CROQUET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 4

CROQUET

OTAGO ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING OF DELEGATES The annual meeting of the Otago. Croquet Association was held in the Caledonian Society's board room on Thursday afternoon J. Mrs J. G. H. Briggs i president) occupied the chair, and there were present delegates from Punga, Leith, Watea, St. Clair, Logan Park, Tainui, Caversham, Opoho, Alexandra, Balclutha, Clyde, and Cromwell ClubS. '. • : ; ';.'- : S ■■■;■'■ .■ '■■■ .'• ANNUAL REPORT In presenting the eighth annual report, the committee. congratulated the association on the progress made during the past year/ It was not an ideal season for croquet,; but the various events arranged by the association executive were completed more or less to schedule. The .membership at the commencement vn is 387, and had slightly increased , during the season. It was decided atrthe last annual meeting to revert to" the two grades for interclub matches, namely, seniors. 6nd junior. Six teams entered for' the senior shield and' seven for the junior. Competition was ".well, maintained throughout the season.in both sections.. The junior clubs-that entered teams in the senior shield competition were to be congratulated on the excellent performance they put up against the experienced players they had to meet. Watea was successful oh winning the senior shield with 7$ points, Punga being second with 61 f points. Punga retained the junior shield, having won it for the second time in : succession, with Opoho a very close second. The fern matches, whith were played on Saturday afternopns oh .tfieassocia? tlon's lawns at Logan £ark,'. diriew entries from seven clubs* • ; .'Montecillo scored the highest number>of' points, namely, 467, a bare-' margin over Opoho's 464, thus giving Montecillo the ferns for a second; year. .The council silver buttons were won 'by: Mr S. Came'ron (Montecillo), A Grade; Mrs Rankin (liOgan Park)-, B' Grade; and Mrs Little (BalclUth*),. C Grade. The shields, ferns, and council'■buttons were S resented at an end-of-seasbn party/by [r R. W. M'Creathi Xii ',;:*, .■■'..-; ■ -. '. -,'. The Otago championship tournament was held as usual in February. The weather was most unsettled, and the lawns very wet and heavy. Play was held up considerably, on this account. There was, however, a very good entry. Sixty-eight competitors took part m the various events. Mrs Cole (Opoho) won the Otago championship, Mr James Tahnock being runner-up. The B Grade championship, which carried with it the Briggs Cup, was won by Mrs Rankin (Logan Park), the runnerup being Mrs Jelley (Cromwell). A new event, Level Singles (for players with 4J ioM bisques inclusive), was staged for the first time, and drew an entry of 28 players.. Mrs Metcalf (Logan Park) was the winner, with Mrs Halstead (Punga) runner-up. The winner holds the MDonald trophy for one year. Alexandra held another successful tournament at Easter. There was a record entry. Dunedin players who figured prominently in the finals were Mr James Tannock (Opoho), who won the championship, with Mrs Gillanders (Watea) runner-up. Mesdames Cornish and Metcalf (Logan Park) won the Handicap Doubles. Mrs Millin and Mr James Tannock were the runnersup in the Championship Doubles, while Mrs Christopher (Watea) was runnerup in. the Handicap Singles. In the B Grade, Mrs.Jelley (Cromwell) won the Open Singles, and Miss Jones (Punga), with her partner, Mrs Stockdale (Christchurch), were the successful pair in the Open Doubles. Mrs Cole (Opoho) was runner-up in the Dominion ladies' championship, the winner of the Southland championship, and; partnered by Mr Nichol, was run-ner-up in the Southland championship doubles. Mr James Tannock was the winner of the English gold medal for 1937, and at the South Canterbury tourney, Mrs Metcalf was ; Successful in winning the Handicap Singles. The association lawns are improving each year, though with, the continued wet weather competitors in the Saturday- matches and others who had used the lawns had found them rather heavy.' However> had a rather better effect on. ! ihem than a'very dry, one. They jshduTd be in excellent condition next season for, the South. Island Championship tournament in Dunedin. ■'. '' ~■'■'•/ The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £lO 2s 9d, which was considered very satisfactory; The pavilion account had- been reduced by £2O, leaving a balance of-£ 55 ctill owing. .Owing to her-removal, to Auckland to reside, the association lost the ser J vices of Mrs Dalgleish (past president). Mrs Dalgleish had always taken a lively interest;'in all the activities .'pertaining to: the progress of the game in-Otago. ■ The executive and officers of the association entertained her at afternoon tea'prior to her departure. ".' ; The thanks' of the; association were due to Mrs John MDonald for the donation of a challenge trophy for the Le.vel Singles event,. which had been added to the annual tournament programme; also to Mrs- Briggs for attending as Otago delegate the annual conference which was held in Christchurch in January. At this conference, Mr R. W. M'Creath, of Gore, was appointed Dominion president. The Tournament Committee desired to thank the Logan Park and Watea Clubs for the use of their lawns, etc,, during the tournament. The executive desired also to thank Mr L. Nisbet .tor again auditing the accounts. The association was particularly indebted td the press for the wide publicity it had given to the game. ■. - ; ■ \ ■,.. •■■■•■ • Moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, Mrs Briggs said these'i-stateirients' showed the affairs of the association to be in a very healthy position. Mrs Nelson-seconded the motion. The motion was carried. NOTICES OF MOTION Mrs Nelson moved alterations and amendments to the rules of the association, explaining before doing so that, having been on the executive for some years, she was; of opinion that it was too small a body to contain the various committees that wejre necessary to run the affairs of the association. The number of clubs had increased, and consequently the work of execuofficers,, was rather heavy. SejteraV motions,, making minor alterations to the rules were carried. The following motion was defeated: —"That rule 15 be deleted and the following rule inserted' in its place:—At ! -this*meeting the following officers shall be elected:—A president, who may or may not be chosen from the delegates, three vice-presidents, and a secretary and treasurer, to be chosen from the. delegates. These officers, together with the. immediate past-presi-dent (for one year) and one delegsite from each,club not represented in the above officers, shall form the executive." '..,., .:.. ■ . . • , , ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The''election of fP.fficers resulted as Mrs G. A. Nelson; vice-presidents—Mesdames W. Cole, W. Gibson, and*T. Cornish; secretary and treasurer, .Mrs ~ &£ M'Donald; referee, Mrs- W. 'Cole*' handicapper, Mr J. NichpT; reporter, Miss J. Pilkington; Match Committee—Mrs . Cole (convener),, Mrs Anderson, . and Mrs M'Gregor/ ■ ■•■•.■ ,'.-■;*■•'

Before vacating the chair, the retiring president (Mrs Briggs) thanked the clubs and members of the executive for their support during her four years, of office, ahd particularly mentioned the services of the secretary (Mrs.M'Dpnald).- She wished her successor the same loyal support Mrs Nelson thanked, the delegates for her election to. the position of prepdent, and-'fissured those present that with 'their help and co-operation she wotijd da he* best to jgulde the association' successfully through the coming seas,on.. ; . t .... .'■ ;. A-hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mrs Briggs for her assistance

to the game in past years; also to Mrs Buchler, who had acted as district handicapper for some years. ' INTER-CLUB MATCHES After a general discussion, a proposal, that the method of play in season 1935-36 be reverted to, was carried. This meant, it was stated, that there would be three grades—Senior, Intermediate, and Junior. The teams would consist of four players—the best four players available for senior; 4J bisques or over for intermediate; and six bisques and over for junior. It was also decided that clubs would be permitted to enter two teams in a grade, provided that sufficient dates and lawns were available to accommodate the matches.

A further recommendation made to the Match Committee was that matches should be commenced earlier, and that perhaps a shorter recess could be observed at Christmas, so as to avoid playing so late in the season as had been the case this year.

Considerable interest is being manifested in the activity in Australian naval defences. The two cruisers, Australia and Canberra, now 10 years old. are to be modernised by adding additional armour plate to them and increasing their antiaircraft guns. There have been suggestions that Australia should build her own battleship, but this proposal is now seen to be beyond her shipbuilding capacity at present, owing to the fact that there is no dock large enough for the purpose. It is mere probable that Australia will begin the construction of smaller vessels, a modern flotilla leader, and two destroyers.,