CONTENTIOUS SUBJECT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19503, 9 December 1937, Page 13

CONTENTIOUS SUBJECT

GOLF ENTRANCE FEES POVERTY BAY'S INCREASE WARNING NOTE SOUNDED The notice of motion of Mr. W. R. B. Willock that rule 10 be amended by altering it to read, "entrance fee of £3 3s for men and £1 lis tid fur ladies," proved a contentious sub? ject last evening when considered at the annual meeting of the Poveriy Bay Golf Club, but, amended to increase the ladies' entrance fee to £2 2s, it was carried. Mr. Willock said it was proposed to increase the entrance fee because the links had been greatly irhproved already out of members' subscriptions and the gifts of those who had been connected with the club for many years and it was considered only right that new members should contribfl'tenowVrds" fife*lmprovements by paying a larger entrance fee than had been the case in the past. The committee wanted to make golf as cheap as possible and fees amounting to £3 3s for men and £1 Us 6d for ladies had been suggested. An amendment was moved by Miss D. Bagnall, seconded by Mrs. R. U. Burke, that the ladies' entrance fee be increased to £2 2s.

"Penalising the Beginner"

The matter of penalising the beginner at the 1 game was raised by Mr. R. P. Baigent. He asked if the membership of the club was so full that it necessitated the step? The chairman, Mr. W. R. B. Willock, explained that the club wanted new members.

I Mr. Baigent asked the committee I and meeting to remember the cost and L fees to a beginner. A member of the committee, Mr. K. F. Jones, said that the question had been considered fully. He held that with 400 members the club must be nearly reaching saturation point, and he realised that the younger members would be, seriously handicapped. In agreeing with Mr. Baigent's argument, Mr. D. E. Chrisp said he always thought that the entrance fees of any club were increased when the membership was nearly at saturation point. If more members were wanted in the club he thought it would not be wise to increase the fee. It would be better to get their subscriptions than lose members by increasing the entrance fee. The notice of motion was supported by Mr. H. Berkley Tyerman, who said that in other clubs in the Dominion the entrance fees were much larger than those proposed for the club in Gisborne. Dr. F. Kahlenberß also spoke in favour of the increase. The chairman said that members under 21 years of age received a reduction and in view of the higher wages those over that age could well afford to pay. The amendment regarding the ladies' entrance fee was carried, and the motion, that the men's lee .L.s 3s and the ladies' be £2 2s, also received the consent of the meeting.