CROQUET

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3190, 14 June 1932, Page 5

CROQUET

TE AWAMUTU CLUB. MRS D. McARTHUR ELECTED PRESIDENT. The annual meeting of the above Club took place on Saturday. Owing to the inclement weather the meeting Avas held in the Borough Council room where a good fire was very much appreciated. About twenty member's were present, including the president (Mrs F. W. Bevin), treasurer (Mrs H. Y. Collins), and secretary (Mrs S. J. Nobes). The president presented the report for the season just closed, which had proved a very successful one in every way. The treasurer presented the balance sheet, which showed a credit balance of £22 18s lid. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: Patroness, Mrs C. G. Downes; president, Mrs D. McArthur; vice-presidents, Mesdames W. H. Davis, J. O'Sullivan and G. 0. Jourdain; treasurer, Mrs H. Y. Collins; secretary, Mrs S. J. Nobes; committee, Mesdames S. Dowds, F. W. Bevin, R. Noonan, A. A. Reese, A. C. Cruickshank, J. T. Young and G. Salter; match committee, Mesdames Dowds, Noonan and Bevin; green superintendent, Mrs Dowds; tea superintendent, Mrs J. Ryan. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the retiring officers; also to Mr F. W. Bevin for auditing the accounts. ANNUAL REPORT. The season just closed has been a very successful one—both financially and from the point o£ view of the keenness of members. We were favoured with fine weather for practically the whole period of play. Membership: There were fewer playing, but more honorary members than in the previous year. A number of new players joined, and have exhibited great keenness and are coming on well. Competitions: The usual competitions took place in all grades, and were marked with enthusiasm. Mrs S. Dowds remains the champion of the club; so far we have not been able to unearth a player to vanquish her.

The official opening took place on 3rd October 1931, a glorious day. Most of the neighbouring clubs were well represented. Our club was represented at the opening days of Otorohanga Central, Ohaupo, Hamilton, and Cambridge Clubs,-and most enjoyable afternoons were spent at these functions. Inter-club visits were paid during the season to Otorohanga Central, when our club came home the winners; and Te Kuiti, where we had a thoroughly hard task and were forced to leave our cup behind. On both occasions we were most hospitably entertained, and thoroughly enjoyed our outings. Otorohanga Central were to pay us a visit on Bth March, but this fixture had to be postponed, owing to the death of Mrs A. Rennie. Unfortunately another date for a visit to us could not be fixed, because of sickness among members of the Otorohanga Club, and so the fixture had to be postponed until next season.

Competitions: Club competitions were entered into with zest, the winbers being: Club championship, Mrs Dowds; A Handicap Singles, Mrs Dowds; runner-up, Mrs Bevin; A. Handicap Doubles, Mesdames McArthur and Noonan; A. and B. Handicap Doubles, Mesdames Bevin and Whyte; B. Handicap Singles, Mrs Salter; C. Handicap Singles, Mrs McNair. We are indebted to the following members,, who kindly donated trophies for the competitions: Mrs H. Y. Collins, Mrs F. W. Bevin, Mfcs H. C. Rainey and Mrs A. A. Reese. A field day was held on Labour Day, and was a great success. The weather was kind, quite a large number of members were on the lawns early, and the day's events went with a swing and were contested enthusiastically. The season's play was concluded by a field day on 4th May. This was an even greater success than the Labour Day function. Only one playing member did not attend, which we consider is a record. The committee tender their best thanks to the donors of prizes for this function. Social Afternoons: Several of these were held during the winter of 1931, at the homes of various members of the club. They proved very successful, and the proceeds swelled our funds considerably, enabling us to buy new crockery and linen for the pavilion, and an extra seat for the grounds. Mrs Collins very kindly donated one dozen teaspoons, for which we tender her our thanks.

The Greens: The arrangement made in the previous season with the bowlers regarding the care of our lawns proved most satisfactory. The greens were in very good order for the whole of the season, and despite the dry weather stood up well to the play. Mr Hastie has been most considerate and painstaking. When there was a match to be played he made it his business to have teh lawn to be used in the best of trim for the game. This was greatly appreciated by the members concerned. During the present winter our large lawn (Nos. 1 and 2 greens) i? bo'ng used by the bowlers for nlay, owing to their winter green being out of commission this season. We think the rolling and cutting which the bowling demands will have a beneficial effect on the lawns. Mesdames Battson, Davis and Peake were laid low with serious illnesses during the greater part of the playing season. We sincerely trust that we will have them back with us during the coming year. The Comjmiittee gratefully acknowledge a donation of five guineas towards the funds ijrom. our patroness, Mrs K. C. Rickit.

Early in the season we were sorry to receive Mrs C. G. Downes' resignaflion from the committee. We hope that she can see iher way to take office in the new season. Our hon. secretary, Miss Savill, found that she could not continue the duties of this office, and resigned her post in December last. We wish to place on record our appreciation of her services whilst she held the position. Mrs S. J. Nobes was elected to succeed her, and has proved a most efficient secretary. Pavilion: During the past season the

question of making additions was fully considered by the Committee, but owing to our fiunds not being sufficient to enable us to undertake the considerable expenditure which would be involved in the project, it was finally decided that the matter could not be gone on with in the meantime. In conclusion, I wish to thank members for their kind assistance during the season, and to express the hope that they will continue to extend the same to my successor in the office of president.