DELEGATES REVIEW CENTRE BOWLS ADMINISTRATION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22730, 31 August 1948, Page 8

DELEGATES REVIEW CENTRE BOWLS ADMINISTRATION

The annual meeting' of delegates to the Gisborne-East Coasl Howling Centre in Gisborne last evening decided to open the season on October 9, but the president was authorised to advance the date of the formal ceremony if, after further inquiry, lie deemed it advisable to act on a suggestion that clubs be invited to send representatives to the green of the president’s club to an official opening by (he centre a week before the general commencement of club play. The general opinion of the meeting favoured a trial of the system which, it was stated, functioned satisfactorily in the Hawke's Bay centre. As the retiring president, Mr. E. E. Somervell (Poverty Bay) acted as chairman until the election of officers took place when he was succeeded by the incoming president, Mr. H. A. Findlay (Tolaga Bay). There were also present Messrs D. L. Ferguson (Poverty Bay) retiring secretary; F. Williams (Tokomaru Bay), treasurer; F. Matthewson. O R. Olsen and W. O. Harraway (Gisborne); J. J. Hartley and W. T. Poole (Poverty Bay); W. Jackson and C. Corbett (Kahutia); L. Kendrew and C. Corlet (Wairoa); H. E. Powell (To Karakul; J. A. Booth (Waikaremoana); G. Henderson (Te Araroa); and A. Jormson (Tolaga Bay). Credit Balance For Vear

‘‘lt is not the policy of the centre to i make money, but to distribute it among | the clubs and I am sure that all will ! agree that the clubs have been treated generously,'’ said Mr. Somervell in moving the adoption of the report (pub lished yesterday) and balance sheet. He expressed pleasure in calling attention to the careful administration of the centre tunds as reflected in the credit balance for the year of 4257 10s Id and to the sustained interest in bowls indicated by the increased mem bership of club in common with the majority of centres throughout the .Dominion. Mr. Somervell expressed appreciation of the .support accorded the time throughout the area and thanks to all who had co-operated in the affairs of the centre throughout the year. The motion to adopt the report and balance sheet was adopted after a brief discussion. , Officers Elected The election of officers resulted: President. Mr. H. A. Findlay (Tolaga Bay); vice-president. Mr. IT. E. Powell (Kahutia), hon secretary, Mr. E. E. Somervell (Poverty Bay); hon. treasurer. Mr. F. Williams (Tokomaru Bay), re-elected: hon. auditor, Mr. C. Blackburn (Ruatoria), re-elected; greens inspection committee, the president and Messrs. W. T. Poole (Poverty Bay) and C. Corbett (Kahutia); match committee, the president secretary and treasurer and Messrs. G. Henderson (Te Araroa), W. O. Harraway (Gisborne) and E. F. Esquilanl (Tokomaru Bay). Membership Figures With returns from three yet to be received, reports from clubs showed a total membership of (158. Membership figures notified by eight of the 11 clubs were: Kahutia, lfc>2; Gisborne, 151); Poverty Bay. 120; Wairoa. 03; Tokomaru Buy, 42; Tolaga Bay, 42; Ruatoria, 41; Te Karaka, 24. The motion, notice of which had been given by Mr. -W. Jackson (Kahutia), to amend rule 3 so as to provide for the notification to the centre of membership of clubs by July 1 instead of August 1 resulted in the decision to provide new conditions under which clubs will be required to advise the centre by June 30 of each year the highest number of members during the preceding 12 months. A communication received concerning a proposed periodical publication stated that the 22 centres in the Dominion numbered approximately 500 clubs with a total membership of approximately 30,000. N.Z. President’s Visit Correspondence tabled included letters relating to a visit to Gisborne on September 20 by the Dominion presi dent, Mr. M. J. Walsh and three members of the council during the course of a tour of centres for the purpose of meeting bowlers and administrators of the game and discussing matters of common interest.

Comment by the chairman and other speakers indicated warm approval of tne visit and the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer were ap-

pointed as a reception committee, it oeing recommended that alt members of clubs interested be invited to meet the visitors. Play on Sundays It was known that the official attitude did not foster tournament play on Sun days and if the questions were forwarded the centre could merely expect a repiy that the matter was a domestic matter which the centre should decide for itself, said a speaker during a lengthy discussion resulting on the re ceipt of a letter from the Poverty Bay c!uo indicating that the annual meeting had adopted a motion requesting the centre to submit to the N.Z. association three questions in relation seeking a definition of the powers of centre organisations in relation to the use of. club greens lor open tournaments on Sundays. it was pointed out that under the conditions of affiliation the centre had Lhe right to the use of club greens for tournament play and had been correct in using those of Poverty Bay on the occasion wnich had given rise to the queries While the general policy was to avoid Sunday play in open tournaments, weather or other factors causing delays might render Sunday play necessary to complete a programme. The discussion concluded with the rejection of a proposal t'o forward the questions to the Dominion association and the decision to notify the Poverty Bay club that the play giving rise to the queries had been ncTd under the rules of the centre. Tournament Play A sub-committee consisting of the president, the secretary, the treasurer and Mr. Williams was appointed to allot dates for the season’s hxtures and deal with applications received at the meeting from the Ruatoria and Wairoa clubs and also with proposals that the Fisken Cup and Yelverton Shield competitions be reduced to play of one day each.

The secretary was requested to convene a meeting-of club representatives early in the season to consider the formation of an umpires' association of the centre. It was decided to hold section play of the annual Burton Cup and Robertson Shield tournament on April 15, U 5 and 18 with three games, each of 18 heads, daily with provision for a section each on the Wairoa and an East Coast green if at least 10 teams are entered in the respective areas. Section play in the Peace Shield and Slight Shield tournament is to be held on January 1 and 3 with three games, each of 21 heads daily.

M'CREADY WINS AGAIN

IP.A.) INVERCARGILL, Aug. 31. McCready, 17.2, defeated Kuusisto, 1 (LG, on points in a professional wrestling match last night. Kuusisto secured a fall in the third round with a body press and McCready a fall in the seventh round with a rocking chair splits.