TIMARU BOWLING CLUB.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14008, 17 September 1909, Page 7

TIMARU BOWLING CLUB.

A BIRTHDAY GATHERING. The howling season has not yet opened in Timaru, nevertheless there ,w as a good gathering of the Timaru Bowling Club on their green yesterday afternoon, about Jivc-and-thirty members turning up, and several others sent apologies. The " green," w-as beautifully green and evenly covered, and probably has never before looked so well in the middle ,of September. The purpose of the gathering was not, however, to make use of it for play, hut to' do honour to one of the oldest and most valuable of the members, Mr George Gabities, on his 80th birthday. The president, Mr R. H. Ferguson, made ap. excellent littlo speech, congratulating Mr Gabites on having retained bis health, and-hits skill as a bowler to such a degree that -he was one of the very best players in the club, in spite of his eighty years. The, members of the club , had assemldpd - for the , purpose of wishing him " many happy returns of the day, • and to thank him, a little 'more' fully than time permitted at the annual meetings, for, the great attention he, as sole member of the ground committee, had given U> keeping the green in order. . Mr Ferguson remarked that Scotsmen had given the w ; orld two great games, golf and bowls, and for middle aged and old men bowls was a most valuable recreatieiu. They gave retireel business men an interest in .life, and he had little-doubt that the game had lengthened Mr Gabites' days, ami ho hoped woulel continue to "do so. The. meeting would also take the opi>ortunity of recognising the indebtedness of the club to one of its oldest members, who had done much useful service years ago, Mr D. West, who' was some months' older than Mr Gabites, by making him a life member. Mr "W. Evans followed, wjtli another nice complimentary speech, and by request presented to Mr Gabites on behalf of-the club, a souvenir in the shape of a handsome, silver matchbox, inscribed: •'Timaru' BoVling Club, to G. Gabites. cm his WJth birthday, 16/W09." Cheers wore given for the two octogenarians. Messrs S. A. Bristol, first president of the Club in 1886, W. Priest, M. White, ex-prcsident, Godfrey. G. Turner, ex-secretary, endorsed and atleled to the expressions< of gratitude and Goodwill of the first speakers, and Messrs Gabites and West suitably replied. The former said it was the surprise of his life, to find that so many members of the club felt so much personal friendship for him, and now-that he was-compelled'to..-realise-it. it gave him the very greatest pleasure. 'He had been praised for the time and --'attention he ihad given to the green, but it had been a labour of love, because he liked to. have a good green to play -on-as; -much as others did. He thanked them most heartily for their birthday present, and still more for the expression of good feeling. . The health of the Veterans was then proposed and drunk with -.much enthusiasm.