TIMARU BOWLING CLUB.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13649, 17 July 1908, Page 6

TIMARU BOWLING CLUB.

The annual meeting of the Timaru Bowling Club was held in the Sophia. Street) Hall Just evening, when Mr M. While presided over a gathering .of about forty members. The balance-sheet submitted by the treasurer, Mr J- JJruee, showed receipts from 93 members' subscriptions £144 3s, entrance fees £ll Is, prize fund donations £9 Bs, a few small items and balance of £6B odd brought forward made a total of £243 16s 3d. The expenditure included £64 6s for greenkeeper, and £2 15s lid for materials, £3l 18s 2d for improvements and mats, £2l lis for prizes, £23 19s lOd for interest on mortgage of £275 and rates, telephone £5, Bowling Association £3 3s, sundries £l6 2s lOd, total £l6B 16s 9d, leaving a credit balance of £74 18s 6d. The liability was the aforesaid mortgage; the assets, the cash balance and the property pub down at £IOOO. Mr Bruce mentioned that last year £l4l was received for members' subscriptions, and there were four subscriptions not collected. Two members had died, six had resigned, six had left, and probably seven or eight more would resign to join the new club. These changes would probably result in a reduction of the subscription revenue to about £l2O. Seventeen new members joined last year, and he put the loss at twenty-two. The secretary, Mr K. G. Turner, read the committee's report and the chairman moved the adoption of the documents. The committee in their report congratulated the Club on having had a successful bowling season, both from the financial and isporting polint of view, though in their foreign matches the Club liave nob been as successful as Ihey should have liked. With great regret they recorded that death had claimed three of the members, viz., Messrs Irvine, J. S. Gibson, and Lawson, and sympathy was extended to their relatives and friends. The balance sheet disclosed the fact, that after meeting all expenses the Club ended the season with £74 19s 6d to their ex'edit, this being an increase of £6 6s 3d on the balance carried forward from the previous season. Considering that the committee had expended £23 3s lid on alterations to the pavilion and £8 14s 3d on the purchase of new mate, both expenses non-recurring, the committee considered the Club might be congratulated on the state of its finance. The mortgage remained at £275. During the year, steps had b)e)en taken) to bring the' Club under the Unclassified Societies Act, and if the rules necessary we-e pissed, the registration would shortly be an accomplished fact, Club were represented at the Dunedin tournament in January, by Messrs. Pfringle, Seajtey, Wihytte, Goxhead, Simmers and Gow. The full rink (the first four named) played very successfully, getting inlto the semi-final, having been the winners of green and their section. In the semifinal they mefc the Taieri rink, who, after a well fought fight won, and ultimately won the tournament. The Club were also represented at Qamaru Easter Tournament by Messrs Sealey, Pringle, Broadhead, and Coxhead, who however were not successful in carrying off any prizes, although they won three out of four games in the Citizens' Match. The committee, however, were glad to know that there are some members who are keen enough to travel to these different -fixtures and try conclusions with other clubs' picked rinks. Eight foreign matches were played during the season 'of which this Club won four, against North Otago, Meadowbank, Temuka,, and Waimate, and lost four, to Waimate, Phoenix, Ashburton and Temuka. Unfortunately it rained heavily the day the' Club went to Oamaru to play the return match against Phoenix, though a scratch match of 8 heads . was played late in the afternoon by some players in a heavy rain, which resulted in a win for tlie Phoenix Club. The ordinary club matches were played, resulting as follows:—Doubles (4 bowls), Messrs Gow and Simmers, winners, with. Messrs Gillman and Kirby, runners-up. Doubles (2 bowls) Messrs Wade and Orwin, winners, with Messrs Whyte and Seward, runners-up. Singles Championship, Gow, champion, Godfrey, runner-up. President's Singles, Simmers 1, Courtis 2; Colts', Aitken 1, Morgan 2. On Easter Monday a full rink tournament was held, 7 rinks (including one from Temuka) competed, and Messrs Keddie, White, Morgan, and Broadhead won the trophy. The thanks of the committee wore tendered to. the ladies who kindly assisted in making the season pleasant by providing tea on Thursday and match days; to Mr Broadhead, for presenting a new set of scoring boards; to Messrs Gillies and Courtis for their work as Match Committee; to Mr Gabites for his work as Ground Committee; to Messrs Briscoe and Co. for presenting the iron used in the alteration to the pavilion ; to Messrs Evans, White, Gow, Garrick, and A. and T. Burt for donations to the prize fund, also to Messrs Cartlainl and Son, Birmingham (per Messrs Priest and Holdgate) for a special prize. Discussion being invited Mr Bardsley reminded the meeting that last year a resolution was passed recommending that a social for members and their wives be hold. The secretary stated that Ihc matter was brought up at two committee .meet - ings, and the id«i liad to bo dropped because they com] not get any member to undertake the duty of milking llm necessary arrangements. In re ill- to Mr Orwin. the chairman said that, mention of titie departure of Mr .Mrjllutchesi.il, one of their popular skips, was omitted from the report by oversight. The club made him a presentation before he left, Mr Wade asked why tho result of the fidl rink tournament) was not recorded in the report, and the question gave rise tr, a good deal of discussion. —The chairman said the tournament was not completed.— Air Bardsley moved that Mr Gabites' rink be credited with the win, this rink having

won the most gumcs.—-Tlio motion was lost., '.'lit? mover and seconder (Mr L'nur- | ti.s) voting ff.-f il. K-eporfc iiml Iwhun.-e sherl wci» then adopted - '.l.'iic election of ofliedrsi resulted, as follows:—l'vesid,cnt, Mr M. Whihe; vicepresidents, Messrs <J. Uu bides and .1. G. Gow ; lion, secretary, Mr 11. Orwin ; lion, treasurer, Mr Bruce; committee, Messrs Ferguson, Burdsley, Turner, Wy.dc, Courtis, Kirby, and I'riiigle; auditor, Mr Gillies Mr C. H. i'runor moved—"'That tins club place Oii record their satisfaction that a, second bowling flub has been established in Tiniaru, alid wish the new club every success." (Seconded by Mr Gowj and carried with applause. It was resolved that letters of condolence tie sent 10 the relations of two members lost by death during the year. The ordinary annual meeting vus interrupted by a special meeting to actoj; l rukts required for the registration 1 o( the club under the Unclassified Societies Act. 1 The chairman stated that the new rules were based upon those of the Kia Toa 01 üb, which had been accepted by the Registrar. A good deal of discussion took place over the rules, Avhich had been revised by the committee, but they had not had. time to study them thoroughly, and numerous amendments were made in the draft. Messrs Bardtsley and Orwin had given a good deal of attention to the muster, and proposed the majority of Ihe- amendments and alterations. Some, of these gave rise to long discussions. Among them, were the rules regarding to " colours" of the club, retirement of members of committee, mode of electing new members, notice of special business, subscription rates, duties of treasurer, and supply of refreshments. The colours adopted were maroon, with ijage green facings. A rule was adopted to provide that defaulters to this club shall not be allowed to play, in matches against it; and another fixed the voting power, life or playing member two votes, non-playing member, one vote. On the question of subscription the draft rule proposed £1 Is for the first year and £2 afterwards for playing members, and £1 Is for honorary members. .Mr Gillies moved to delete the first year rate, because the new club had adopted £2, and Jur diis club to awake a lower rate might cause dissatisfaction among members of the new club. This amendment was carried. In order to prevent the future business of the club being in any degree controlled by members retiring after the annual meeting, a rule was amended to make it read that oil persons taking part in an annual meeting shall be held liable for the next year's subscription. A propositi to adopt a system of balloting lor |i.av af 4)iembers arrive was rejected, as it hud been tried and found, useless, because members formed rinks to suits themselves before entering the green. A draft rule provided that the club may not jiiirciin.so!:etreshnients except for foreign matches, mul then alcoholic liquors wore to be excepted. It was moved that this exception be expunged. This motion was opposed on the ground of expense, and with a derisive condemnation of the argument that supplying liquor tended to "popularise" the club with visitors. 'lt's all rot"; said Mr Courtis; other clubs did not find it necessary. It was replied that other clubs provided a little liquor, and they ought to do the same. The cost last year was only about £3. The . proposal to expunge the prohibition was lost by 14 to 10. The powers of the Match Committee in regard to the " conditions of play," were raised by Mr Fraser, who argued that the skip, and not the Match Committee, should "place" the men, - and Mr Qow supported him. Mr Courtis explained that the committee had endeavoured to " give every, man a show." The committee had the handicapping of players for trophies, and therefore must know the men. He gave an instance of a skip changing the place of men. "And the changed rink won the maAch for Timaru," said .Mr Fni.«er. The latter proposed that the question be referred to the executive as a request, to define the duties of the Match Committee and this was carried. Mr Young moved that a social bo held at the close of thft next season, as a compliment to the ladies who provide teas, the prizes won to be presented at the social. An amendment to refer the proposal to the favourable consideration of the executive was carried. Votes of thanks were recorded to last year's officers, to the ladies, to the press, and a vote of thanks to the presidentclosed the meeting at 11 p.m.