Opotiki News

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 390, 26 November 1932, Page 6

Opotiki News

GOLF CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS SUBSCRIPTIONS INCREASED (From Our Own Correspondent.) The annual general meeting of the Opotiki Golf Club was held in the Farmers' social rooms on Thursday evening. The annual report and balance sheet were read and adopted. Before retiring Mr. Bunkall, the pre- j sident for the past year, thanlced all i members of the committee and especially the members of the ladies' committee, for their assistance. Officers were elected as follows: — Patron, Mr. E. M. Hutchinson; president, Mr. Semple; vice-president, Mr. A. Bunkall; treasurer, Mr. W. ASmith; secretary, Mr. F. Fisher; com'mittee, J. Kamp, E. Candy, W. W. Upton, C. Black, C. Morris, F. Short and E. Baigent; hon. solicitor, Mr. C. Murray; hon auditor, T. Braae. The following new members were elected: — Mr. J. B. Birkmyer (honorary), Mrs. J. D. Clark and Mr. J. ' Cate, j Mr C. H. Redhead's (the golf course architect) report was then read, and it was decided that the committee should be empowered to adopt those portions of the report which they saw fit. The question of subscriptions and entrance fees for the ensuing year gave rise to considerable controversy. The president said the committee had gone very carefully into the question of probable receipts and expenditure for the ensuing year and had decided that an increase in the subscription and entrance fees was essential. The suggested subscriptions were, men £4 10s, ladies £3, as against three guineas and 35s as in the previous year. Dr. Candy moved, seconded by Mr. Kemp, that the subscriptions be as suggested. Mr. M. Kidd, seconded by Mr. Bai)gent moved as an amendment that the subscriptions be left as before, and that a social committee be appointed to raise funds. Mr. Bunkall pointed out that an assured income was absolutely necessary to carry out the proposed work on the new section of the course and that the method of raising funds by social entertainment would he too certainMr. F. J. Short was in favour of keeping the subscriptions as they were and getting the committee to cut down expenses. He suggested doing away with all visiting and entertaining. He understood that it might be possible to get exemption from paying rates. They could also apply for permission to hold an art union in conjunction with other clubs in the bay. Two other amendments were that the subscriptions, should be raised by half a guinea all round. This was lost. Another that subscriptions should be, ladies three guineas, men four guineas, was withdrawn, and yet another, that the subscriptions should bo ladies £2 10s and men £4, was lost by the casting vote of the president. The original motion that the subscriptions be ladies £3, men £4 10s was then carried. The entrance fee was fixed at 30s. General The meeting decided that prizes for competitions should take the form of orders as before. Mr- H. Roland gave notice of motion for the next general annual meeting that rule 5 should be altered to make the president the chief executive officer of the club instead of the club captain. Annual Report The annual report stated that the numerous entries for the competitions held every Wednesday and Saturday throughout the season showed the keen interest taken by the players, and indicated that the efforts of the ladies' and men's match committees in arranging these competitions were appreciated. Matches with neighbouring clubs had been played on ten occasions during the season, and in four of these, 16 B players in addition to 16 A players had taken partThe ladies' championship was won by Mrs. Forbes for the tenth time. Mr. F. M.Fisher won the men's championship. The thanks of the club are due to Mr. IL. Jessop for his gift of a silver cup to be held by the winner of the ladies' junior championship. At a special general meeting of the members of the club it was resolved that, provided satisfactory financial arrangements be made to secure the required deposit of £150, that the club should purchase Mr. Hutchinson's property. When the committee appealed to members for contributions the response was so very satisfactory that no time was lost in completing the contract to purchase the property, and Mr. C. H- Redhead, golf course architect, of .Rotorua, had already laid out an 18-hole course of 5827 yards. The next two or three years will call for special efforts on the part of every member. Not only will financial expenditure be increased, but much voluntary labour will he required before the eighteen hole course, as laid out by Mr. Redhead, is completed.