AWAROA BOWLING CLUB

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 3 July 1914, Page 5

AWAROA BOWLING CLUB

Minutes of the Anuual Meeting of the Awaroa Bowling Club, held at Helensville on Thursday, June 18th, 1914: —

Present: Messrs A. Bishop (in the chair), Walters, Smith, Hammond, Strange, V. Phillips, H, Phillips, Cullens, Reylands, Hill, Booth, Ooutts, and Field (hon. secretary).

The report and balance sheet, as read, were adopted.

The election of officers resulted is follows : Patron, Mr Gordon Coates, M.P. ; president, Mr D. Stewart ; vice-presidents, Messrs Bishop, Geo. Niccol, Walters. Murray, J. Stewart, Kay, Mclndoe. Alex. Bell. Murphy, W. F. Sandin, Becroft, T. McEwin, E, H. Cucksey, Dr Meinhold : green superintendent, Mr F. W. Strange ; secretary and treasurer, Mr E. T. Field ; hon. auditor, Mr E. Stringer ; committee, Messrs Hill. Booth, Walters, Coutts! V. Phillips, Hammond, H. Phillips, Keylands, Smith, Cullens, L. L. Bayley, Gallagher, with Mr Bishop as chairman.

•Votes of thanks were acoorded Mr D. Stewart (president), Mr Strange (green superintendent), and Mr Field (secretary) for the work they have done; also to Mr Stringer for his services as auditor, and Mr Hopmeir for his gift of hedge plants.

Mr D. Stewart was elected a life member.

A number of new members were elected, and /i vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.

ANXUAL REPORT

Gentlemen, —Your committee have to report that the affairs of the Club are now in a satisfactory condition. Iv the spring we suffered the misfortune of a spell of very hot weather arriving before the grass sown on the green had been sufficiently established to withstand it. At the same time weeds, particularly docks, showed themselves quite capable of living and even flourishing under adverse condition?, and weeds, not grass, had possession of the " g.een." The severity of the drought also caused large cracks to opra in the ground. Your committee made an attempt to' improve the green by having it weeded and a sum of £4 14s 6d was expended in tbe attempt. On finding' the condition of the green hopeless, it was decided to hoe up the whole of the surface and topdress. Accordingly, our president, Mr D. Stewart, set to work, and at his own expense, with his own. labour and a couple of men hired by him at his own expense, hoed the whole green up repeatedly, as often as weeds appeared, and then when the time arrived prepared sufficient soil to topdress the green to a dapth of fully two inches, doing the. whole, except I the final thin coating, entirely himj self or at his own expense. Mr F. W. Strange, our green superintendent, then kindly came forward and took charge of the final coating of top-dressing and sowing, and with Mr D. Stewart's assistance completed the laying down of the green. The grass is now well up, and your committee has every hope that early in the ensuing season the Club will be in a position to open upon a really first-class green. Your committee feel that the very best thanks of the Club are due to the president and green superintendent for the enormous amount of time and attention, as well as solid hard work, they have devoted to the formation and the re-formation of the green. Your committee contemplated with a good deal of uneasiness the absolute necessity of incurring heavy expense in the direction of providing a pavilion for the use of the Club, and of planting a hedge or other protection around the grounds. They also foresaw further expenditure, also really necessary, in to some extent beautifying the grounds outside of the green itself. But Mr D. Stewart (our president) again came to our assistance. He has removed the fence (which, by the way, he erected for us gratis) to a distance of lift further back on one side, aud has there built a pavilion for our use, and has planted a hedye around the grounds and laid clown grass and ornamental borders iijxm the margins of the green.

From first to last Mr Stewart has given to the. Cluh services the value of which it is hard to estimate. Mr licpuieier (not at present a member) is t'> he thanked f^r a donation of hedge plants. —We are, gentlemen, \ours faithfully (for the committee), A. Bishop, Vice-President E. Tir.uiu.ow FiEtiO. Secretary.