SUMMER SPORT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 276, 26 October 1925, Page 2

SUMMER SPORT

BOWLING, CROQUET AND TENNIS. SATURDAY’S FUNCTIONS SPOILT BY RAIN. Tlx® Terrace End Bowling, Croquet uud Tennis Club officially opened its season on Saturday afternoon, when despite. the inclement nature of the weather, there was a large attendance of club members and visitors. Play, however, way confined to the bowling section, wherein representatives of the Palmerston North, Feilding, Eketahuna, Takaro and Shannon Clubs competed. The activities of the croquet and tennis players were confined to a cai'd tournament and dance in the pavilion.

In officially declaring tho season open, the pi-esident of the club, Mr J. J. O’Shea, expressed pleasure at the largo attendance, both of club members and visitors, and extended a cordial welcome to the latter, saying that tho club would at all times be pleased to seo them. Ho wished to compliment the green superintendent, Mr J . Wallace, and his assistant, Mr T. Fraser, for the excellent work that had been dono during the off season, and also tho croquet ladies for the success of tho social functions that had been held, as a result of which they had raised sufficient funds to erect a small pavilion. Electric light had been installed during the past year, affording a great amount of pleasure during the season, and he wished to extend an invitation to tho visitors to make another call during tho year to enjoy a game by electric light. Tho best thanks of the club wero due to the ladies who had looked after tho afternoon tea arrangements during tho season, and he trusted that their work would be continued as admirably as in the past. At this stage the speaker handed to Mrs Jamieson, president of tho croquet section, a silver vaso for competition among the ladies, as a token of appreciation of tho work that they had done for tho club.

The speaker then called 1 on his little daughter Noeleen to roll the first jack. This done, an adjournment was made to the croquet green, wliero Mr O’Shea, addressing tho ladies, said that, by the way the membership of the croquet section was increasing, tho club would havo to consider tho matter of purchasing additional land to accommodate them. Noeleen O’Shea then sent tho first ball through tho hoop, but no play was proceeded with. The games contested in the bowling section resulted as follow: Feilding (Bartholomew, skip) 18 v. Terraco End (O’Shea) (1; Terrace End (Davidson) 23 v. Shannon (Murray) 17; Terraco End (Anderson) 19 v. Eketahuna (Duff) 15; Terraco End (Moffatt) 24 v. Takaro (Flint) 12.

NORTHERN CLUB. BLAY POSTPONED IN TWO SECTIONS. In common with the other local clubs which elected to enter upon the summer season’s activities on Saturday, tho Northern Bowling, Croquet and Tennis Club experienced wretched conditions for their official opening. While tho rain hold off throughout the afternoon, the condition of the green and courts was such that it was deemed advisablo to refrain from playing thereon, but tho croquet section conducted a tournament whereby but small portions of the lawns were used. The unfortunate climatic change came as a big disappointment to the members, several of whom had worked untiringly for the past week in assisting to prepare tho greens. To the. visitor, the park presented a pretty picture, everything being spick and span, while the flowers, particularly a blaze of colour in tho form of a species of clematis which ran riot over tho fcnco separating the howling and croquet greens, gavo to the green-hued lawns and shrubs a brighter and more welcome touch.

Despito the fact that there appeared to be little probability that play would eventuate, quite a number of players in the three sections were in attendance when the president, Mr It. L. Bryant, addressed the gathering in the pavilion, which is being enlarged. Mr Bryant prefaced his remarks by extending a welcome to those who had braved the elements, and regretted the fact that the weather had precluded any bowling or tennis. In referring to the past season, the speaker remarked that it had proved highly satisfactory, for the weather had, on the whole, been excellent, while working conditions in the club had been most harmonious. The close of the year had found the club with 49 bowlers, 90 tennis and 29 croquet players, or IGB in all, and the present season had found 43 new members nominated and duly elected, with 23 resignations. There were further prospective members in sight and from the point of membership the club promised to enjoy a bright and successful season, but, while he did not want to appear pessimistic, ho was afraid that the climatic conditions would this 3’ear prove somewhat unfavourable. Referring to the additions to the pavilion, tho president said that, owing to the protracted nature of tho club’s negotiations with tho Borough Council, the aca&ou had to be entered upon with the work unfinished, for when tho Borough Council had authorised the additions the contractor had been otherwise engaged. Tho alterations would, howover, fill a long felt want in that they would give much more pavilion space. He then declared tho season officially launched, although play would bo confined to competitions in tho croquet section. , „ Tho opportunity was taken by Mrs M. Cohen to present Mrs Mayes, the secretary of the croquet section, with a handsome bouquet on behalf of tho sports committee in recognition of her past services. Following were tho results m the competitions conducted by the croquet section:—Clock croquet, Mrs May (ladies) and Mr P. Larcomb (men); Monte Carlo, Mrs Tapp; angle croquet, Mrs James Young. At a suitable juncture afternoon tea was served by the ladies. MANAWATU CLUB. Although everything had been made ready for play in all sections at the Manawatu Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club on Saturday, the rain which fell earlier in the day precluded the use of tho greens, although some croquet competitions wero conducted on the edge of tho front lawn. A number of representatives of other clubs attended the official opening function, and later partook of afternoon tea in the pavilion. The club president (Mr W. Hunter) expressed pleasure at the good attendance and regret that the weather had prevented play. He introduced the dcputy-Mayor (Cr Graham), who had been asked to officiate, thereby being givon an opportunity of seeing what such clubs as Manawatu were doing towards beautifying tho town. The

greens, lie mentioned, before railing on Cr Graham to speak, mould be thrown open for play at the earliest possible opportunity. Cr Graham thanked the club for the welcome accorded him. and congratulated it on the considerable improvements effected. He trusted that very soon more seasonable weather would permit of a liberal amount of summer sport. Much, bo said, bad been done, by the Borough Council in improving recreational areas in Palmerston North, and that be deemed one of the best forms of advertising the town. The council lvad been criticised in some quarters for not contributing towards the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition as an advertising medium —opinions differed on that matter —but in bis opinion the provision of splendid recreational areas and modern civic facilities in general was one of the very host forms of advertisement for a borough. People came from far and near to indulge in sport on the town’s reserves. He hoped that Palmerston North would never be “boomed,” hut that it would continue to advance steadily, building on a sure foundation.

Loan moneys to the extent of £12.850 had been snent in the purchase of North Street. T'akaro and Terrace End Parks, while laying out tile respective bowling and croquet greens had cost: Fitzhe'rbert street. £3639; North street. £3682; Takaro Park, including purchase of land, £5357. The cost of preparing Terrace End Park, pavilion, etc., including the purchase of the land, was £6318, and some two acres of that park were held for the purposes of bowling and tennis later on. Private summer sports clubs. Cr Graham mentioned, were generously assisted bv having half their general rates remitted. The denuty-Mayor alluded to the gonerous gift to the council of 45 acres of land by Mr W. Milverton. lauding tho donor’s generosity. In conclusion, the sneaker made reference to the value of sport in building up tho youth and keeping those advancing in years young in spirit. CROQUET COMPETITIONS. The croquet competitions resulted as follow: Hitting the peg, Mr W. J. Robertson : golf croquet. Mr Robertson won, and donated the prize for further competition, when Mrs Sninley won it; target croquet, Mr 11. A. Fuller. Owing to the-inclement weather on Saturday the official opening of the Y.M.C.A. Tennis Club's courts was postponed for a week- ,