BOWLING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 52, Issue 3771, 19 June 1936, Page 7

BOWLING

TE AWAMUTU CLUB. ANNUAL REPORT SHOWS SUCCESSFUL YEAR. Pressure on our space in last issue compelled the holding over of the following report submitted at the annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Bowling Club on Tuesday evening:—■ In presenting this report I must first express my sincerest thanks to members of the . outgoing executive for their loyal support during my term of office. Their hearty co-oper-ation in the management of the affairs of the Club has not only made my task an easy and pleasant one, but has also contributed in no small measure in bringing about an improvement in the financial position cf the Club. It is to be hoped that at least a majority of the old executive will come forward again, for I feel sure my successor would appreciate the same sound advice and support so generously given .to me. Finance: It will 'be remerhbered that the operations of the Club for the year 1934-35 resulted in a financial loss to the extent of £2l 3s sd. The revenue account for the year just ended, however, discloses a more satisfactory position, the excess of income over expenditure being £4O 6s lOd. This healthy state of affairs has been reflected in the receipts and payments account, which shows that the year commenced with a credit balance of £45 16s 4d and ended with a credit of £64 Ils 7d. Electric Mower: The thanks and congratulations of the Club are due in the first place to members, who voluntarily subscribed some £36, thereby making it possible for your executive to purchase an electric lawn mower; and, secondly, to those members and others who gave technical advice in regard to the suitability or otherwise of the different makes of machines and equipment. The mower is giving every satisfaction so far, and it is safe to forecast that when the new season comes round the improved surface of the green, by reason of more even cutting, will be appreciated by all bowlers. Membership: During the year the membership of the Club increased, notwithstanding several resignations due to members leaving the district. With the increased playing area it is possible to absorb more members and thereby further the interests of the Club as well as the game of bowls. Opening Day: The season opened on Saturday, 12th October, in ideal weather, when there was a large number of visiting bowlers present, representing twelve outside clubs. Mrs G. F. Smith was called upon to throw up the jack, and thereafter a very enjoyable afternoon was spent. The thanks of the Club are due to the ladies for their good effort on that occasion.

Greens: The marked improvement last season in the new green was appreciated by all members, and the Club feels deeply indebted to its worthy green superintendent, Mr W. J. North, and the caretaker for their unfailing attention. The late Mr C. G. Downes: The Club has sustained a real loss by the death of Mr C. G. Downes, who was a very popular and valued member. Competitions: The results of the year’s competitions were as follow: Champion singles, Mr J. Walker; handicap singles, Mr T. Grant; handicap pairs, Messrs W. Ryan and H. Brill; junior singles championship, Mr W. Ryan. Congratulations are extended to the successful competitors in these competitions. Unfortunately the championship pairs contest was far from being completed at the close of the season, and your executive was reluctantly compelled to cancel this competition. Tournaments: Two successful oneday tournaments were held during the season, the Labour Day tourney being won by Messrs W. Free, C. Bowden, M. Barnett, and A. C. Cruickshank (skip), and the second tournament, held on 14th March, being also won by a local rink composed of Messrs C. S. Davis, G. O. Jourdain, J. T. North, and W. Douglas (skip). Your Club has been well represented at outside tournaments, namely: Frankton Junction, Messrs C. S. Davis, S. H. Dunkley, W. J. North, and R. L. Henderson (skip); Putaruru, Messrs R. L. Henderson, S. H. Dunkley, C. S. Davis, and W. J. North (skip); Otorohanga, two rinks; Taupiri, Messrs S. Haines, G. O. Jourdain, J. T. North, and W. J. North; and the South Auckland Bowling Centre’s tourney, Messrs S. H. Dunkley, C. S. Davis, W. J. "North, and T. Mclnnes (skip). The Club was also represented in the Hardley Shield competition at Auckland by Messrs C. S. Davis, J. T. North, H. A. Burchell, and W. J. North. Two rinks played at Te Kuiti and one rink at Leamington. Three rinks, skipped by Messrs H. A. Burchell, R. Noonan, and A. S. Wallace respectively, participated in the Cambridge Easter tourney. At the Auckland Easter tourney a team composed cf Messrs C. S. Davis, T. Mclnnes, W. J. North, and T. Gee (skip), won seven games out of nine in their section. Unfortunately only section winners qualified, and our Club representatives were accordingly eliminated. Their performance was, nevertheless, full of merit, and the congratulations of the Club are extended to the players referred to. Inter-club Visits: During the season visits were paid to Leamington with five rinks; Te Kuiti, with eight; Cambridge, with thirteen; and Otorohanga, with six. Hamilton visited Te Awamutu with twelve rinks; Otorohanga, with five; Leamington, with four; and Te Kuiti, with six. Interprovincial Visit: Twelve rinks of Taranaki tourney bowlers, together with their wives, visited Te Awamutu on 10th March, when a very enjoyable afternoon was spent on our greens. Champion Rink: In the champion rink competition Messrs C. S. Davis, G. O. Jourdain, J. T. North, and W. Douglas (skip) were the successful team. In the first round they met and defeated Otorohanga by 24 to 14, and then Te Kuiti by 23 to 20, thereby winning the southern group. In' the next round, played at Cambridge, they were beaten by Matamata. Waikato Challenge Pairs: In the competition for the Waikato challenge pairs Messrs S. Dowds and J. Walker (skip) defeated Hamilton at Hamilton. but lost to Glen Massey in the following round. Social Evening: In July of last year a social and dance were promoted and

held in the Town Hall, but owing to the small attendance the function was only a moderate success. Your executive officers have in the past gone to considerable trouble in their efforts to organise social evenings, but for some unaccountable reason even the bowlers themselves do not attend in sufficient numbers to make such functions a success. General: Before concluding this report I wish, on behalf of the Club, to thank the ladies who so kindly assisted us during the season in making the visits of other club members so enjoyable. Our worthy secretary has earned the thanks of the Club for the manner in which he has carried out his duties, and also the assistance he has given to me personally in attending to the affairs of the Club. The Club is also indebted to Messrs G. O. Jourdain and H. Worthington for representing the Club at meetings of the South Auckland Centre, and to Messrs A. A. Reese and G. O. Jourdain, as representatives of the press, for their kind attention to reports of meetings, competitions, etc. Finally, I thank one and all for making my term of office so enjoyable.