Toowoomba Croquet Club annual meeting and reports

The president, Mrs. S. J. Rowe, presided at the 27th annual general meeting of the Toowoomba Croquet Club which was held at the club house on Thursday, August 7, at 2.30 p.m. Other members present were: Mesdames F. Hooper, F. Hodgson, O. S. Booth, F. W. Isaacs, A. Gaydon, C. Fortescue, A. V. Grahame, J. Lee, J. McKinney, H. Goodrich, G. Fogarty, D. F. Marshall, T. Keys, C. Blair, Misses B. Booth and C. Hooper.

Apologies for absence were received from Mesdames J. A. Grigg, W. R. Ross, R. J. Hazard, G. Cossart and A. R. Godsall. Mrs. O. S. Booth, honorary secretary and treasurer, read her annual report, together with the balance sheet. The report and balance sheet were adopted.

From the balance sheet you will see that we started the year with a credit of £33/3/8, and finished with £7/16/8 on the right side of the ledger, after having handled £337. I want you to realise that when we opened the year we knew that there was much work ahead of us in the redemption of those voluntary subscriptions members had made to the new Club House fund. I had a vague suspicion that, as each one was repaid, the members' interest in the payment of the others might wane. But it was not so. The energy and interest of everyone was sustained until the last amount vanished. If this had not been so, we should never have been able to raise £86 through special efforts organised for the purpose of extinguishing the debt on the Club House, which, at the beginning of the year, stood at about £76. On top of this there was that debt I have referred to owing to members, amounting to £86/2/. Both are now but memories. Electric light and an electric urn have been installed and paid for at a cost of £18/3/, and the grounds further protected by the erection of an iron fence at the southeastern corner of the lawns. This, too, of course, has been paid for. Twenty members helped with the special fund, subscribing from one to five pounds each. The raising of the annual subscriptions from two guineas to three has been responsible for £96/1/6 of revenue, as against £51/9/ last year. The move, therefore, has justified itself, and has obviated the necessity for making levies, which too often cause a little friction with many members. Personally, I appreciate the change. I think, too, that wisdom was shown when we inaugurated the system of making the small charge for Saturday afternoon tea. This little item alone has paid the milk account, and for the whole of the electric current used during the year; and still there is a surplus of £1/11/2. The total amount received on Saturdays was £6/9/11. Wednesdays realised £16/3/3. The corresponding item in last year's balance sheet reads £10/5/6. We have, therefore, shown quite a substantial increase. I have kept a record of the number of wet days on which we could not collect tea money. There were fourteen. Another item that will merit your approval is green fees, which yielded no less than £4/14/6. We have paid £23/13/9 for the up-keep of the ground, as against £19/19/ the preceding year. Here, again, you will not begrudge the extra expenditure, for I am sure the condition of the lawns is appreciated by us all. The greenkeeper has collected £64/10/ for a year's faithful service. The membership of the Club stands at 30, which is our full complement. We have a waiting list of four. The work to be completed this year will be the glassing in of the verandah. For this purpose we have already purchased a quantity of window sashes at an exceptionally low price, which we are hopeful will just about complete the job. The club house will be improved out of all recognition. The comfort of members will be greatly enhanced. The price paid for the sashes was £7. I am not unmindful of the fact that much help comes to me through the president and the captain, and I am anxious that this occasion should not pass without an expression of grateful appreciation. The moral effect of knowing there are at least two others who are prepared to share responsibilities is a decided asset. I do not infer that the others have shirked. Indeed, every member of the Club seems anxious to render any assistance she can, and I am deeply thankful.

Ever since I assumed the office of president of this club, it has been an increasing pleasure to move the adoption of the hon. secretary's report and balance sheet. There is ample justification for added gratification in exercising that right to-day. One could have been forgiven, if, twelve months ago, notwithstanding the fact that she expressed the hope that the new club house would be quite free from debt at this juncture, in her heart she doubted the club's ability to free itself from the burden. Some of us have made sacrifices, but results have shown that those sacrifices were not in vain, and I venture to express the opinion that, should the necessity arise, you will not be slow to show your confidence in the administration of the club, and again shoulder your portion of any responsibilities that present themselves. I need not tell you that there are still many little things to do before the club house is just as we would all wish it; but, by degrees, with the help of all, we shall accomplish anything that we set our minds to. I have no desire at this moment to enlarge upon any information that the secretary has given you in her report. Neither do you want me to, but when figures are presented and records established, it is my duty to make passing reference to them. It is more than gratifying to realise that we have by far exceeded financially anything that we have ever previously attempted. It does seem to me a particularly fine achievement to have handled an amount of over £300, or an average of £6 per week. And members can see results for every penny. Your secretary has given you a lucid explanation of all the details connected with receipts and expenditure. I can only add to all she has said that I hope you all share my pleasure at the year's accomplishment. I would not have members think that we consider nothing but finance. The social side of the club, and the comfort of members have had our constant attention. It is pleasing to know that in the care of one we foster the other. The many functions organised to raise funds have been of immense benefit socially, and we have all come to know one another the better. All the social functions have been marked successes. Not the least of these pleasing functions is what we have come to regard as "Our annual Warwick trip," to play the Warwick Croquet Club. Warwick came to us in September, 1929, and we made the return trip in the early part of this year. Although the weather prevented our motoring up as was intended, the trip was most enjoyable and the hospitality of the Warwick people as warm as ever. Both in Toowoomba and at Warwick we were victorious. Our trip to Graceville in October of last year was both enjoyable and instructive, and I entertain hopes of being able to repay that club this year for many kindnesses shown us on that occasion. To donors of prizes for competition amongst club members, I tender my thanks. I also thank any of those who have helped us in any way during the year. We have had quite a number of friends who have been most generous. Ranged under this category are the trustees of the Athletic Association who have been most helpful. Messrs. Chisholm and Donald were good enough to make seats for the lawns, which we all appreciate to the full. Suitable letters of thanks have been sent to all these persons or institutions and appropriate records made in our minutes. At the last annual meeting Lady Groom was made patroness of the club. Not only did she accept, but joined the club as an active playing member. Upon her leaving Toowoomba a month or two later, however, she resigned the position, and the position was accepted by Mrs. J. D. Annand. The retiring captain, Mrs. Isaacs, feels that she must be relieved of her duties, and we have no course open but make a nomination in her stead. Her services have been most valuable, and I feel that we all owe her a debt of gratitude for her tact and patience at all times, even under the most trying circumstances. To thank the secretary is but poor compensation for the work she has done on the members' behalf. Whilst I am fully mindful of the fact that all the deliberations do not always please members, I am convinced that we do not as a whole appreciate the volume of work she ungrudgingly gives to the club. I feel year by year that words of praise of her from us are empty. Her help to me as president has been absolutely invaluable and I desire to record my appreciation of her assistance. I would have the members know that the meagre amount allowed her for stamps, telephone calls, etc., is gracefully handed back as a donation to the club. I move the adoption of the secretary's report and balance sheet.

Mrs. F. W. Isaacs presented the captain's report.

The election of officers resulted as follows: Patroness, Mrs. J. D. Annand; president, Mrs. E. J. Rowe; vice-presidents, Mesdames F. Hooper and F. Hodgson; captain, Mrs. C. Fortescue; treasurer, Mrs. Os. Booth; committee, Mesdames A. Gaydon, F. W. Isaacs and D. F. Marshall. Mrs. Rowe proposed that Mrs. Os. Booth be again elected honorary secretary for the coming year. This was seconded by Mrs. Gaydon and carried unanimously.

Votes of thanks to Mr. E. J. Rowe for auditing the club's books and to the Press representative, for reports of the club's social doings during the year were moved by Mrs. H[?odgson], seconded by Mrs. Fogarty, and carried.

The article as it was printed in The Toowoomba Chronicle, 12 August 1930. Scan from Trove, National Library of Australia. (Trove, National Library of Australia)