Mrs Maude Freeman

As winter gives way to spring, bowlers throughout the Nelson district look forward to opening days and the many games to be played during, the summer. The 405 women bowlers in the Nelson centre are no exception. They, too, have their competitions and their club and centre matches, but they might not have, had Mrs Maude Freeman not convened a meeting of interested women in 1940. As a result of that and subsequent meetings, the Nelson women's Bowling Centre was founded. This year, Mrs Freeman's service to the sport was recognised at the annual meeting of the centre when she was elected centre patroness, a high honour indeed. She extended her interest in bowls in 1953 when she convened another meeting in Nelson at which the Coronation women's Bowling Club was formed. In 1956 she had the satisfaction of seeing the club's new green handed over. Mrs Freeman has had her share of success in club and centre games, including membership of the champion-of-champion fours teams in 1952 (Nelson Club), 1956, 61 and 62 (all Coronation), and was in Mrs Hazel whitwell's four which was runner-up in two centre tourneys. At club level she has been a member of four winning fours and won the senior singles in 1956-57. She has also been a hockey player of some note, having captained Nelson at the New Zealand tournament in Nelson in 1924 and a South Island representative that year. She is still president of the Rewa Club.

In these, the latter years of her life, she has given great service to bowls. She has been a former secretary of the centre, and the Coronation Club's centre delegate. In her own club she held the presidency for five years, has been assistant supervisor for 14 years and is the present secretary. For all this work she was elected a life member of the club last year. we feel she has more than earned her place as our "Sportsman of the Month".