GOLF COACH BANKRUPT

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1934, Page 8

GOLF COACH BANKRUPT

A DEFICIT OF £239 OWING. ONLY SEASONABLE OCCUPATION. The difficulties of making a living as a golf coach were fully described by George F. Ritchie, Stratford, in the statement he furnished to a meeting of his creditors at Stratford on Wednesday. The inquiry was conducted by the deputy official assignee, Mr. J. S. S. Medley, New Plymouth. No creditors attended or were represented, and in the absence of a quorum the meeting was adjourned sine die. A total of £239 17s 8d was owing to unsecured creditors, comprising: O'Dea and O’Dea, Hawera, £2 2s 6d; L. Waldon, boardinghouse keeper, £22 9s 6d; A. H. Miles and Co., Wellington, merchants, £4l 17s 6d; Arthur H. Nathan and Co., merchants, £22 Ils 6d; Egmont Tourist Co., 16s; D. J. Hyams, Ltd., merchants, £l5O Os Bd. About five years ago he commenced business as a golf coach in Hawera, and used also to coach at the surrounding clubs, said Ritchie in his statement. For about five years prior to that he was coach at New Plymouth, and did fairly well as his time was more or less occupied, and in addition to coaching fees he received a substantial retaining fee from the club. While in Hawera he received £8 a year retainer from the club and £l2 one year. During the past year he received no retainer. It was during that period he got into debt. What coaching he did was done mainly through the winter months, and very often he was not paid. He was also under engagement to other clubs on certain days, and very often when he arrived at the course there would be no coaching to do, or the weather would be so bad that coaching was out of the. question, but under his engagements with the clubs he had to be there. Expenses coming and going to the outlying clubs were considerable and would cost him on the average about £2 IQs per week. He was practically idle in the summer months as there was little or no coaching to do, and with the advent of steel-shafted clubs a few years ago he was unable to occupy the summer months as previously in the making of clubs. He had no assets. A fairly large sum was due for tuition fees, but these amounts were irrecoverable. UNITED OLD BOYS FOOTBALL. APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIALS. The executive of the Stratford United Old Boys Football Club met on Tuesday night, Mr. A. Cook being in the chair. Mr. D. McCready, who was elected president at the annual meeting, declined the position owing to pressure of work. Mr. Cook was elected in his place and Mr. McCready was placed on the management committee. Mr. L. Coley was appointed the club’s third delegate to the Taranaki Rugby Union meeting and Messrs. J. M. Stephens, A. C. Walker and J. Kofoed were appointed the club’s delegates to the central division junior executive. Gymnasium practice will commence on Wednesday and ground practice in the week-end. 1 It was decided to enter a team for the Tariki ten-a-side tournament on Monday, Mr. A. C. Walker being appointed manager. SCHOOL GAMES AT ELTHAM. NGAERE WINS TENNIS MATCH. Ngaere school beat Eltham school in a tennis game by 15 sets to one. Results, with Eltham names mentioned first, are:— '

Boys’ singles: I. Bridger lost to Taylor I—6, W. Linnell beat G. Harre 6—o, N. Thurston lost to M. Gibbons I—6, M. Eliott lost to B. Bulmer I—6.

Girls’ singles: D. Pepperell lost to J. Stockman o—6, J. Knofflock lost to J. Fisher o—6, G. Fountaine lost to E. Harre 4—6, R. Kyle lost to D. Harre

Combined doubles: I. Bridger and D. Pepperell lost to L. Taylor and J. Stockman I—6, W. Linnell and J. Knofflock lost to G. Harre and J. Fisher o—6, N. Thurston and G. Fountaine lost to B. Bulmer and E. Harre I—6, M. Eliott and R. Kyle lost to M. Gibbons and D. Harre 3—6.

Girls’ doubles: R. Kyle and G. Fountaine lost to D. and E. Harre 2—6, D. Pepperell and J. Knofflock lost to J. Stockman and J. Fisher o—6.

Boys’ doubles: N. Thurston and M. Elliot lost to B. Bulmer and M. Gibbons I—6, W. Linnell and I. Bridger lost to L. Taylor and G. Harre 3—6. By eight runs the boys of Fraser Road beat Eltham in a school cricket match. Eltham scored 17 and Fraser Road 25. Maurice Death made 15 for Fraser Road and Wheedon took five wickets for 19 runs for Eltham including the “hat trick.”

Fraser Road girls scored 30 and Eltham girls nine. Nancy Jennings, 10, made top score. ELTHAM BOROUGH VALUATION. REDUCTION OF 30 PER CENT. The total valuation of the borough of Eltham has been reduced approximately 30 per cent., according to the figures of the revaluation recently carried out by the Government valuer, Mr. Gardiner. Business premises as well as residential properties have shared generally in the reductions, and it is believed that the amount of the rate to be struck next financial year will have to be slightly increased to make up for the deficiency due to lower valuations. The reduction in the valuation will not affect the New Plymouth harbour rate until October 1 next, as the Harbour Board’s financial year does not coincide with that of the borough. The new valuation, however, will involve a reduction in the Hawera hospital rate, but this benefit will be only for the proportion that the 30 per cent, bears to the total hospital district rate. It is considered probable that the borough will not require to levy a total rate as heavy as that collected during the present year owing to certain savings that are possible.