Auditor Helmut Leins said it had been a difficult year for the club.

"Our actual turnover has not really increased, but our expenses are increasing all the time," Mr Leins said.

An example of this can be seen in the performance of the kitchen trading, which suffered a loss of $116,000, significantly higher than the loss of $82,000 that was recorded last year.

Secretary-manager Ian Woodcock blamed rising food prices.

"It's difficult to keep your prices low and still record a profit when the cost of food keeps rising. The cost of some of our meat has gone up $4 a kilo," he said.

A catering manager has been appointed and it is hoped that he will be able to turn the department around.

For Mr Leins the meeting was a significant milestone, the 30th - and last - time he would act as the club's auditor.

In the past three decades he has seen a lot of change at the club.

"I can still remember when the club was just a very small establishment, just one square room with an office on one side," he said.

"On busy nights it was standing room only."

Of course, there are other things which haven't changed much at all.

In all the time he has served as auditor there have only been two secretary-managers.

At the meeting elections for the board of directors were held.

Peter Williams was elected unopposed as president for the eighth time.

Other positions that were filled were:

Senior vice-president - Derek Brown.

Junior vice-president - Rod Hungerford.

Treasurer - Lyn Carney.

Bowl secretary - Noel Burke.

Board members - Colin Cooper, Bill Millington, John Murray and Peter Collison. George Smith was made a life member and Mr Lecuddenec was appointed club patron.