BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 136, 26 October 1912, Page 7

BOWLING.

Fitzroy open the season next Thursday afternoon. Stratford and Opunake open on November 7. The question of "measuring" has long been one of considerable controversy among bowling enthusiasts and numerous contrivances have been tried at various times to get at some satisfactory method of deciding shots of almost equal value, or, in' other words, a "very line measure." Very often we have seen the different men measuring claiming the shot for their respective side, and many a time when an umpire has been called in. his verdict has been accepted, but the player against whom the verdict went was still of the opinion that he was right. It is claimed by Home files that the "jack cage" (a new device) has at last settled the question. The procedure is as follows:—The "jack cage," a brass stamped skeleton dome, fitted with spikes, is passed over the jack at the end of a round, and securely fixes the jack to the ground. On the top of the dome is a spire, and one end of the measuring string is fitted with an eyelet, ■which is passed over the spire, and tke Mother end is fitted with an adjustablp pointer. The new contrivance can be handled with ease by one person, and a* the height of tne spire is practically horizontal with the big part of the bowl it is possible to obtain a true measurement.

The Australian team were introduced to some ideas which were quite novel to them during their recent tour of the Old Land. One of these was a charge for admission at several of the matches. The question of "a gate" has always been looked upon as something to be avoided by the colonial bowlers, and the majority of players agree that this is just as it should be. To show the popularity of the colonials at Home, it may be mentioned that on two occasions an admission fee of Is was charged, and on another 2s 6d, and notices to the effect that the "green was full" were posted on the gates before the proceedings commenced in each instance. " j

It may be remembered that during the tour of the Sydney bowlers. througlrNew Zealand some six years ago oiit of 27 matches played the visitors only won five. ' Recollections of this recoTffcausics a Sydney writer to remark: "Thic. point of immediate concern to -Au'sttalia is the absolute uselessness of sending anything but a really first-class tbam to Maoriland in the current, or, indeed,, in any other season, if an, ordinary'share of success on the fields of play i*3 to be won. It is very questionable if fowling in any part of the world reaches 4 higher plane than it does in the best X£w| Zealand clubs. Not confined to Wellington, Auckland. Christehurch and Duijedinv.is this commanding excellence. Tbe,. peregrinations of the leisured frayeller through this home of Nature's ;most, fantastic handiwork willprobably,'! lead him through the more remote toiinis and villages, innocent, perhaps, of crkiket. pitches and tennis courts,' but almost invariably the proud possessors of 'a. bcivling green. And' if perchance tfhe traveller be a bowler, or, better still, three or four of him, the hand of welpome.is ever ready. The craft of the (biassed wood has a free-masonry of'its-',o\yn. Much kindness will follow thisdiscovery, but back of it all is a; burning .djpsire to test'the foreign calibre on't]ve,-.lt)cal sward. . The spirit : of"hospit'al]ty rtunboimded in,every other directippi ■gra.jits no quarter on 'the green 'i'tself, |in,<l the wanderer may count ' himself a ■luekj wight or a.skilful man jf he depart without the 'father of a .hiding.' Be it early morning, noon or evening, a warm opposition will speedily be prod'ueed, to accommodate the. invader, and gjjehimja strenuous run. One marvels i.it -'tl)e slender notice necessary to assemble; orte. or more rinks as may lie require*! of ftjie' best talent the town can boast, I Bowls, in very truth, is one, of the. component parts of the New Zealand.atmosjjhere." Rangiora. have ;>. new, iilca/abjout the selection of teams., "The satisfaction given by.Jas't (season's' 'selection committee lias been r'e('ogtiisoc't by their re-appointment. < A. adopted last season of jiosting.tjik.'.na.ines of selected players for matches in alphabetical order, and Hot disclosing ithe personnel of the rinks until the nanies were placed on the scoring boards formed a subject of discussion at the general meeting. The chief reason given for adopting the system was that frequently members whose names were' postedi in the. rinks could not piny, and it fhen| became necessary to rearrange the rinks;, a,process that did 'not always give jsati'sfa'c-' tion. A vote was taken on the question, and by a small majority thV selection committee was authorised ;to continue the system."