YEAR REVIEWED

Opunake Times, 9 April 1948, Page 3

YEAR REVIEWED

OPUNAKE R.S.A. PRESIDENTS REPORT R.S.A. Bowling Tournament: In conjunction with the proposed Dominion R.S.A. Bowling Tournament as sponsored by N.Z. R.S.A. a Western Division R.S.A. Bowling Association was formed in our district through the efforts of Mr. E. Riley (President) and Mr. F. S. Alger (Secretary) to whom we offer thanks for a fine effort. A oneday Tournament was held on the Opunake Green-for a handsome shield presented by Mr. Les Des Forges. A most enjoyable day was spent by all present and the shield was won by Manaia, who represented this division in the Taranaki play-off for the team to go to Wellngton. Membership-: The financial membership of the Association shows a- slight decrease for the year ending 1948, the figure being 337 as against 370 in 1947. One perturbing feature is the number of members in arrears with their subscription, the register showing 42 members 1 year in arrears and 5 members two years in arrears. Your Executive would impress all members with the need for paying subscriptions promptly as the general account of the Association is mainly dependent on subscriptions for revenue. Apart from this, members should realize that while they may not need assistance themselves, by paying their subscriptions regularly they are making it possible for the Association to help some less fortunate comrade.

Sal© of Section: Your Executive decided during the year to dispose of the section owned by the Association and situated on the corner of Havelock and Domett Streets. Your Executive could see no possibility of the section being used for the purpose for which it was purchased, i.e. the building of a Hall or Club Doom and meanwhile the rates were becoming a drain on the value of the section. Consequently the Executive decided to call tenders for the purchase of the section and it was eventually disposed of to one of our own members, at Government Valuation £SO. This amount has been set aside in a special fund in the Post Office Savings Bank. War Memorial: This question received consideration during the year and with the object of setting the ball rolling and obtaining opinions of the outlying districts on the matter, your Executive convened a meeting in conjunction with the Egmont County and Opunake Borough Council between representatives of all districts in the County and representatives of the Borough to discuss the whole matter. It was quite apparent from this meeting that the outlying districts of the County wished to arrange their own Memorials and consequently it was left to the Mayor to call a public meeting of these interested to discuss the position as far as the Opunake Borough was concerned.-This meeting was called and a committee set up to consider projects and the matter is still under consideration. Your Executive would ask all members to support whatever scheme is brought forward in their own particular district. N.P. Hospital; During the year a grant of £lO was made to the Hew Plymouth Association to be used toward the comforts supplied to members in Hospital by that Association. We wish to commend Hew Plymouth on the very fine work they are doing* in this direction and members who have been in Hospital speak very highly of the work done by Hew Plymouth. . Pensions: Several Pension cases came to the notice of the Executive over the year and all possible steps were taken to bring cases to a successful conclusion. Rehabilitation: Regular reports were made to the Executive on the work of the Opunake District Rehabilitation Committee and you are referred to the (Continued foot of next column)

report of Mr. N. Reardon our Rehabilitation representative on the general work of this body. Where necessary the Executive took active steps to further any Rehabilitation claims brought to its notice and on one occasion met the local Opunake Rehabilitation Committee and Mr. Spragg of the New Plymouth Rehabilitation office for a round table discussion on matters pertaining to Rehabilitation. Quarterly Meeting: Two only of these meetings were held during the year. The first was reasonably well attended but the attendance at the second was so poor and the lack of interest so evident that the meeting decided to discontinue the quarterly meetings for the balance of the year and refer the holding of future quarterly meetings to this Annual meeting. Farming Sub-Committee: In response to a direction from D.E.C. asking* all Associations to appoint a farming representative, Mr. J. S. Stronge was appointed and he with two co-opted members, Mr. J. Carryer and Mr. C. Green were constituted our Farming, Sub-committee and members are advised that their services are available at all times on all matters of farming Rehabilitation. Roll of Honour; It i s with deep regret that I report the passing of three members during the year, namely Mr.' Arthur Fake, Mr. Alex Stevenson and Mr. Max Don man, and also a former member of our Association, Mr. Gerry Taylor.” .