MASTERTON BOWLING CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8495, 26 July 1907, Page 7

MASTERTON BOWLING CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the members of the Masterton Bowling Club was held in the Y.M.C.A. rooms last evening. Mr 0. Pragnell, Vice-Presi-dnt, occupied the chair, and there were over twenty members present. annual report and balance sheet, have already appeared in .the columns ofjthe Wairarapa Age, were adopted. In moving the adoption of the report, ithe Chairman briefly reviewed the p'ast year's work of the club. Discussing the financial .position, Mr Pragnell said that the club had a dr. balance of <£Bo lfs 6d, while at the end of last year ths dr. balance amounted to £42 15s 7d. The assets this year were set down, after a careful valuation, at £676 5s 6d, as compared with £647 5s Cd last year, being a i increase in.favour of this year of £29. Placing the increase in this year's assets against the increase in the dr, balance, it would be seen that there was a balance of £8 14s lid in favour of the dr. balance. This, to the Chairman's mind, was ver.y satisfactory, especially when the tournament which was iield during the .year was taken into consideration. The expenses in connection with the tournament had been very heavy, and ivould not be recurring. Mr Pragnell went on to the membership of the ciub had during the year decreased , by five. This was a serious matter. He considered that something ought to be done to raise the membership. He mentioned a matter which had been omitted from the annual report, and that was that Messrs E. McEwen and G. T. Seale had given the ironwork for two new arbours on the green, and Mr J. Hessey had donated £1 for the timber in the arbours. In conclusion, the Chairman said that Messrs E. J. Rose and C. D. King, the secretaries for the tournament, deserved every praise for the vast amount of work they had done and the energetic manner in which they had carried out their duties. He also added that the ladies of the club were deserving of the special thanks of the members. The election of officers for the enduing year resulted as follows: — President, Mr 0. Pragnell; VicePresidents, Messrs E. J. Rose and J. M. Coradine; Treasurer, Mr E. Richards; Secretary. Mr C. D. King; Match Committee, Messrs J. M. Cochrane, J. Whittaker, and R. Rigg; Auditor, Mr C. Perry; General Committee, Messrs J. Whittaker, F. J. Dupre, J. W. Cochrane, R. Rigg and G.§jTownsend. The election of a ladies' committee was left to the general committee. Mr E. Richards moved that the new green be set aside as a tennis court. The mover said that there was not enough members in the club to wartwo greens. One green was ample. With the advent of tennis on the greens, he felt sure that an increase in membership would follow. At least it would be an incentive to an increased membership because it would be made clear that no persons could play tennis unless they paid the ordinary subscription to, and became members of, the Bowling Club. There was no reason why tennis should not be given a trial during the coming season, and if the number of bowlers of the club increased sufficiently, the tennis could be abolished and bowls again established. Mr C. Perry seconded £the motion, and agreed with Mr Richards' remarks. Mr W. H. Jackson considered that before the motion was carried the cost of the upkeep of a tennis court should be gone into. He was of opinion that the cost of maintaining one of the greens in order for tennis would be very great. Mr G. T. Seale said he was inclined to agree with Mr Jackson. It would require about £25 for wages to keep a tennis court in order. Mr Coradine moved ad an amendment and Mr A. ; Haughey "seconded, that the matter be referred to the General Committee to consider and report to a subsequent meeting of j members. After considerable discission, the amendment was carried by twelve votes to,ten votes. Mr W. Pragnell moved that any : member of any club affiliated with j the New Zealand Bowling Association be admitted as a member of the Masterton Ciub without paying any j entrance fee. I Mr Evvi"gton seconded the motion, which was carrier'. ; It was decided to instruct the club's delegate to the Northern Bowling Association's conference to endeavour to get the Association to make a rule similar to the motion uniform throughout Mr Frank Grady, of Wellington, was elected as the club's delegate to the Northern Bowling Association's Conference. A resolution was proposed recommending the Northern Bowling Association to consider the question of amalgamating with the New Zealand Bowling Association with a view to providing one governing body for bowling in New Zealand. The motion was lest. Votes of thanks were accorded to the ladies' committee, the retiring secretary and officers for their work i the past year. The Chairman stated that Mr Rosa had promised two medals for competition in the handicap pairs during the next season. In order to recognise the services of the caretaker (Mr G. T. Seale) it was decided to make a voluntary levy among members in order to make a donation to Mr Seale.