Club Officers

The Club Secretary, not having seen the name in writing, spelled it "cotchilla". Hugh Crawley, who was President at that time was the manager of Newmans so that there was no trouble having 21 sacks brought from Westport at a cost of £2 15s. This was sown in the corners of the greens and used for plugging bare patches.

In the winter of 1940, following a report from Dr Askew of the Cawthron Institute, a liberal dressing of fertilizer was used. The resulting mixture of grass and cotula was very favourably commented on when the season opened.

Minutes of Committee meeting 31 May, 1843. "That a letter be sent to Mr. C.R. Rabbitts of Dalgety and Co., Blenheim, thanking him for procuring cotula and asking that the account for same be rendered soon".

Annual Report on 2 July, 1946, "we have a wonderful bed of cotula in two varieties and in excellent condition. Already 2,000 plugs are available". Green Supervisor; A.W. St. John.

Annual Report on 9 July 1947, "Some 6,000 cotula plugs were transferred from the nursery to the greens and this has helped to give a reasonable cover of this excellent weed". "Bunny" St. John was handing over to Harry G. Kingsland. "We would like to express the wish that the incoming supervisor will not neglect the cotula nursery bed".

In the Annual Report in 13 July, 1948, Harry Kingsland wrote at length including, "The objective of the Club has been to provide a covering of cotula. With this end in view both greens were planted in the weed 1938-39. The weed made good headway for a while, then started to languish and for the past 7 or 8 years has made no headway. Two other Clubs, Ngawhatu and Tahunanui starting 4 or 5 years later have succeeded in getting good coverage. Why have they succeeded and we failed?".

He then gave as reasons, first, lack of water and second lack of manure. Liberal dressing of sulphate of ammonia required. Third, lack of close cutting in the winter. Long grass is fatal to the weed. "We endeavoured to implement these methods ten years ago and again today, but both times met bitter opposition".

In the season 1950-51 "mealy bug destroyed a considerable coverage of cotula".

In 1954 Dr. Askew was experimenting with cotula plots that were separate from the greens, but in 1955 and 1956 his reports made no mention of cotula. Indeed the minutes of the Committee have no mention of cotula for the next ten years.

It was in 1966 that the growing of cotula with the complete exclusion of grass was introduced into the Nelson District.

The story of the introduction of the "weed", and the ups and downs of its development, is distorted by so many "experts" until it is scarcely related at all to the truth. I will try to tell the story of the introduction using only facts derived from:

(a) The minute books of the Nelson Club.
(b) My memory as President of the Club when cotula was introduced.

During the later part of 1965, our green supervisor Mr. Phil Vining told me that he had visited several greens in the south where "this new weed" was grown and had spoken to the green keepers about the methods of propagation. The cotula grew naturally in Southland and had been successfully grown on the bowling greens at Marshlands in Blenheim and at Waimate. I agreed that we should try some and it was discussed by the Committee.

On 4 February, 1966, my wife and I left on a world trip from which we did not return until 26th October, 1966.

On 9 February, 1966 the Committee gave permission to P. Vining to purchase a few bags of cotula from Southland.

On 9 March, when Phil reported that the bags had arrived but they were only small, it was decided to purchase another 20 bags.

On 13 April, he stated that the weed from Southland did not appear to be as good as that received from Blenheim and the account of £78 15s 0d from Southland was not passed for payment until next month when he reported that the cotula had taken well on the bottom green and he would like in the near future to grow some on the top green.

On 12 October, 1966, the green supervisor, P. Vining, stated that a man had been found to work as greenkeeper. His name was Ray Legge and he had started at seven shillings and sixpence (i.e. 75c an hour). Ray was from Ireland and his wife was Matron at Kirkpatrick House. He was very difficult to work with and was soon arguing with is boss about every step in the care of the greens. He had never heard of "cotula" when he started work but in a short time he had talked himself into being accepted as an expert.

Reports were made to the Committee that "Ray Legge had insulted members". He had a lot to say at the Annual General Meeting in criticism of every one who was concerned with the care of the green. He was made a playing member of the club but was soon making trouble and threatening resignation because he had not had a fair deal in the draw for the Junior Singles.

Meanwhile, the green supervisor's reports at the Monthly Committee Meetings tell a steady progress in the establishment of the cotula greens.

8 February, 1967, Vining had written to J. Neill (the secretary probably meant Neal) of Oamaru and had received a reply giving a lot of information about weed greens. Vining would supply a man and a truck to get more weed.

8 March, Vining reported Ray Legge and Stuart Easton were in Southland getting more weed.

12 April, Vining was pleased with top green.

10 May, Vining had attended a meeting of Turf Culture. Ted Buswell was doing a good job with sprays. Weed green doing very well but should not expect too much in first year.

So the year 1967 ended. In June, it was reported that the top green looked sick because it had been sprayed to kill grass, while the bottom green, left alone, looked in first class order.

Visits were paid to the Club by Mr. Walker, Turf Culture, of Palmerston North, who made a written report, Mr Neal of Oamaru who stated they were the best greens he had seen and two years later in September, 1969, Mr Walker stated that the Nelson Club greens were as good as any in New Zealand.

The other clubs in Nelson were turning to cotula and there was a brisk trade in cotula from grooving the greens. In the winter of 1968 Ray Legge was advising other clubs and at the Committee meeting on 12 July, 1969, it was reported that he was working Coronation, the Women's Club, and his pay from the Nelson Club was reduced from $20.00 to $10.00 per week. Ray was buying groovings from Nelson Club at $6.00 per sugar bag.

At the request of Legge, an attempt was made to have a formal agreement about the conditions of employment of the greenkeeper. Messrs. Jamieson and Vining drew up an agreement.

The minutes of the Executive Committee meeting of 9 October, 1968, read, "Mr. Vining stated that when the agreement was shown to Mr. Legge he blew up and said he was leaving at the end of the week. Mr. Vining gave him a couple of days to think the matter over but when he saw him again, Mr. Legge would not do things the way Mr. Vining wanted them done but would do it his own way. He stated that he had had to work with him over the last 18 months and had found that he had to take all the blasts from him".

After a general discussion, it was decided that the Committee formally accept Mr. Legge's resignation. In the next month Ces Burns was employed as greenkeeper. Ray Legge became a contractor employing a couple of men to work with him on various greens in the district. He continued as a playing member of the Nelson Club and often took part in the annual grooving etc.

In 1973, he returned to Ireland and on 8 May 1973, Vining told the Committee that he would like to see a letter of appreciation sent to Mr. Legge for the work he had done on our greens and also on other greens in the district. After discussion, Vining moved and D. Johnson seconded that a donation of $50.00 and a letter of appreciation be sent to Mr. Legge and this was carried.

Although such a good report had been given on the state of the greens by the turf culture expert, Mr. Walker, in September, 1969, there was a growing murmur of criticism. Some declared that the turf should be kept shorter so that the greens would be faster.

On 9 February 1971, the greens supervisor reported that someone had set the blade of the mower lower with the result that the greens had been shaved.

In March, both greens were looking very poor. Ray Legge assisted Ces Burns in treating the greens over the winter and by the opening in October, they were looking quite well again.

It is worthy to note that in the period 1967-71 the greens of the Nelson Club were in constant demand by the Nelson Bowling Centre for use as the venue for centre competitions.

At the Annual General Meeting in 1970, it was stated that the centre was taking advantage of its right to choose which green it required. This had the effect of excessive wear on the greens and in some case there was no room for our own members to have a game. It was left to the Club delegates to bring the matter up at the next meeting of the Centre Committee.

During the next few years, in spite of determined efforts by many dedicated members, the cotula was not always satisfactory. Several large scale efforts have been made to bring the cotula back to healthy growth. these will be mentioned in the later part of this record.