PAEROA BOWLING CLUB.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4321, 23 September 1921, Page 2

PAEROA BOWLING CLUB.

PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES About twenty members of the Padroa Bowling Club assembled in the Criterion Hotel dining room last night at a social function, during which the honours of the past season were awarded. Mr W. J. Ellis, president of the Club, presided. Mr Edwin Edwards proposed the toast of the President -of the Paeroa Bowling Club. Mr Ellis had fulfilled the position with credit, and had been associated with the Club since its in-, ception, being alw,ays a keen bowler.-; He won the match at Coromandel by. landing the last bowl of the game in the right place—musical honours. .* Responding, Mr Ellis said he had been a bowler for many years. The ; photograph which Mr Edwards refer-? red tp was taken in 1908* He toil some amusing tales of a contest against a city team. To the local team’s great surprise they .wop all; the games the first day; they beat’ Karangahake next morning and Pae- ? roa during the afternoon. Bowlers? seemed to be more enthusiastic before the war# when there were more inter-club matches. He would like. to see more in,ter-club matches. He? and Mr W. H. Taylor were the only : two who went to the Waihi match? last season; there was more enjoyment in such matches, , where the players were out to win. Mr Ellis.* said he intended tp keep at bowls, • and to become “the daddy of the Club.”—Applause. . 1 . ‘ The following honours were pre-; : sented: " Club Championship—Mr J. Pinder. ; B Grade Championship—Mr E. Moncrief. Brenan Shield —Messrs J. Hubbard, E. Moncrief, Chas.. Olsen, J. Pinder \ (skip). , Pairs Championship—Messrs W. , Grant and Eugene Shaw (Trophies t 0..;, the value of £l, donated by Messrs D. . Leach and Mullis). Christmas Tournament—Messrs W. Power and W. H, Taylor (Trophies valued at si). ; In proposing the toast of the Domain Board, MrM. J. Harris said that about three years ago the mention of the Domain Board was like holding a red rag to a bull, but that stage had happily passed. A year ago the : rent had been increased, but the extra charge was me,t and the Club was in as g'opd a position as ever. Replying, His Worship the Mayor (Mr P. E. Brenan) humorously remarked that he vas glad tp lie able to announce that there would be no increase of charges for the Bowling Club’s use of the Domain this year. Mr W.’ H. Taylor proposed the toast of the two vice-presidents, Mr D. McWatters and Mr F. Wells, making eulogistic . remarks in reference to the good work of these two gentlemen. Replying, Mr Wells hoped the bowlers would roll up better this season. There seemed to be something tacking in the Paeroa Bowling Club ; there was not enough “ginger” in it. Mr McWatters also made an appropriate reply. He hoped the bowlers would take more interest nexc year.

Mr C. Pascoe proposed the toast of the green superintendent, Mr W. Hamilton, paying a high tribute to his work. The state of the green was the most important factor, both to the local players, and .to visitors. Mr Hamilton had done his best, with very satisfactory results. Mr Hamilton, in reply, said he was most pleased when ..he saw all the bowlers at play. Bowlers, as a rule, wer,e the hardest people of all to ’please, but some who had complained of the home green were very, glad to get back on ft again after visiting some other greens. The president commented that Mr Hamilton was top thin-skinned; it was well known that if a bowler played a poor game he was bound to blame it on to the green, and if he played a good game the next day he would swear that jthe green had been rolled in the meantime. (Laughter.). A number of other toasts were duly honoured. Mr W. Turner regretted the disinclination of the Paeroa members to travel to other centres to play. Sergeant-Major Busby, secretary, replied that he had tried to arrange several inter-club matches, but there was always a difficulty of getting conveyances, and .the lack of nominations.

The president remarked that Paeroa owed Waihi a match. Mr W. H. Taylor said it, seemed io him that the Paeroa players did not pull together well enough to achieve signal success; enthusiasm and c‘poperation were essential to make the Club what it once was, the leading Club on the Goldfields. The failure tp go away and meet other bowlers was certainly a weakness, for visiting helped to .engender goodfellowship and the keen spirit of friendly rivalry.

Mr Wilks, in the course of his speech proposing the toast of the Club Champion, said it seemed to him that the old members did not come along often enough. Responding, Mr Pinder said he was always out to win ; he believed also in helping the young players all he could. There were not enough full rinks on the green; members did not practice enough,. He intended this year to devote a trophy to be competed for by those .who had never won a prize, in the hope that it would create more interest.

The toast of the ladies'was proposed by Mr A. G. Cottrell, and responded to by Dr. Smith. Appreciatory references were made to the services of the ladies, especially in regard to the dispensing of refreshments. Recognition of the work of the secretary, Mr Busby, was duly given, with enthusiasm, several members paying tributes to his energies on be- - half of the Club during the past two years. Replying, Mr Busby regretted that his enforced absence from Paeroa during a good part of the season had prevented him from doing as much as he would have liked to have done. Mr Pinder instanced the success a! a club he had belonged to in whichever? member was a member of tho committee.