BOWLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1915, Page 7

BOWLING.

NEW PLYMOUTH STARTS PLAY. The town green was opened for play yesterday, for the first time this season. There was a good muster of players, and though the afternoon was somewhat damp, play was enjoyable. The formal opening of the green win not take place till next month. FITZROY. THE LIQUOR QUESTION During the afternoon tea adjournment at Fitaroy green yesterday, the question of whether alcoholic liquor should be provided for visitors on the opening day. As the general feeling was that in this exceptional time of stress it would be inadvisable to spend money on luxuries, but rather to raise as much help as possible for our wounded soldiers, it was decided unanimously not to follow tl|e usual custom of dispensing liquor on the opening day.

HAW'ERA GREEN OPENED. The formal opening of the HaweraGreen took place on Wednesday, when there was a large muster of visitors. The usual match between the president's and the vice-president's teams took place, the total scores for the president being 120, and for the vice-president 175. The, president, Mr. 'Parkinson, welcomed the visitors, and remarked that this was the twentieth year of the club's existence. To mark that occasion, and the good services rendered to the club by Mr. Syme, the president stated that Mr. Syme had been elected a life-member of the chib, and an illuminated certificate to that effect was presented to Mr. Syme, who expressed his appreciation of the honor conferred upon him. Three hearty cheers were given for Mr. Syme. The viators' pleasure was enhanced by afternoon tea, and Mr. Patterson (Manaia), expressed the thanks of the vistors for their entertainment.

NOTES. Up to the present, the Patea club ihas elected seventeen new members this season. The green is now opn for practice, and the official opening is fixed for Wednesday, October 13. .The Waverley Club's official opening takes place on Saturday, Oct. 9. Bowl-testing is now being carried on at Auckland, Wellington, and Christehurdi, as well as at Dunedin, and there are no complaints from any of these centres. Now that the green test has had a practical trial throughout the Dominion it is evident that it 'has proved the right thing, The relative strength of centres as disclosed in the second annual report of the Dominion Association is interesting. Auckland Centre is far and away the strongest, Dunedin second, and Wellington a close third. Following are the figures:—

Centres. clubs. Mbrs. Auckland 32 jgS!) South Auckland 10 901 Taranaki ~; n 537 Wanga.Suii 8 53S Manavvatu ...-.-,.,.,.,, 9 4Gfi Wairarapa ~....- 5 244 East Coast •.-..... 12 731 Wellington 17 H(j3 Christchureh 20 1000 South Canterbury , 0 314 North Otago ..'. ..... 3 I4j) Dunedin ' 20 118.5 South Otago ~,, 7 237 Otago Central 5 105 Southland 17 oil Nelson and Marlborough 8 470 West Coast 4 240 This gives a grand total of 10,825, of which the North Island furnishes 0439, and the South Island 4386. There has been an increase of five clubs as compared with last year, but a decrease of 87 in membership,