GOLF.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13100, 27 April 1908, Page 5

GOLF.

WELLINGTON CLUB'S NEW LINKS

(special to "the presb.") WELLINGTON, April 20. • The opening of the Wellington golf Holes'and club house at Silverstream, in the va.lley of tho Hutt, about* eighteen miles from Wellington, .was a remarkably successful function. There wero , "fully'6oo guests, and tho arrangement-. wcto perfect. The club house, which is the finest in Now Zealand, and i the magnificent views from the terrace on which it stands, wero greatly admired, as were also the very' picturesque country houses whioh a number of members-of. the club havo built adjoining the links. j . The ceremony of opening the links was performed, by Sir Joseph Ward, who is pr.6k__nt of the club. He stated that the present site was acquired on the 18th May, 1906, by a few memei« of the club, "who signed: an agreement which made.them liable for tho whole of the purchase money, a matter of £12,000. Subsequently the Gdlf Club agreed to purchase, from this syndicate 'the area '.required' for links, about 133 acre., and this tho syndicate handed over to the Club at the original cost. The remaining laud on the terrace was then subdivided into sections, and auctioned amongst tho members of the syndicate. The prices given were a largo advance upon the price at which the syndicate purchased, so tliat the members of the - syndicate bought tho land from themselves at a nrofit, a«nd gom.rout.ly gave tlie whole of this profit, about £2000. towards the purchase of the links. A very pretty bit of native bush I has been reserved in connection with tho club bouse grounds, which aro ali ready beginning to look beautiful. Al- ; ready a good deal of planting of trees, j shrubs and flowers has been. done. Tbe j shade and shelter trees planted numI ber 1500. The links are m fine order. The course, which is now being laid | out, will be 6000 yards in length i and will be scientifically bunkered. It i. hoped that the 190il New Zealand Championship Meeting will be held lon it. Sir Joseph Ward ha.-, presented two very handsome gup& to be c_vmpet_d for" by me_nbere of the dub. At the conclusion of Saturday's ceremony Sir .Joseph and Lady Ward were presented by members of the club with a beautiful art pewter casket, suitably inscribed. Thi.. was quite a surprise packet for Sir Joseph, and he suitably acknowledged tne gift on •-' behalf -of himself and Lady Wsyrd.. '