ASHBURTON COUNTY HUNT CLUB

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1503, 1 April 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON COUNTY HUNT CLUB

The annual general meeting of members of the Ashburton County Hunt Club was held at Quill's Hotel last evening. There was a large attendance, and Mr Matthew Stitt, the Master, occupied the chair. The minutes of the last general meeting having been read and confirmed, the Commiitse’s Report aud the annual Statement of accounts were read as follows : committee’s report.

Your Committee have much pleasure in reporting that daring the past season the Club haa met with a very huge measure of success. When your Com miitee took office the finances oi' the Club were not in a satisfactory state, but owing to the large membership secured and economic management, your Committee, after providing three months sport and purchasing a small but excellent pack o f hounds, and extinguishing all the old liabilities of the Club, are able to hand over a balance of L 25 7s Oi to their successors. The district was hunted during the months of May, June, and July of last year. Mr John Smith acted as huntsman, and the manner in which he carried out his duties was eminently satisfactory to all concerned. The thanks of the Club are due to the farmers and other landholders who with great liberality allowed the hounds to hunt over their property. A steeplechase meeting was held in connection with the Club on August 7th, and prvved a great success, the entries and competition for the different events being go id. and the fixture rasult-d in a substaat al addition to the funds of the Club. Your Committee trust that the present large membership will be maintained during the forthcoming season, as the promise of sport is much better than on any previous occas on. The hounds already referred to were obtained from perhaps the best pack in the colony, that of Mr Archer of Timaru, and on trial have shown themselves to bo excellent workers. . Your Committee were directed by a general meeting of members to make arrangements for keeping and hunting thehounds duringthe forthcoming season, and having invited tenders for the work accepted that of Mr John Smith to keep the hounds for twelve months, hunting them two days a week, if requrod, during the month of May, June, and July. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS Receipts : Balance Bank of New Zealand 31st March, 1884, 12s lid ; subscriptions, LlO4 1< ; gross receipts from Steeplechase meeting, Ll3O Os G 1 ; total, L 234 14s 51.—Expenditure : Liabilities of season 1883, Ll 6 Os 41; huntsman, L4S ; additional keep of hounds, L 4 10a ; registration, railway charges, travelling expenses, damage to fences, laying drags, etc , LlO 12s 61; rent of course, LI 4 10s ; printing, etc , Ll 3 18s 2d; sundries, L 7 15s 8i ; F. Archer (hounds), LIG ; Steeplechase stakes, L 75 ; total, L 234 14s sd. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr M. Friedlander, the Report and Statement of Accounts were adopted. The election of officers was then pro ceeded with, and resulted as follows President, Mr E. G. Wright ; Vice-Presi dents, Dr Ross and Mr 0. G. flawdon Master, Mr M. Stitt ; Treasurer, Mr C Wroughton ; Secretary, Mr S. Saunders Committee, Messrs Wason, D. Cameron (}. Coward, H. Hint, J. Hunt. J, McLean, W. B. Denshire, J. Corbitt E. G. Crisp, M. Fried’ander, J. F Foster, A. Graham, A. Patterson, G. Scott, T. Quill, J. Reid, and W. Dixon. On the motion of Mr Wroughton, seconded by Mr .1. Friedlander, it was resolved —That a very hearty vote of thanks b.e given to the farmers and land owners for allowing the hounds to hunt over their property, and for the liberal support they have given to the Club.” Mr Saunders proposed—“ That a very cordial vote of thanks be accorded to Mr 0. Wroughton, the treasurer, for his energetic and efficient management of the affairs of the Club, and that Messrs Stitt and Friedlander be requested to purchase some suitably gift for presentation to Mr Wroughton from the Club.” In moving the resolution Mr Sauudeys paid a very high compliment to the manner in whi t ch Mr Wroughton had applied himself to the Interests of the Club, andsaid the eminent success, the very existence of the Club, was entirely due to Mr Wroughton’a zeal and judicious direction. The Chairman seconded the motion, and expressed his hearty concurrence in the romarku that had fallen from Mr Saunders. On Using put to the meeting the motion was carried enthusiastically. Mr Wroughton appropriately acknowedged the compliment, but thought no special thanks were due to him. On the motion of the Chairman, a vote >f thanks was passed to the Huntsman or the satisfactory manner in which he jad (Jjsoharged his duties. Mr Smith acknowledged the complinent, and the closed with the isual vote to the chair