Laurel Bank annual meeting and review of the year

The annual meeting of the Laurel Bank Croquet Club was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Mr. Hoare took the chair and wished the club a prosperous and happy new year.

The election of officers bearers was as follows: Patroness, the Mayoress (Mrs. J. D. Annand); patron, Mr. S G. Stephens; president, Mrs. Malcolm Sinclair; vice-presidents, Mesdames Schmidt, Hatton and Hopkins; secretary, Mrs. P. S. Priest; treasurer, Miss M. Rowe; captain, Mrs. Dunsdon; vice-captain, Mrs. R. Stone; ground committee, Mesdames Sinclair and Schmidt and Mr. Hoare; grading committee, Mesdames Sinclair, Priest, Dunsdon and W. Childs; committee, Mesdames Dunsdon, Fett, J. Platz, Orr, Boyd and Frood; Press correspondent, Mrs. W Childs.

The adoption of the third annual report, which was read by the secretary (Mrs. P. S. Priest), was moved by Mrs. Boyd, seconded by Mrs. Hopkins, and carried.

The report read as follows:—

The office bearers for last year were: Patroness, Mrs. J. D. Annand; patron, Mr. S. G. Stephens; president, Mrs. M. Sinclair; vice-presidents, Mesdames H. Schmidt, L. Hopkins and J. Platz; hon. treasurer, Miss M. Rowe; captain, Mrs. M. C. Dunsdon; committee, Mesdames W. Childs, R. Stone, N. Orr, R N. Lyon; grounds committee, Mesdames M. Sinclair, H. Schmidt and M. J. Hoare; hon. secretary, Mrs. P. S. Priest. Several new members were added to the club during the year, there now being 20 members.

Ten ordinary meetings and two special meetings, including the annual meeting, were held. The average attendance was 14. The club is very grateful to Mrs. Childs for holding an evening at her home in February which realised £3/11/, and to Mrs. Hatton for her donation of £2. Thanks are extended to Mr. McIntyre for auditing the club's books. Mrs. Dunsdon held an evening at her home on April 30, the proceeds being £5. The club sincerely thanks Mrs. Dunsdon for her effort.

A special meeting was held in April to discuss a club house. Mr. S. G. Stephens was present, and suggestions met with his approval. He promised to give a tile roof for the club house. The meeting thanked Mr. Stephens by acclamation.

At the May meeting Mesdames M. Sinclair and H. Schmidt and Mr. J. Hoare were elected trustees for the club house. In the same month Mr. Fett resigned his position as lawn keeper and Mr. Weidman was engaged.

In June a sub-committee was elected to grade the club. The committee comprised Mesdames M. Sinclair, R. N. Lyons, M. C. Dunsdon, P. S. Priest. In July Mrs. W. Childs was elected Press correspondent. In the same month Mrs. Fett donated a marker to the club and Mrs. Hopkins donated a set of hoops. On August 26 a bridge party was held in the Memorial Hall which realised £15. Mrs. Orr very generously donated £1/1/ for hall rent.

On July 23 an enjoyable garden party took place in Laurel Bank Gardens, the proceeds being £5/18/. Mrs. Boyd very kindly donated 5/ to pay for printing specifications. It was with deep regret that members learned of the passing of Mr. Schmidt, and husband of the vice-president. To Mrs. Schmidt the sincerest sympathy is offered. Mrs. Stone donated the invitations for a bridge party.

In August the club affiliated with the Darling Downs Croquet Association Pennant Auxiliary. In the same month one of the lawns was badly damaged by a hockey team playing on it. Damages were due to the club but efforts to locate the offending party were unsuccessful.

In September a garden party was held in Laurel Bank Park, the proceeds being £5/1/6.

Mr. Platz gave the soil for top dressing the lawns in September. He also donated £1 for the yearly rental of the lawns. Mrs. Platz ran a "mystery parcel competition," to pay for the cartage of the soil. Sincere thanks are tendered to Mr. and Mrs. Platz for their goodness to the club. Mrs. Wensley donated a trophy to the club which was played for in September. Mrs. R. Stone was the winner. At the November meeting it was agreed that each member give 5/ to help the general fund. During the same month the lawns were closed down owing to the dry weather. In November a letter was written to the Queensland Croquet Association to ask if they would assist the club by a loan, to erect a club house. Plans were sent and an answer is expected in the near future.

The club wishes to thank the West Toowoomba Croquet Club for their kindness in inviting members to play on their lawns while Laurel Bank lawns were closed.

In November the club affiliated with the Downs Croquet tournament. Mesdames J. Platz and M. C. Dunsdon were elected on the committee and Mrs. P. S. Priest was made hon. treasurer. In December Mrs. Scanlan donated 5/ for pennant expenses. In February a bridge party was arranged in the Memorial Hall. The proceeds were £10/8/6. Mrs. Fett generously donated £1/1/ for the rent of the hall. To Mr. K. McKinney and Mrs. Wagner the club extends thanks for trophies donated. The club sincerely thanks the life member, Mr. J. Hoare, for his practical assistance during the year.

To Mrs. M. C. Dunsdon, captain of the club, grateful thanks are offered for the many ways she has helped, especially as convener of the social functions. The thanks and appreciation of the club are extended to the president, Mrs. Malcolm Sinclair, for the tactful help and advice she has given during the year.

The treasurer Miss M. Rowe presented the balance sheet which showed a credit balance, in the general account, of £8/16/10. Miss Rowe moved the adoption of the balance sheet. This was supported by Mrs. Scanlan and carried.

The president, Mrs. Malcolm Sinclair, thanked all members for their loyalty and help during the year and also for re-electing her as president. Continuing, Mrs. Sinclair said:—

At the outset I wish to associate myself with the reference in the hon. secretary's report of the passing of Mr. Schmidt, husband of our hon. life member, Mrs. Schmidt, with Mr. Hoare, was responsible for the formation of the club and when the news of her great sorrow reached us our heartfelt sympathy was extended to her.

The year has been a very difficult one for the club, especially for the grounds committee. A good deal of dissatisfaction has been expressed at various times regarding the condition of the lawns. As you all know we have been passing through the severest drought known in recent history in Queensland. The drought is not confined to Laurel Bank; it extends, I am sorry to say, all over Western Queensland. It is not fair to blame the grounds committee for a condition over which they have no control. The right type of grass was planted and the correct soil for top-dressing procured, but without water how can one expect to grow a croquet lawn, or any other lawn for that matter? It is essential that we have water, and a reasonable supply to keep the lawns in good playing order. If we had been allowed to water the lawns two or three times a week it would have made all the difference. It was found necessary to close the lawns for several weeks to prevent the grass being killed out altogether. We have no apologies to make; we cannot insure against an act of God.

It is our intention to carry into execution the building of a club house during the coming year. Official word reached me this morning that the Queensland Croquet Association has granted us £100 for this purpose. The money we have in hand is approximately £70. Mr. S. G. Stephens is very kindly donating a tiled roof. We hope to organise special efforts to enable us to start the work without undue delay.

We congratulate Mrs. Dunsdon on being re-elected captain. Mrs. Dunsdon has given the club excellent service in many ways. We appreciate fully all she has done. The office of captain is not an enviable one. Many disputes may occur on the lawns and it is the captain's duty to settle these in a firm and steadfast manner; we ask the co-operation of the members in this. Make the lawns a real pleasure ground where a game of croquet can be enjoyed by all members playing in harmony with each other. Let us not air petty jealousy and spites, nor harbour foolish desires. It has been said that croquet is a game that cannot be played in harmony. I want you to prove that it is possible. Remember, the lot of an office-bearer is not a particularly rosy one. We are extremely fortunate in having Mrs. Priest as hon. secretary, and Miss Rowe as hon. treasurer. I, as president, appreciate their valuable services. I am in a position to know the amount of work they do in an honorary capacity for the club, and on your behalf I thank them sincerely. I also wish to thank Mr. Hoare. It is not necessary to enumerate the many commissions carried out in such a cheery manner by our honorary member, Mr. Hoare. We appreciate all he has done, for without his help we remember the club would not have existed. We look forward to a happy and prosperous year with the support of every one of you, carrying our hopes and desires to a definite conclusion.

Miss M. Rowe, supported by Mrs. P. S. Priest, moved that the president's address be adopted. This was put to the meeting and carried.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 5 March 1937. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)