TUAPEKA BOWLING AND TENNIS CLUB.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 5100, 26 September 1903, Page 3

TUAPEKA BOWLING AND TENNIS CLUB.

The annual meeting of the above Olab was hold in the Counoil Chambers on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance, about 20 members being present. Mr A. B. Haggitt (president) occupied the chair. The minat€B of the previous annual meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary (Mr M. M'Lean) read the report and balance-sheet as follows :—: —

Ia presenting the twentieth annual report your committee have satisfaction in being able to refer to a fairly successful year. The seaso^.opened on Wednesday afternoon, 29th October, in favorable weather conditions on account of the afternoon being the first warm aud dry half-holiday for a considerable time before tbe opening and, there being' a cricket match on the same afternoon, the turn-out of members and friends was not so large as usual. No sot tennis match was played, but tbe bowlera engaged in the übuql match— President v. vice-President, which ended in a win for the latter by 10 points. During the season our bowlers played five inter-club matches — viz., against Kaitangata, Milton and Port Chalmers on our own greco, and against Dunedin and Milton on the Milton green. We lost three of these matches and won two of them. The total scores in the five matches were: Our opponents made 275 points and Lawrence made 292 points, the aggregate majority in favor of our Club is 17 points. We had two Club bowling matches— viz., Scotland I v. England, and the .amusing one of the Ladies v Gentlemen, playing left-handed, on tbe 18th \ Mu.rch. Scotland won by the very narrow majority o£ one point, but the ladies won their pleasantlycontested match by the haudaome majority »f 10 pointß. The weather was cold and the ground 'damp from the heavy rain which fell on the previous day. The gentlemen dispensed the refreshments during the afternoon. We should have a return match with the ladies during the coming season and arrange to have it played not later than the month of February. The Kink Subscription Trophy match was unfortunately abandoned after reaching the final and interesting stage. Our Club matches must in the future be got off during the early and warmer portion of the season as it would be much more satisfactory to all concerned Ui.T-n playing late ia the season oil a damp greoQ) a short afternoon, and a chilly atmosphere. The 'N.Z. Bowling Association instituted a series of permanent matches, to be played by all affiliated clubs in the respective districts as mapped out for them by the Association, but, as you are aware, we did not meet any club in these matches as we found it impossible to provide three rinks to engage to carry Jout the programme to the finish. We would have had to travel to Clinton, Balclutha, Kaitangata, and Milton to play in these Flag matches. The season was again, as a whole, unfavorable for bowling and tennis enjoyment. Our caretaker, under the supervision of the sub-com-mittee (Messrs Christie and Campbell) bad the grounds kept in capital order during the season. The thanks of the Club are due to these gentlemen for the care and time bestowed by them in the in. terest and for the benefit of members of the Club. Our Club was represented at the Christchurch Championship Meeting by a rink consisting of Messrs Campbell, Christie, Jeffery and Darton. They 'did not succeed in bringing home all the prizes, but report having had a very enjoyable holiday. A Club and invitation card tournament was held on the sth August and was a decided success, there being a large gathering of ladies and friends. Prizes presented by our President, Mr Haggitt, were won by Miss Martin and Mrs Eoscow and by Messrs Mitchell and White. On the 26th December our Tennis Club played the ex-High School Club, the totter winning, and on the Ist and 2nd January played the Kaituna Club and were defeated. Oar Club was represented at the Association Tournament during the Raster holidays by the Misses Jeffery and Mr Corrigan. Tour committee have again to thank the lady members for their kindness in supplying tea on the weekly half-holidays during the season. We are pleased to be able to state that oui membership increased during the year to the extent of II new members. The treasurer has a credit balance in hand amounting to £5 2s 7d. Eight members paid next year's subscriptions in advance to assist the Club to wipe out the arrears of rent, which, tbanks to the generosity of the Grounds Co., we were enabled to do. We must not, however, lose sight of the fact that we will be short of the money paid in advance by these members, and some eifort will have to be made to raise some extra funds by means of an entertainment or something of that kind.

£80 18 4 He pointed oufa that there had been an increase of £11 2s 6d in the subscriptions as compared with the previous year, while the expenditure (exclusive of the areas of rent paid £20) had bsen £55 15s 9d as against £55 9s during the previous year.

The Chair maD, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said it was a matter of regret that t.he past season was so wet and therefore unsuitable for the thorough enjoyment of the games. Their finances were in a thoroughly sound and flourishing condition, a credit balance of over £5 being carried forward, Por this gratifying position they had to thank the Bowling Green Grounds Co. for the very generous manner in which it had met the club in regard to arreas of rent. They had accepted £20 in full satisfaction for all arrears, which amounted to £47, and in addition they had agreed to reduce the rent to £10 pep annum. TLe thanks df the Club were, he said, also due to the eight members who had come forward and paid their present years' subscriptions in advance thus enabling the Club to take advantageof the Grounds Co.'s offer. He referred to the loss ,the Club had sustained in the death of Mr A. Macdonald, one of their oldest and most popular members. Mr Macdonald was one of the original members who joined in 1883 — the first year of the Club's existence — and up to the last two seasons, when ill-health prevented him taking an active part in the game, he bad been a most enthusiastic bowler and one of the best representatives of their Club.

Mr Christie seconded the motion which was carried nnanimonsly, ' ELECTION OF OFFICERS. I In asking for nominations for the position of president, the Chairman said he though 6 this position should be a rolling one. Daring the past year or two a , number of members had — probably ' from an excess of modesty (a complaint bowlers were very subject to) — made it a rule to decline nomination, and this he considered detracted somewhat from the honor attaching to such an office. He hoped that whoever was nominated that evening would accept the honor without demur. Mr Jeffery proposed Mr Gr. O. Taylor as president. Mr Taylor was one ot the oldest members of the Club, and had not hitherto held the position, Mr Christie seconded the motion, which was enthusiastically carried. Mr H. L. Darton was elected vice-pre-sident, and Mr M'Lean re-elected secretary and treasurer ; Committee — Messrs Christie, Campbell, Corrigan, Wakefield, Haggitt, and Jeffery ; auditor, Mr Wm. M'Kinlay , delegates to the Bowling Association — Messrs Jeffery and F. Miller. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Grounds Committee (Messrs Christie and Campbell) for the able way in which they had oarried out their duties. Totes of thanks were also passed to officers of the Club during the past year, and also the Bowling Green Grounds Co. for the generous manner in whioh it ha,d. meb the Glub in connection with the rental and arrears.

A number of new members were proposed. On the motion of the chairman, the secretary was instructed to forward & letter of condolence to Mrs Maodon&ld, expressing the Club's sympathy with her and family in the loss of her late husband, and their regret in. losing the fellowship of so enthusiastic a member. The bnsiness of the meetiug being concluded, Mr Taylor thauked the members for the honor conferred on him in electing him as president. He felt, after the very > pertinent remarks ot their late president, that it would have been ungenerous and disloyal on his part to refuse the office. He was afraid he would not be able to devote as much time to the Club as one Occupying the position should, bub he had associated with him as a committe gentlemen who would be very indulgent in regard to his shortcomings in this respect. He could not let the opportunity pass without emphasising the indebtedness ot the Club to their secretary and treasurer (Mr M'Leao) — in fact, he attributed the Club's very satisfactory position entirely to Mr M'Lean's ability for that office. The meeting then terminated.

RECEIPTS. Balance from last year Subscriptions Subscriptions in advance Trophy subscriptions Donation ... £3 10 10 ... 65 2 6 ... 11 2 6 ... 10 0 ... 0 2 6 > £89 18 4 EXPENDITURE. Sent, including £20 arrears ... Caretaker Labor and sand Fee Otago Tennis Association „ JBowlUig Fertilise* Browne Bros., timber General and Water Bates Herbert and Co Advertising and printing Sundry small accounts ... ... Balance ... £30 0 0 ... 30 0 0 ... 317 0 ... 110 ... 10 0 016 0 ... 1 J 0 ... 4 0 0 ... 11l 0 ... 15 6 ... 14 3 ... 5 2 7