OTAGO GOLF CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 73

OTAGO GOLF CLUB.

The annual meeting of the Otago Golf Club was held in the Stock Exchange Hall on Friday. Mr G. 21. M'Lean occupied -the chair, and there was a moderate attendance ot membera. The annual .report stated that the membership had bsen weli maintained. ' The committee had to record -with "regret the Joss the club had sustained in ths death of -Mr Allan Holmes, one oj, the oldest members of the club . The statement of receipts and expenditure showed that the liabilities at May 31 -.vero:— Ealanoa due by the bank £32 17s 4d— a shrinkage of £80 IDs 4d. ' The commit*ea- ha^l engaged the services of J«xiu;-3 Wa.tc as instructor and coach. Thanlcs were due to the jn'o^dent, the captain, .Messrs SmithBros., and the Outgo Ladies' Golf Club for trophies, and to the late Mr Allan HoJmes, Dr'J.. H. Scott, Mr A. E. Bios, un<i the R-ojai Insurance .Company for ■trim of various, kinds. --Mie , event of the ;. cur ha.d t been tho New Jicaiand Ohamjjionship meeting. an« special msnzion had ro be made of tLo fact thaj the club, in Mr Hamilton Smith, SisUi furnioh-ad this year's champion. The report,,.i;ben set out in detail those who had carried oit tiophies during the year- The club had successfully defended the Orbcll Chip, and the Hanmer and Hock ing-Campbell Shields remained with the .club for the year. • A fresh lease of Wilson's paddock "for seven years had been completed, and the committee felt relieved when this important •matter was finally settled. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, faid the personal guarantee had been paid, and as to framing a. local' rule with regard to members striking wires. jx>sts, or fences the committee cou!d not sec its way to deal with the matter. Now ths fences had been removed from the greens that rule would no longer be ne-Mssarj-, except in -the summer time. He could not let the occasion pass without referring to the great loss they had sustained in the death of Mr Allan " Holme.?, who had taken a keen interest in the welfare of the club. The balance sheet was the* first they had raally had, and that was due to the pro.«ont law on tho subject. They would be pleased to hear that" thsy were in such a rood financial position. They were £4377 in crodit after paying ■everything.' \Vith rega-rd to the intei-ior expenditure, ' Mr Crawford had furnished him" ' with '• figures;. ar:d it 'was rather cirrious to' note that in all tho competitions there had been « a marked falling off in the' entrance- fees. The Chairman referred to -details, and mentioned that in the increased" green expenditure was included £15 for a mow^. ing machine: Then they had had to prepare the greens for the championship, which had caused' a good deal of -labour. Altogether there was a difference of £101. With regard to "the links, he-had always had a "wish that they -should create a sinking fund, so that when the time oamo they would be in a position <o pay down a deposit on adjoining lands they ai-.gnt purchaea. It would save the irouble of getting a new lease. As to the new lcav>, £he thanks of the club were due to Mr Stilling, through whom it wa.« got. As to the links arencrall.v, certain terracing nad been done, and there was a scheme that tho terracing of all the greens should be gone on with. The time was coming Vvhen they would have to consider the question of adding some bunkers to protect the arreens. He thought th%t interclub matches should be encouraged, and | he understood that the InvercargiH people j were anxioii3 to cross swords wrth them.-; Their secretory (Mr D. Crawford) had carried out. his duties in a whole-hearted j fashion ar.d during his temporary illness his work had boen done by Mr George Smith admirably. Air II S. Foiiwick seconded ths motion for the adoption of the report and balance , sheet, which was carried. _ | The prizes and trophies won during t.ic j past season were then presented. i The election of office-bearers resulted as follows:— President. Mr John A. Cook; Captein. Mr H. D. Stronaeh, who then took the chair; committee— Hessrs C. V\Rattrav. B. J. Smith, A.' F. Roberts A. I Forbes, and G. H. MacEwan; secretary and treasurer, Mr D. Crawford. . Mr J. R. Scott wa6 elected an non. at© j "^l^-was resolved that ft be an instruction i to the committee to frame a rule aa to members striking wires or posts of fences Votes of thanks were passed to the iclirin"- president, captain, and other officer/of the club, and a similar compliment to the chair closed the meeting.