BOWLING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3109, 4 January 1911, Page 8

BOWLING.

(Notes by “JACK.”) The past week lias been an exceptionally busy one amongst bowlers, as every day a fair number on both greens putting in hard practice for the forthcoming tournament. Several good games have been played, and the keen greens have .added much to the improvement of play all round. This has been more noticeable on the Gisborne Green, for the simple reason that the green is playing better now than it has been all the season. The handicaps for the Singles and Pairs to be played on the Gisborne Green has just been posted up, and dissatisfaction has been expresed by a great many of the bowlers with regard to the system of handicapping. It is quite justfiable too, because all the scratch men have got for a partner a first year player. No matter how good a skip may be, it is impossible for him to win matches practically on his “own” against two medium playing bowlers. Surely a better system could be introduced, which would give satisfaction all •round. It seems a big mistake to accept entries from the colts for the Pairs and Singles handicaps, as, in the opinion of many, they should' have a competition of their own. Maj' the opinion be expressed that it- won’t happen again. All the tournament rinks are putting in hard practice, and on Wednesday morning the four Gisborne rinks played against each other, with the result that some very interesting play was to be seen. Craig met Ponsford, and the former won by eight points. Eure and Hennessy( as substitute for Greig) tried conclusions, and Eure won by the narrowest possible margin. Grieg has only been able! to play for his team in one match, when he then won from Ponsford.

The Turanganui Green was visited by a couple of rinks from the Gisborne Club on Monday, when two splendidly contested games took place. J. J. Martin who is to skip Turanganui at the Tournament was unable to be present, but his place was taken by T. A. Crawford. Ponsford had his full tournament team, and managed to gain a victory by four points. The other Gisborne team, skipped by Hennessy, were not so' successful, a they suffered defeat by eleven points. In glancing over the handicap pairs which have just been issued by the handicapper of the Turanganui Club, one cannot but- express the opinion that they have been well thought out and analysed. It would be a vei-v difficult matter to try to “pick the winner,” as all seem to have a fair chance of winning. How is this for an old club. The 611th season( of which there is a. record l kept) of the Southhampton Bowling Green has just closed. No wonder it is called the good old game! The Queen . City is in the proud position of being the first in the Dominion to play the record number' of players in the forthcoming N.B.A. Tournament. There will be 98 full rinks and 144 pairs, and (according to an exhcange) all can be accommodated within a radius of seven miles. The draw for the N.B.A. (says the “Observer”) will take place in Auckland, so that the local reps, may be present. A nice idea. The skips are always recognised by the N.B.A. officials. The N.B.A. entertainment committee have decided that there will be no liquor tickets. Afternoon tea and lunch only having engaged their attention. The following parpagraph has been taken from an Auckland exchange: Rocky Nook is to be lit up with electric light for night play. Some think this is over-stepping the limit. The argument is that the charm that is attached to bowls will be completely stamped out. Again, that the damp grass will add to the many troubles that flesh is heir to, and that the great wear and tear of the turf will permanently injure it. However, there is nothing like trying. Probably the green may be roofed in before the winter, so that no lost time may happen. Other greens are notorious for late play, and 1 luminous jacks are about to- be introduced. At a big gathering of bowlers, and their wives, sweethearts and sisters, Mr Kingswell, M.L.A. of West Australia, gave vent to his feelings like this: “Ladies and gentlemen, where this bowling green now stands some years ago it was nothing but scrub, but now we behold it covered with human flowers.” During the Christmas and New Year holidays, bowlers in different parts in the Colony have been busy in tournament play. In the North Island, the principal tournaments, have, of course, been in the large centres —Auckland and Wellington, and, from tire files to hand, play all round has been of a high standard, therefore our local men will have to look to their laurels when they take part in the coming North Island Championship. The Auckland Provincial-Bowling Association's Christmas carnival completed one stage of the proceedings on Friday, the pennant match (champion fours) being decided. Actional play was finished on Thursday, and the winners of six sections played two rounds of semifinals and a final on the Auckland green. Five city and one country team (Sampson’s, of Waihi) were left in the semifinals, and some keen bowling resulted. The final was fought out between a Ponsonby Club four, skipped by Maxwell Walker, and an Auckland OTub four, skipped by Tyler. Maxwell Walker’s four won by 22 points to 12, after a keenly contested game, which was only won on the 19th head. Last season the pennant was ’won by a Hamilton Club four, skipped by Fookes. The team defended the title this tournament, but were beaten in sectional play. The winning four has played exceptionally well throughout the tournament, .and they were the only section winners who did not suffer a loss. Maxwell Walker, who skipped the team in place of the nominated skip (J. Veale), who played third, has earned the admiration of all bowlers by his consistent play in all departments of the game. This is the first occasion on which the pennant has been won by the Ponsonby Club. The Auckland tournament this year has made good progress, despite the very much larger entries. This is due in a measure to the excellent organisation of the association, hut is also contributed to by the excellent- weather conditions of the week. The greens are very keen ,and as a result some excellent bowling has been witnessed. A prominent Tasmanian bowler, who •has just returned from a visit to the Old Country, states that what struck him most forcibly was the manner in which composition bowls were ousting the lignum vitae in public favor. Here b- the manufactured article does not seem id to be making any very remarkable headA way, and it will be many a long day before the woods are laid aside.