BOWLS

Southland Times, Issue 19895, 14 June 1926, Page 5

BOWLS

RIVERTON CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. (From Our Correspondent.) The annual general meeting of the above was held on Friday evening in More’s Hall, when there was a good attendance of members, and the President, Mr. A. E. Willett, occupied the chair. ANNUAL REPORT. The following is the annual report: “In presenting the annual report for the season 1925-26, your committee are pleased to be able to state that the opening of the club’s season left nothing to be desired. Once again the lady supporters of the club did yeoman’s service. On October 28, our opening day, the weather was perfect, and all who participated in the opening had another day’s enjoyable bowling. The green, after the great amount of work spent upon it, during the close season, was in excellent condition, and for this we must thank the greenkeeper, Mr. T. King. Membership—The membership of the club has not materially altered during the year, and now stands at 30 members. We regret the loss of Mr. A. Burns, a prominent member of the club, by removal, but as Mr. Burns is playing for Te Rangi our loss is the Invercargill Club’s gain. Competitions.—Many keen competitions have been witnessed during the season, in both club competitions, and in our matches with the sister clubs. This season your club have been forced to accept defeat at the hands of several of our sister clubs, viz., Winton, Orepuki and Aparima. Your committee regret to state that all the Western District fixtures were not completed, owing no doubt, to the unsettled weather. This year, our sister club (Aparima) is the proud possessor of the Western District Cup, and your committee heartily congratulate them on the fine performance they have put up. Your club was represented in the New Year tournament at Invercargill, also in the Shield Rink, but in both these competitions they were unsuccessful. The champion singles of the club was won by Mr. S. Hall, and the doubles by Messrs Hall and Instone. In the champion of champion singles, Mr Hall, our representative, played some sterling games, but was unfortunately eliminated in the semi-finals. The Otago-Southland match was held this season in Invercargill, and the club was represented by Mr. A. E. Willett. Following are the results of the club competitions for season 1925-26: —Champion singles, Mr. Hall; doubles, Messrs Hall and Instone; two bowl doubles, Messrs Birch and Harrison; four bowl doubles, Rev. Webb and Mr. Ashley. The presidents’ stars have once again created very keen competition, and this season the Nightcaps Club were successful in wresting these coveted trophies from your representatives. The junior stars have changed hands on more than one occasion this season, and it is pleasing to note that they are still coveted and competed for by the local clubs. The success of the Western District Doubles’ Tournament was once more evident by the number of competitors from the other clubs. Many closely contested games were witnessed, and the Otautau pair, Messrs Buchanan and Moore, were able to hold their own against all comers. The runnersup, Messrs Jones and Little (Aparima) played splendid bowls throughout the tournament. To the winners and runners-up we offer our hearty congratulations. Acting upon the advice of Mr. Louden, the Western District Association decided to hold a Rinks Tournament this season, and, judging by the keen interest displayed by town as well as country clubs, the fixture is bound to become an annual one. All the town and Western District clubs were represented and your rink, skipped by Mr. Instone, were successful in carrying off the honours of the day. Thanks.—The thanks of the club are due to the different committees, the members of which worked so arduously for the good of the club also to the selectors for the great satisfaction they have given during the year. Your committee cannot let this opportunity pass without thanking the president, Mr. A. E. Willett, for his handsome donation of timber for lining the ceiling of the pavilion. The carrying out of this important work, and the calciuming of the walls have added materially to the appearance and comfort of the pavilion. Through the generosity of the club members, this has cost the club very little in the way of expense. The thanks of the club are also due to Mr. S. L. Beer for the trophies for the two bowl doubles, to Mr. Willett for trophies for the four bowl doubles. Carnival. —During the year a queen carnival was organised for the raising of funds for the improvement of the different sports areas. The carnival has not yet finished; but, so far, your club has benefited to the extent of £llO. To the members of your club who acted on the committee of the carnival the thanks of your club are due, also to all who assisted to make the carnival a success. It has been a strenuous time for some of your members, and the service and time given by them is highly appreciated by your committee. In connection with the carnival your committee decided to hold a doubles tournament on the occasion of the closing of the green. This proved an unequalified success, both financially and from a playing point of view. The committee was able to hand over to the Carnival Committee the handsome sum of £8 odd. The winners of the competitions were: Mr. F. Rouse (Aparima) for skips, Mr. S. Hall runner-up and Mr. J. Robertson was the winner of the leads on the occasion of the closing of the Aparima green as well as our own. Thanks are due to the ladies who so ably assisted to make all the club’s gatherings such successful ones. The greenkeeper, Mr. King, has again to be thanked for the manner he has attended to the green, also to all those who have assisted in any way to make the season such a successful one.” The hon. treasurer, Mr. W. A. Scobie, submitted the balance-sheet, and from this it was shown that the club had come out on the right side, there being a credit balance of £4 Os 3d on the year’s transactions. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the chairman said the club had every reason to be proud of the result. In former years there was usually a debit, but the statement as presented by their treasurer showed that they had £4 to their credit, and with the £llO received from the queen carnival they were in a good way financially. He congratulated the secretary, Mr. Ashley, for such a concise reporton the years work. Referring to bowling generally, he said the season had been a most successful one, although some difficultyhad been experienced in endeavouring to get off some of the competitions. This was no doubt due to the Exhibition, as many of the bowlers were away during the holidays, and then the weather broke which, of course, delayed the matches. The Riverton Club had held the championship honours for six years, but now the Aparima Club were premiers, and he congratulated them on their success. After acting for sixteen years as greenkeeper, Mr. King had resigned his position. He (the speaker) said Mr. King had carried out his work during that long period faithfully, and he regretted that he was obliged to resign, not having the necessary time to devote to the work. The membership had kept up to the usual standard, and taking everything into consideration the season had been a prosperous one, and the coming one gave every promise of being equally so.— (Applause.) Mr. Patrick complimented the secretary and treasurer on bringing forward such clear and accurate reports. They were good and lasting records. He also complimented the greenkeeper for providing such an excellent playing surface on the green. Mr. J. Robertson seconded the motion, which on being put was carried. Before vacating the chair, Mr. Willett said Mr. J. H. Loudon had forwarded to him a trophy in the shape of a handsome fountain pen, which he wished to be presented to Mr. J. V. Instone, who skipped the winning rink in the Town v. Western District match.

Mr. Loudon also wrote congratulating the club on having had a successful season and wishing them every success. Mr. Instone suitably replied. The election of office-bearers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. A. E. Willett (reelected) ; vice-presidents, Messrs Instone and Birch; secretary, Mr. F. Ashley; treasurer, Mr. W. A. Scobie; auditor, Mr. E. B. Patrick. Committee: Messrs S. Hall, R. Younger, E. A. Trail, R. Davis, J. Robertson, S. L. Beer, S. Bailey, J. Geary and E. B. Patrick. Delegate to centre, Mr. A. E. Willett; delegate to Progressive League, Mr. J. Instone. The subscriptions were fixed the same as last year, viz., £2 2s and £1 Is, for country members on the motion of Messrs Davis and E. A. Trail. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr. Patrick, hearty votes of thanks were passed to the ladies, the greenkeeper and the Press. Mr. Ashley said the local Exhibition Committee were unable to provide their quota of the money promised Mr. Winsloe, and Mr. Gee, who was chairman of the committee, had appointed the three different sections connected with the queen carnival movement and asked for a donation of £3 from each. If all fell in with the suggestion sufficient would be raised to liquidate the amount owing. On the motion of Mr. Instone, seconded by Mr. Scobie it was de-, cided to vote the sum of £3. The secretary was instructed to write to Mr. T. McCaw, a prominent member of the club, but now removed to another district, thanking him for the many services he had rendered during his stay here. Several suggestions were made and were noted for consideration at the next meeting of the committee.