BOWLING NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVII, Issue 9, 8 December 1926, Page 6

BOWLING NOTES.

THE OROUA CLUB. (By “Trundler.”) If the enthusiasm of its members is any criterion —and in bowling it certainly should be—then the new Oroua Bowling Club at Feilding is assured of success. Its opening day on Saturday was a most enjoyable function. Immediately on arriving the visitors were warmly welcomed by a group of members headed by the president, Mr E. Goodbehere, and secretary, Mr S. Fowler, who attended to their requirements in a praiseworthy manner. The club has an excellent nroperty situated off Denbigh street which, it was hard to believe, was less than a year ago a paddock. Its transformation is just another instance of what enthusiasm and energy can do. The green played much better than was expected, drawing freely and with a fair measure of accuracy, lor it must bo remembered that the initial years in a green’s life are often the most troublesome. But, under Mr George Saywell, the club’s custodian, the green has been well and truly laid, and the club should nave little to fear regarding the future. The surroundings have been nicely laid out in paths and flower beds, while the pavilion, built by voluntary labour, is roomy and should meet the club’s needs for several years. In the course of his address at the function Mr Goodbehere paid a whole-hearted tribute to the enthusiasm of the members which had resulted in their well-appointed grounds and pavilion. In deploring tho death of Mr W. G. Haybittle, one of Feilding’s oldest settlers and one who had supported the formation of the new club, Mr Goodbehere took his audience back to the days when bowling was in its infancy on this coast. A foundation member with Mr Haybittle of the Feilding Club, he spoke of the formation of this club over thirty years ago when the only bowling green between Wellington and Wanganui was that of the Palmerston North Club in Lombard street, now only a memory to bowlers. What strides,tho game has made since then can well be pictured ; to-day Johnsonville, Plimmerton, Otaki, Levin, Shannon, Foxton, Bulls and-Marton have their bowling clubs, Palmerston North five and Feilding two. For the outlay involved there is no more popular summer pastime in New Zealand to-day than bowls.

Tlio opening games wero restricted to sixteen lieads but were none the less pleasurable. Whether by accident or design is not known, hut the representatives of the oldest club in the centre were pitted against the president’s rink of the infant club and in a rather low scoring game the former were seccesstul. The hospitality of the Or qua players was fittingly recognised at conclusion by Mr J. H. Perrett (Bulls), Mr A. F. Wimsett (Centro and Palmerston North Club) and Mr J. Herdman (Feilding). Mr Wimsett, who had been thanked by Mr Goodbehere for the assistance he had given the new club, urged its members to closely guard their finance —the bugbear of all clubs —while Mr Herdman assured the Oroua players of the hearty co-opera-tion of his fellow club lmwlers, a statement which was loudly applauded. The presence of members of tho new club in competitions and tourneys will be viewed with pleasure. THE DIXON CUP. Of late years the Palmerston North Club has not enjoyed a run of sue-, cesses in cup competitions such as marked its efforts some years ago, so that the success of the team which played Shannon for the Dixon Cup and Tucker Badges on Saturday was well received.. Tho club had made several efforts to again win this cup but had not been successful, though last season a match at Woodville was only lost on tho last head of a keenly fought game. If the writer is not at fault the late W. JoHy skipped the last Palmerston North Club rink to win the cup, but it lost the trophy a week later to a Pahiatua rink skipped by Dr. Paterson, who won the game with his last bowl. NOTES. The Shannon Club commenced the season in auspicious manner, winning both the Dixon and Malison and Barr Cups, besides another trophy for competition among “down the lino” clubs. Terraco End play the holders for the Manson and Barr Cup on Saturday. Northern Club were successful last Wednesday in the Ainslie Shield matches, outplaying the Palmerston North Club teams in both, games. On paper, tho defeated teams appeared to be tho stronger, but it was another instance of the uncertainty of bowls. The first gala day of the season was held on Saturday on tho Terraco End green and the programme diawn up provides for matches on tho Palmerston North and Eoxton greens (today) ; Feilding and Northern (on Saturday) ; Dannovirko (next Wednesday) and Manawatu (on December 18th). ' A recent issue of the Birkenhead News, published in the North of England, gives particulars of tho draw in a £IOOO handicap. Tho total entries for this competition amounted to close on 0500. Parramatta Club (N.S.W.) lias had only five'presidents during tiro fortyeight years of its existence. Clubs forming tho Victorian Bowling Association now number 153 —69 in Melbourne and suburbs and 84 in the country.