SMOKE CONCERT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 53

SMOKE CONCERT.

On Friday evening the bowlers assemb'ed in large numbers in the Victoria Hall, where a smoke concert was held. The piesident of the association (Mr P. L. Gilkison) occupied the chair, and, once the company had got comfortably seated and their glasses chaigcd proposed the loyal toast of " The King," which was received with the customary enthusiasm. Mr Barnett, in proposing the toast of " The New Zealand Bowling Association," thought the touianments were conducted better and better every year. There might have been or..c little impiovement m the recent tournament, and that was in the direction of testing the bow's used. He \irdci stood thai, in future tho '>)<• s played -wcu'd b:> reqiuicd to b? b-aiu' -1 <-^ having passed the tegi, and as being fit to uiajr

in a tournament.—(Applause.) He folt that tha whole bowling fraVrniiy would support the association in this. The Cbarrman, in rej/yi.'g, icferred to howf well the tournament had been carried out. No, complaint had been heard of except upon tha point mentioned by Mr Br.rnett, and lJiat matter would ba put right before next tournament. He quite thought that this would remove all cause for complaint. The Chairman then presented the prizes to the successful competitors in the tournament?, the different prize takers being loud'y applauded as they came forward to accept the leward of their skill. Mr C. T. Paterson _proposed the toast of " The Secretary (Mr G. L Stewart), winch was received with applause. All knew the hard woik nttached to the duties that devolved upon the secretaiy at toumpment time, and this had been increased owing to the nunibsr of entries having been nearly doubled. Mr Stewart had' been unceasing in his woik and in las endpavours to please all. Mr Stewart briefly acknowledged the compliment paid him, and expressed the belief that bowling and good fellowship had b?en promoted by the tournament. The Chairman proposed the health of Mr R. T. Wheeler, jun., chairman of the executive of the association, and at the samp tims. rinid loud applause, presented him with a gold-mounted walking-stick for himself and a bracelet for Mrg 'Wheeler from the bowlers who had taken part in the tournament. All knew what an assistance Mr Wheeler had been to them. duTing the past week. Without Mr Wheeler's assistance they would have been m difficulties, because it wa3 quite impossible for one man to do all the work singlehanded. Mr Wheeler, in responding to the toast and acknowledging the gifts, said he had had a good deal to do with arranging the programme-, but the presentation was not included in it. He much appreciated their kindness, and the remarks passed concerning himself. Thougli the position he had held during the past week had been a prominent one, there was quite a host of workers behind him who were not seen. The success of a tournament depended not upon, one or two, but upon many, ajid they might) attribute the success of the tournament to tha number of willing workers who had assisted. During the past week they had played 362 ties, which would give an idea of the work that had b^en done. He then proposed the health of the visitors. They always liked to see them, and when they themselves were the visitors they were always most hospitably treated. He hoped when' the time came for a tournament to be played! in districts from which the visitors came they would support it as the recent tournament had been supported by the visitors. Mr J. Brown and Dr Don responded on behalf of the visitois, the former representing Canterbury and the lptter Oamaru. The other toast 3 honoured were '' The Unsuccessful Competitors," " The Ladies," and " The President." Singing occupied a laige place in the evening's "programme, among the voca'ists being Messrs Jago, Goldstone, Grenfell, Hopkuis ond De Maus, the latter gentleman supply ire the accornnn-niments in the ab^eno* of the pianist arranged for. It was a thorough bowlers' gathering, the predominant note being goodfellowship and joviality.