SUMMER SPORTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 195, 19 July 1937, Page 2

SUMMER SPORTS

THE NORTHERN CLUB.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT.

The following is the report of the president of the Northern Bowling, Tennis and Croquet Club (Mr C. N. Rabone) to be presented at the annual meeting of the club early m August: “The year has been one 'of grea.t interest to us all and the club has made excellent piogm.B. The financial statement discloses that a credit on the year’s working of £24 11s 8d has been 'made, but this has more than been absorbed by certain nonrecurring expenditure, leaving us with a debit balance at our baukdis of £3O 8s Id. During the year the debentures taken up in Aim list, 1934, amounting to £39, have been repaid. Another fairly large outlav was for a fence on the western side of No. 5 croquet green, "lncn cost £ls 9s 7d. Other unusual expenditure totalled £5 17s 6d. These amounts total £6O 7s Id, qliite a substantial sum to find in one year additional the oid inary expenses of running the ci ■ It is gratifying to re , c '°'' d J , t 29 to of all sections donated £29 1»= »u t> the special appeal which took tic pbu of a gala day. Before I ffia-vethemat ter of the finances, 1 wou d Ike to mention that it costs £409 19s 10d to run the club for 12 months, oi £9 per week all the year round, and that this large sum conies in dining a 1 - ° season of only seven months . “The club is particularly nell equip',,,<l io,. ,, rsSKj » section, and it is giauryiuj., t that the howling section has consid?i ably increased its income from rnenibe ship fees. During the season 18 new members joined up and the subsen tionfi from this section amounted to £192 3s—a chib record. The croquet section also shows a small increase in fees " total of £7B 4s 9d be-ng received. This also is a club record. The ten nis section, whilst securing 11 ”'7' new member also lost a considerable number, but nevertheless a total o £137 7s came in in subscriptions as against £145 the previous year. W total received ior sub-criptions is £4UJ 14s 9d as against £377 2s last yeai. “T would like to express my appreciation to all members who contributes to the chib’s special appeal iirevioud \ mentioned. The gala dav requires much organising, and the bulk of tl falls on a willing few. After a con e - ence with the various sections the gen oral committee decided to seek donations and nearly £3O came freely. It is an appropriate time ior mo to mention that the adies of the croquet section, finding that the clu > could not finance the No. 5 green, raised approximately £4O and the green became an established fact-very tangible evidence of what the ladies can do when they decide on action I hero were other donations from the bowlers totalling £7 4s. There is also in hand ior tennis hard courts £o Tlu, which is not included in the statement “During the year the club lost one of its oldest members in the person or Mr J. Newton who passed away in Marcli last. He was a popular member of the bowling section und a turn personality. Mr and Airs fi ■ C. B'Na ll a departure to Wellington was another loss to the club. Mr Bryan had been president ior two years as well as green supervisor for a term, and was a keen player of both bowls and cioquet. Mrs Bryan also had a fine record, of service to the club and the croquet section. Presentations to both showed how their services, were appreciated by members. “The conferring of the honour of life membership on a member has been considered on occasions and .at the last meeting it was referred to the general committee. This committee now recommends that life membership bo conferred at an annual general meeting, arid then only on the recommendation of the executive committee. “Now that the playing areas and the shrubberies and plantations are so extensive it has been found necessary to employ an assistant caretaker, at least during the playing season. As the section secretaries will report oil their particular sections I do not intend to traverse the operations of those sections. “May I, in conclusion, refer to the work of the greenkeeper, Air G. Lynch, who has maintained the large area of playing greens in excellent order throughout the year. He was referred to on a former occasion as the ‘pocket Hercules’ and there is no doubt this aptly describes him. The green supervisors, firstly Air Brvan and latterly Air J. C. Young,- have also to be thanked for supervision and direction given in the interests of the club. The ladies’ tea committee hav*e also as usual given great satisfaction with their afternoon tea arrangements. I would al 6 o like to express mv thanks to the members of the general committee who at all times and at meetings have given me their loyal support, and also for the interest they have taken in the welfare of the club during the season. Finally, my personal appreciation and thanks are in no small measure due to our worthy general secretary and treasurer, Air P. S. Larcomb. I know that, all members of the general committee have the highest regard for his valued services and I know that the feelings of all members of the club are expressed, when on your behalf, I sav that the affairs of the club are being handled by Air Larcomb not only to our entire satisfaction hut also in a manner that lifts the club to the top of the tree in affairs administrative. Our thanks are also extended to Messrs M. J. Lee and AY. T. Penny, our joint auditors.’