

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 512, 15 November 1928, Page 13

ON THE GREEN Bowls and Bowlers

By

JACK HIGH

Among Auckland’s busy men whose lives are crammed with activity in civic affairs, and who feel the impelling urge of the game on the green can be placed the name of Mr. J. B. Paterson. Besides taking an exceptionally active part in civic administration, school committee work, Dominion politics, church matters and a busy commercial life, bowling has claimed his attention

over a period of a quarter of a century. But this is not surprising. M.r. Paterson was almost born in an atmosphere of the game on the green. His father, Mr. J. M. Paterson, was a member of the Auckland Club for ivgli on Tialf a century. It was not surprising, therefore, the son should follow in the father’s footsteps and feel in his turn the ifndeniable fascination of bowling. Commencing with the Rocky Nook Club, Mr. Paterson joined with those pioneers of the sport in extending the now many clubs throughout the city’s preciucts, and linked up with the formation of the Rawhiti Club. Fortune did not favour it, however. From its inception Rawhiti has had a bad spin. Many are the tribulations faced. But Mr. Paterson stuck tenaciously to it and has been president there for the past twelve years—probably a record for the Dominion. With the close co-operation of the members and also Mrs. Paterson, it is most satisfactory to note that the club has now “turned the corner ” Mr. Paterson is a typical New Zealander. He has associated himself with most forms of sport. Cricket, Soccer, Rugby, tennis, swimming and running have all in turn claimed his attention. Believing steadfastly that sport is definitely a character builder with the youth of the community, he has earnestly allied himself in the development of school sport for a period of over fifty years. Bowlers had a great disappointment on Saturday last. Then the season was to have commenced in real earnest. The first round of the inter-club pennant competition, absorbing 1,008 players, together with inter-club fixtures and club games, were arranged for that day. Thousands of players climbed into motor and tramcars to take them to the required destinations, while the committees of the respective clubs were early afoot to welcome the visitors and the presidents were primed to do official honours. But the storm that swept the city in the morning unexpectedly developed into torrential rain, and just before the activities were scheduled to commence, the storm was at its height. A hurried consultation took place over the telephone between Messrs. E. B. Wright, P. C. Scantlebury and H. C. Clarke’ the Match Committee of the Auckland Centre, and the huge inter-elub round was postponed until early in March, much to the disappointment of the j waiting bowlers, who had awaited the i day for a real afternoon of bowling enjoyment. ! Tlie delegates to the Auckland ; Centre will hold their annual match ; on November 29. This function, which I T as lnau &urated last season and so thoroughly enjoyed at Hillsborough should prove a real good day of bowling interest. The Auckland members of the New Zealand bowlers recently on tour will also be the guests of the Auckland Centre. The annual match for "the Hardley shield will take place on December 5 Provision is being made for the entertainment of 14 rinks; eight for the Hardley Shield competition and six for an ordinary fixture. Arrangements are being made to accommodate all the rinks on one green this year, instead of dividing the event between two greens as was done last year. At the instajnee of the Dominion Bowling Council, the Auckland Centre is circularising all the clubs here for the purpose of obtaining entries for the annual test match to be played between Australia and New Zealand the first week in January. The names will then be forwarded on to the three appointed selectors, Messrs. Allan Smart, of Taranaki, S. M. Stone, president of the Dominion Bowling Association, and A. J. Benzie, of Christchurch. A much happier and effective procedure would be to await the nominations for the Dominion tournament and select the rinks from them It certainly would be to the advantage of the contest if players knew in whose

company they were playing in rink work. It is hardly believable that the Dominion Council should overlook the primary essential of rink play—com bination. Surely an experienced body such as the Dominion Council should recognise this! There is yet time to do this work properly. The Papatoetoe tournament was again a huge success. One of the features of the tournament was the large number of entries from city clubs. It was to the credit of the club therefore that it supplied the winning rink, which was skipped by the president, Mr. F. H. Hosking. The Public Service pairs tournament will be played on November 30, St. Andrew’s Day. The large number of entries this year makes it imperative to occupy no less than three greens, which in itself speaks volumes for the popularity of this important annual event. The following is the result of the matches played by the New Zealand Bowlers recently on tour:

Games.—6 in favour of team. Points. —20 in favour of team. Considering that the team was purely a touring party and that no proper consideration to the representation of the bowling - strength could be given, the gross result of the play can be considered as a good victory, again demonstrating the high quality qf Dominion bowling. There was no doubt that throughout Great Britain the pick of bowlers there were pitted against the visitors, and the amazing feature is that they should have won at all in the test matches.

The International Bowling - Board includes the following members: C. J. Russell (chairman), Scotland; A. H. Hamilton (secretary), Scotland; W. Paul, Scotland; T. McCrundle, Ireland; T. Barr, Ireland; Major W. Baird, Ireland; H. T. Hutchins, Wales; H. Williams, Wales; Ivor B. Thomas, Wales; Cx. R. Hills, England; E. Dean, England; S. J. Pike, England; J. Walls, Australia; J. W. Hardley, New Zealand. Inclusion is arranged for members from South Africa and Canada. Th© constitution and rules set out the following objects: (a) To arrange the dates of international matches between Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. (b) To arrange tours for Dominion and other bowling teams visiting the United Kingdom, and also teams visiting the Dominions and elsewhere, for matches with constituent clubs or associations, to be played under the laws of the board. (c) To settle all disputes which may arise between the several associations, but the board shall have no jurisdiction over the domestic arrangements obtaining within the separate countries. (d) To uphold the laws of the game as at present adopted, and to make and maintain such alterations and additions from time to time as may appear desirable or necessary. The laws of the Scottish Bowling Association as constituted at the date of formation were adopted by the board. Invitations have been extended on behalf of the Dominion Association by Mr. J. W. Hardley to the Canadian Lawn Bowling Association and the Californian and South Californian Lawn Bowling Associations. It is Quite possible that we will have visitors from these countries ne&t January. If tours cannot be arranged, then it is regarded as certain that during the following season we will see United States and Canadian bowlers in New Zealand for the first occasion. A party of British bowlers will visit South Africa during the present season.

SATURDAY’S MATCHES The following: rinks have been chosen for Saturday’s bowling- matches:— Mount Eden v. Onehunga.—At Onehunga: Delamore, Dignan, Vivian, Walton; Burley, Oatridge, Hull, Surman, Mackenzie, Middleton, Gatenby, Baker; T. Nairn, Rintoul, Bourke, Cornes. The Mount Eden teams will be picked on the green. St. Heliers V. Henderson.—At Henderson: Stevens, Roberts, Watson, Keysr Reid. Thompson, Garrard, Brookfield. At St. Heliers: Le Grice, Bloomfield. Koefoed, Price; Hulse, P. S. White, Knight, Camobell. Against Hillsboi'ough, at Hillsborough: Tyndall. Hunt, Jackson, Wright; Bradley. S. Diamond, P. White. Porter. At St. Heliers: Clark, Lawrence. Norris; J. Diamond: Inglis, Bradshaw, Philin. J. May. Papakura v. Mangere.—At Papakura: T. G. Smith, A. G. Smith, J. Bates, Hammond: Paton, O'Connell. McEntee, Powe. At Mangere: Comford, Dunckley, Rice, McCa’l: Hunt. Robertson. W. Boa gey. G. Boasrey; Dickey. Brendore. Moerford. Leitc-h. First-vear nlavers. at Panakura orlv Mullins. BarteHs. K'vron. MeCallum Hillsborough v. Sr. Heliers. —At St. Heliers: Clark, Thomas, Goldsmith. Sheath. Farland. McMillan. Williamson. Thompson.

P. w. L. Dn. England 31 14 15 Wales .. 9 Ireland . Scotland 20 14 6 Canada . 30 17 3 U.S.A. .. 14 9 5 Extra matches . . 6 5 1 — 110 65 43 2 Matches in favour of team , . 22 Games ir i favour of team .. Points in favour of team . . 737 TEST MATCHES P. W. Ti, Dn, For England 2 1 97 110 Wales .. . . 6 3 a 115 116 Ireland 4 l 99 87 4 i 109 87 Matches.—2: equal.