SPORTS AND CLUBS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5223, 6 January 1928, Page 2

SPORTS AND CLUBS.

PROGRESS IN PAEROA.

ATHLETICS TO THE FORE. Sport, that essential to the success of community life in any town*,' has been well and worthily maintained in Paeroa during the year 1927, and there are probably as mapy sports clulss and smilar institutions in this town as there are m places, nejarly twice the size of Paeroa. By fostering and encouraging sport manhood and manly ideals .are developed, and the town made a happier and better place in which to live.

Although qu'te a lot has been done for school football by the parent unions, still more might be done, and more interest displayed by the public. The schoolboy ofl to-day is the senior player.of to-moirow, and u" . less schoolboys are helped and encouraged the outlook for football in the future cannot be over bright. It cannot be said that over-eagerness was shown last 'Season when it came, to financing the Thames Valley Primary Schools team’s trip to Hamilton, to defend the Northern Roller Mills Shield. However, sufficient money was raised to enable the boys to tour, and worthy honours were brought to the district by the team again winning the coveted shield, for the sec-, ond time in succession;

During the year just ended this, town can claim to have worthily upheld the true traditions of sport in its various clubs. The Dominion’s premier game—Rugby—has, as is usjual, held its own, and the various competitions were entered into, with zest. The knock-out round at the conclusion of the union’s fixtures last season brought a new team into the field. Composed of- past Rugbyites, the Veterans Club was formed, the ■members including several prominent district footballers. This club took the field against teams that had been playing actively during the season, and ended up by winning the; Drysdale Cup. The, competition for the Sprague Shield, between the Railway, Pubic Works, and Power Board teams, also provided some Interesting contests, and the; trophy was finally won by the Public Works team. The Thames Valley Rugby Union’ Was, unable; to send a team on tour last seaspin, although a match was played at Rotorua against the Bay of Plenty team. The Thames Valley team also played matches against King Country, Waikato, and , Auckland. The, Poland Memorial Cup and Sharebrokers’ . Cup inter-union matches, provided . interesting football, and were the mainstay of Rugby attractions in the district. GOLF CLUB. The Paeroa Golf Club has made good progress, and the membership shows a satisfactory increase. This state can be attributed to a certain extent to the fact that at the club’s annual meeting in March it was decided to suspend the payment of an entrance fee for new members.BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION. The local Basketball Association, with' a steadily increas’ng member-, ship, enjoyed a very successful year, and won a number of the district trophies. ' . CRICKET CLUB. At the; annual meeting of the Paeroa Cricket Club in September it was found that the membersh'p ’ had increased to such an extent that it waspossible to field two elevens. Application was made for affiliation to the Waihi Association, but owing to that body not being able to handle any additional teams in its competitions the local club again affiliated with the Piako Association and. put two teams —A and B—in the field. The third round of the competition commences, to-morrow, and tlie position of the teams at the end of the season is quite open at the present juncture.

TENNIS CLUB. ' Tlie Paeroa Lawn Tennis. Club opened its season on October. 22 in perfect we;ather and in the presence of a large and representative gathering of players. Already several enjoyable inter-club matches have, been played, the local players meeting with varying success. ’On September 21 delegates from Thames, Hikutaia, Paeroa, and Te Aroha met at Paeroa and thq question of forming a tennis association was discussed. The outcome of the conference was the birth of the Thames- Valley Tenn ! s, Association, with headquarters at Te Aroha for the present season. Affiliat’on has been accepted by the N.Z. Tennis Council, and the game has received a good impetus in the district as a result of the association’s efforts. BOWLING CLUB.

The Paeroa Bpwling Club has received good support, and. the new members elected more than balance the resignations of old members. A keen president and secretary and a good committee see to it that the club’s picturesque green is fully availed of and affords, pleasure for •everyone. With the advent of the daylight saving scheme the night, bowling has been somewhat reduced, but quite often the click of the lignum vitae can be, heard during the cool of the evening. The club’s competitions have bee,n very well supported this season, and are well, advanced. A number of keenly contested inter-club games have been played. CROQUET CLUB.

Set in ideal surroundings, the lawns of tlie Paeroa Ladies’ Croquet Club afford the members, many hours of pleasure. Although never very much in the public eye,, the club is a pros--perous one comprised of enthusiast’© members, who get the greatest pleasure out of their game. LADIES’ HOCKEY CLUB.

Again the Paeroa Ladies’ Hockey Club enjoyed a successful season and played a large number of inter-club matches. This club has been granted a permanent playing area in the domain, and is in the, fortunate position of having one of- the finest fields in the district. ATHLETIC. The town has a decided asset in its Athletic Club, and congratulations are due to its secretary and organiser,

Mr K. L. Slyfleld, and his officers for the manner in which the club’s affairs have been conducted. By the il> augural sports meeting in 1926 Paeroa was placed prominently before the athletic world, and when the 1927 meeting w,a& held it attracted some ofl the leading athletes of the province and was an unqualified Centrally situated, the domain is <5 ideal, place for the holding of athletic erings, and it is 'hoped that the club will continue along progressive lines and make the 1928 meeting bigger, brighter and better than ever. HAURAKI A. & P. ASSOCIATION. The 29th annual show of the Hauraki A and P. Association was held at the domain on December 8, and, favoured with fine weather, was an unqualified success. A new departure was the holding of a one-day show, which, by the enthusiasm and cooperation of the officials proved that the change was not a retrograde step. The one-day show meant a busy day for officials and exhibitors, but there were ample attractions all day to hold the attention of the public. BEAUTIFYING SOCIETY. This society, comprising as it does a faithful few, has done good -work again during the year. The new work undertaken was the planting of liquid amber trees along both Slides of Wood and Victoria Streets arid also along portion of Nahum Street/ Grass plots have, also been laid out in Wood Street, which is now one of the prett’est streets in the borough. Woefully handicapped by the, lack of funds, and through not receiving the. recognition it should from the public, the society has not been able to undertake much new work. However, a creditable endeavour has been .made to inainta. n existing flower plots and areas near the Arney Street corner and ,at the old railway station site. The work o( equipping the children’s playground is well in hand, and much prelim nary work has been accomplished. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. During the latter half of 1927 the Paeroa Chamber of Commence had adopted rather a somnolent attitude, and little has been heard of it. The Chamber lent its weight to the bringing about of desirable arid progressive changes in post and telegraphic matters during the year, and also interested itself in the question of finding employment for some married men regid’ng at Karangahake, but it can hardly claim to have; had a very busy year. SCHOOL COMMITTEE. The year has been an exceptionally busy one for the members ofl the' Paeroa District High School Committee. In addition to erecting and equipping the dental clinic, the committee has been instrumental in having all the playgrounds tarred and sanded, . a record amount of painting done pn the school buildings, and tree-planting operations and other progressive undertakings carried out. ’ ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY. The Ohinemuri Acclimatisation Society has worked along quietly during" the year. Both fish and game licenses have been taken out freely, and good sport has been obtained with both rod and gun. The society’s activities were hampered somewhat during the year owing to the difficulty in obtaining trout fry for liberation. The Auckland Society was able to supply a limited amount only, owing to reservations. being made for the stocking of the ne,w lake formed at the Arapuni hydro-electric works. ' During the year the local, society was flavoured with a visit frpm the Auckland Society’s chief ranger, who delivered an interesting address on acclimatisation matters in the Auckland province. OHINEMURI JOCKEY CLUB. The Ohinemuri Jockey Club continues to progress, satisfactorily. Last year the, club was particularly unfortunate in regard to the state of the weather on the second day of the annual meeting. The town was full of visitors, and everything promised well for a successful concluding day. The torrential rain, however, necessitated the; racing being postponed from the Saturday until, the Monday. By then the conditions had improved, but no doubt the forced postponement had an adverse effect on the attendance). Further improvements are; being effected to the club’s property on Thames Road this year, ,and no efforts are being spared to provide adequately for the comfort and convenience of turf patrons GENERAL. Other .institutions, such as the Benevolent and Friendly Societies, Ohinemuri Club, and Paeroa Orphans-’ Club, have all done good work in their respective spheres and been nepessary adjuncts to the community life ofl the town and district. With the progress of this yeyir no doubt other clubs and institutions will be formed, and. rumour has already whispered that a move is on foot to establish an amateur operatic society. To all organisations good w shes are. extended for a prosperous and useful 1928.