Te Aroha Bowling Club.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43119, 1 August 1907, Page 2

Te Aroha Bowling Club.

The annual meeting of the above club was held in the Bandroom last night, there being a good attendance of members. The President. Dr Kenny, occupied the oh air. FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT.

Your committee has the pleasure to present the fifth annual report upon the affairs of the club. Owing mainly to the vagaries of the weather and the uncertain temper of the green, the season just concluded has not been marked by the activity that characterised the preceding seasons. However, you will be glad to learn that the club is in a sound financial position ; whilst, doubtless, you have not forgotten that it still holds the pennant of the S.A.B.A.

Club Matches. —Several of these competitions were begun, but only one of them, the handicap pairs, was completed. Wo can heartily congratulate the winners, Messrs Wallace (skip) and Harris. The former had played season after season without winning a Wophy, whilst the latter is one of our most promising of our younger players. The unfinished competitions are the club championship, the competition for the belt donated by Dr. Kenny, and the D.C.L. bowls handicap .singles. After making every allowance for the inclemency of the weather, it must be conceded that some dilatory competitors have complied neither with the spirit nor the letter of Ihe rules governing these competitions. This meeting may think it advisable to instruct the Match Committee to enforce those rules more firmly, and perhaps also to maako them more stringent. It might even mark its displeasure by cancelling every game that has been played in the unfinished competitions. and instructing the Match Committee to call for fresh entries at the beginning of next season.

Some contest* hare been held for the possession of the Gilchrist and the Cock of the Walk badges. The present holders of the first are Messrs Harris and Wallace (skip), and of the second a Domain team comprising Dr. Kenny, Messrs Stanley, McKee and Dal ion (skip). You are already aware that Dr. Kenny, the club’s most liberal benefactor in the mat! or of the donation of trophies, has presented for competition a handsome gold and siiv.-r mounted belt. This remains the properly of the club, and each year a silver badge will bo added by the Club bearing the name of the winner for that year. Thus both the intrinsic and extrinsic value of this trophy will progressively increase.

Open Tournament.—The Now Year tournament was again held, and but for the weather and the green, would have been the best, as it was the biggest, a Hair of the kind we have held. No less than twenty rinks, seventeen of which represented sister clubs, took-part. Surely a club that can bring into To Aroha for several days some seventy men, who in many cases are accompanied by members of their families, deserves well of a community that depends so largely upon the tourist traffic However that may be, our last tournament unluckily resolved itself into something of the nature of water polo. Whatever form of amphibious sport we may denominate it, our friends of the Kooky Nook Bowling Club, who on a previous occasion had carried off our trophies, demonstrated their ability to excel in it. Inter-club Matches.- —Fewer of these have been held than usual, It is to be hoped that weather and green permitting, we shall have the pleasure next season of welcoming teams from each of the neighbouring clubs. S.A.B.A. Tournament. —Your committee has the pleasure to chronicle one striking success. For the third year in succession your representatives have carried off the South Auckland Bowling Association pen-

nant. The tournament was held on the green of the Thames Bowling Club, the { members of which took care that visitors I should have a good tim<® Nine clubs are now affiliated with the Association- —Thames, Paeroa, Karangahako, Waihi, Te Aroha, I Hamilton, Cambridge. Te Awamutu and Rotorua —and the standard of play continues to advance. Eighteen rinks competed and all the affiliated clubs, except. Te Awamutu, were represented. As we had won the pennant at the two preceding tournaments, we should have rejoiced in the victory of one of tho sister clubs. However, afier apparently deserting your representatives, fortune smiled upon them, and we must thankfully “ take the goods the gods provide us.” Following the example of their predecessors, the members of the winning rink, Messrs Wallace, Somers, Burton and Dalton (skip), intend to present to tho club, to be bung in the pavilion, a photographic representation of themselves. Tho Pavilion. —The central part of the pavilion has been enclosed and the verandah enlarged. These alterations, it is hoped, will

increase the eomfort of bowlers. The Green. —It is notorious that there were serious faults in the construction of the Te Aroha Bowling Green. Therefore, without reflecting upon the Tourist Department or jeopardising tlio very cordial relations that have always existed between the club and that Department, it may be pointed cAit that, without losing all claim to bo dignified with the name of bowling-green, it could hardly be in a worse condition than at present. The indications are that next season will find it absolutely unfit to play bowls upon ; bowls, that is, as the term is understood in good company. Only the other day a leading Devonport bowler, who often visits Te Aroha, declared that, unless it were reconstructed, ho would not again play a bowl upon it. Skilful but fruitless endeavours have been made by the Domain staff to patch it, and the Tourist Department, should be impressed with the face that such endeavours merely result in throwing good money after bad. There is only one way to mend the Te Aroha bowling green, and that is to end it and make it over again. It may be tliat the revenue derived iroin it is trifling, but there are good reason for urging that, though not directly, it is yet indiroetly profitable. This is a view which, doubtless, the Department takes with regard to many of its enterprises. The Superintendent, Mr T. E. Donne, has already promised that, as soon as funds are available, the construction of a new green will be undertaken. Wc trust that circumstances will permit him to redeem his miseNext Open Tournament. —The New Year tournament is now regarded as an annual fixture. It is very cpiestionable, however, whether, with the green in its present condition, this meeting should incur the responsibility of instructing the incoming committee to hold that tournament next season. There is grave danger that, even granted fine weather, visiting competitors would not hurriedly forgive the club for inducing them to come.

Annual Social. —The social held last August proved both enjoyable and financially successful. By its means a sum of £lO 12s lid was added to the funds of the club. Great energy was shown in promoting this function by the president, Dr. Kenny, who disposed of tickets to tbe value of £7 Is, and the “social” secretary, Mr W. Mclnman, who was kind enough to relieve the club secretary of all responsibility. Donations. —In addition to the belt donated by tbe President, Messrs Barbour and Tietherington, Vice-Presidents, and Mr Somers have each donated a guinea to the funds of tlie club.

The Ladies. —The lady friends of the club again assisted generously in the dispensing of afternoon tea upon tlio two days of the tournament, and our thanks are due to them. As the work of provi ling afternoon tea at intorclub matches fell again and again upon a few, the committee decided to purchase the provisions required, and to levy a call of 3s 6d each upon tlie members to cover the cost, As so few interclub matches were held it. was not found necessary to collect this call. Losses.—Season by season we find our ranks diminished by the removal of members to other districts.’ The last to go was Mr Robson, an original member of the club, who has settled at Devonport. We greatly missed Mr J. White, who, during the greater part of the season was domiciled at Rotorua. We all heard with regret of the death at

Rotorua, in the prime of life, of Mr May, a member of the club during its first two seasons. It has been announced that Mr Pavitt, our president for three seasons, and an enthusiastic sportsman, expects to leave the district shortly. His departure will leave a gap in our ranks which we cannot hope to fill. W'o heartily wish him the good health and happiness (hat all good bowlers deserve, and usually enjoy. In addition to those who have aided us locally, we must remember Mr J. Carla\y, of the Auckland Bowling Club, and Mr J. W. Harrison of the Devonport Bowling Club, who have represented us upon the Council of the Auckland Provincial Bowling Association. Your committee would, in conclusion, express the liopo that the incoming season may be pleasant and prosperous.

The balance-sheet showed a oredit balance of £l4 15s Sd, which members considered very satisfactory. On the motion of Mr Wallace, the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Some discussion took place in regard to the state of the green, and Mr Dalton said the green would be taken in hand next week if the weather permitted. On Mr Wallace’s motion, it was decided to write to Mr Donne, expressing their disappointment at him not fulfilling his promise to have the second green ready for this season, as the usual visitors would not come along if the green was in a bad state, and the town would suffer thereby. - In regard to the annual tournament at the New Year, Mr Burton was not in favour of holding it this year, as the green would probably bo in the same state as last year. The fact of the matter was that the green needed relaying, andlie would moved to that effect. Mr Somers thought other clubs might step in and take their fixture, and they would have trouble in getting their date back again. Mr Mclnman moved as an amendment that the matter be deferred until October to see the state the green would he in then. The amendment was carried. In regard to unfinished competitions members decided in favour of wiping them all off the slate, but let the entry fees stand good for this season. It was decided to strictly adhere to the conditions of competitions in the future, and if members did not get their games played within tho time they would have to forfeit. It was decided that the incoming committee revise the rules and regulations and submit them to the general meeting in October, with a view to having them printed. In regard to the annual social, it was decided to hold it again this.year, details to be left to the committee.

On Mr Burton’s motion it was decided to open an account with the Bank of New Zealand, and that cheques be signed by the President and Treasurer. It was decided to abolish the office of patron. On Mr 'Wallace’s motion, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the ladies, delegates to tho Association, and to promoters of the social. The following officers were elected for the ensuing season : —Delegates South Auckland Bowling Association, Messrs Somers and Burton ; delegates to Auckland Association, Messrs Carl aw and Harrison (re-elected) ; auditor, Mr Gilchrist (re-elected) ; president, Mr R. L. Somers; vice-presidents, Dr. Kenny and Mr Wallace; secretary and treasurer, Mr Burton (r^-elected); committee, Messrs F. Harris, W. Mclnman, Beswick, Barbour, Dormer, and Dalton. The Secretary was instructed to write to the Tourist Department, expressing the club’s appreciation of the way the Department had met their wishes in the past, also in regard to the alteration of the pavilion. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. At the request of Dr Kenny, those present adjourned to the Hot Springs Hotel, to drink success to the coming season.