That is a similar trend state wide and there is a growing concern about the future of the sport.

But the bowling fraternity will be staggered to know exactly how much is paid to the association, now called Bowls NSW, through the $43 annual affiliation fee.

This year 2895 bowlers registered from Zone 8, providing a $124,485 windfall for the state’s governing body.

Some bowlers query what they are getting for their money.

A decision not to home deliver the state’s monthly bowls magazine to bowlers had heightened the criticism.

That followed moves to revamp some zone boundaries that would have decimated the Southern Slopes district.

A meeting of district delegates at a zone meeting in Wagga last Saturday was told state president Vince Beard, from Wagga, had been assured there would be no changes to his home zone.

He made that commitment at president’s days held at Temora and Wagga.

Former Zone 8 president Pat McCarten suggested Bowls NSW should be asked how much was spent on the boundaries review.

The Southern Slopes district celebrates its 80th anniversary later this year.

Each district from the zone will be invited, with the format for the celebrations yet to be finalised.

A decision was made at the meeting that zone championships later this year would be held at Tumut.

Tumut, along with Wagga RAFC and Wagga RSL, applied to hold the event.

But Wagga RSL was ruled out because it hosted them last year.

Strangely, zone president David Cassidy rather than a district delegate, voted that Tumut be given the titles.

It was a close vote, but Cassidy, along with former Wagga district president and zone vice-president Bob Warner, voted in favour of Tumut.

Tumut had the championships four years ago.

It is about 10 years since Wagga RAFC has held them.

But an argument advanced against Wagga RAFC was that it had hosted many of the other major events held in the zone.