Newsletter No 6 - October 2nd 2011
 

Plural Membership – a word of warning. 

Being an Umpire is an interesting job in that, as well as assisting bowlers with tricky little measures on the green, we get asked a wide variety of questions, adjudicate on little problems, and most intriguing of all, we get to hear of interesting issues involving various clubs and their members. 

One such issue has just been brought to my attention - that of plural membership and the offer of ‘cheap’ subscriptions by the second Club.  Some people seem to have been misinformed about some of the regulations surrounding plural memberships. 

According to the Rules and the Constitution of Bowls New Zealand, a person can belong to two clubs.  Right so far.  If they want to play in each Club’s Championships then I understand that the rules of each Club would require them to be fully paid up financial members of each club.  This means that the Capitation Fee MUST be paid by each Club for that member. 

If what I hear is correct, and this has been confirmed to me by several sources, that members of one Club are being enticed to join a second Club with reduced subscriptions being ‘offered’  - because the second Club is not paying their Capitation Fee.

Be wary - very very wary.   This is NOT allowed. 

Every Club MUST pay capitation Fees on ALL their members, regardless of whether the bowler has already had a Capitation Fee paid by the first Club. 

I have heard that the logic being applied by the second Club is something along the lines – Well, it’s already been paid by their original Club.   

Sorry – wrong. The second Club cannot get away with not paying the Capitation Fee. Membership returns to BNZ are perused and if a winner came through from the second Club and was not on the return then all sorts of problems for the whole Club may occur, with possible instructions to their Centre from BNZ not to accept any entries from that Club. 

So if you decide to play for a second Club, and through your naturally good bowling skills you progress through to win their Championship in a discipline, and your Capitation Fee has not been paid by the second Club, it may be a hollow victory that leads nowhere.  

I hope this clarifies the matter of Capitation Fees. If you have any questions or wish to discuss it further please contact me. 

Peter Turnbull
Chair: Regional Umpires Development Team
Bowls New Zealand Umpires Committee Member. 
 

Paddy shouts frantically into the phone, "My wife is pregnant and her contractions are only two minutes apart!"

"Is this her first child?" asks the Doctor.

"No", shouts Paddy, "this is her husband!"

Melamine - is used to make lawn bowls
Composed of nitrogen, carbon and hydrogen, melamine was invented in the 1830s by a German scientist and came into fashion as a material used to make plastics and laminates in the late 1930s. When combined with formaldehyde and exposed to extreme heat, melamine creates a moldable material that, when cooled, is virtually unbreakable.

If you have ever wondered how bowls are made watch this short video (you need broadband)
Click the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auDtAau4Szw
 

COACH - DELIVERING A BOWL
Place anchor foot (R foot if a right hander) on centre of mat pointing along delivery line
Place lead foot (L foot) adjacent and parallel to anchor foot
Feet are hip-width apart and weight evenly distributed
Shoulders and hips square to the intended line
Body relaxed and upright
Anchor foot remains on mat during delivery
Most of the weight transfers to the lead foot as you step out to bowl

·       Arm follows along intended line of delivery with palm to heaven and head still

·       Lock the wrist and elbow 

·       Left forearm (or hand) slides down left thigh

·       Stay low during delivery with body moving forward after you release the bowl 

·       Transfer weight to front foot

Paddy goes to the vet with his goldfish

"I think it's got epilepsy" he tells the vet.

Vet takes a look and says "It seems calm enough to me".

Paddy says, "I haven't taken it out of the bowl yet".

QUESTION: Last weekend the umpire had to use a long tape measure to see if the jack was the correct minimum distance. What is the shortest legal distance from the centre front of the mat to the jack?   (a) 19m   (b) 21m   (c) 23m   (d) 25m 

Law 23        Improper delivery of the jack

The jack has been improperly delivered if it comes to rest less than 23 metres from the mat line after the jack has been centred

A Catholic priest and a nun were taking a rare afternoon off and enjoying a round of golf.

The priest stepped up to the first tee and took a mighty swing. He missed the ball entirely and said "Shit, I missed."

The good Sister told him to watch his language.

On his next swing, he missed again. "Shit, I missed."

"Father, I'm not going to play with you if you keep swearing," the nun said tartly..

The priest promised to do better and the round continued.

On the 4th tee, he misses again. The usual comment followed.

Sister is really mad now and says, "Father John, God is going to strike you dead if you keep swearing like that."

On the next tee, Father John swings, misses the ball again and says "Shit, I missed."

A terrible rumble is heard and a gigantic bolt of lightning comes out of the sky, striking Sister Marie dead in her tracks.

And from the sky comes a booming voice ......

"Shit, I missed."