ASHBURTON COUNTY HUNT CLUB.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1735, 9 January 1888, Page 2

ASHBURTON COUNTY HUNT CLUB.

Tbe annual general meeting of memborß of the Ash burton County Bunt Club was held at the Commercial hotfel on Saturday evening. There waa a good, attendance of members, and tbe chair waa ocenpied by Mr Stitt, the Master. BEPORT. Tho Committee's report was read as follows : — Your Committee have much pleasure m again congratulating the members upon fas fioancial position of the Club, viz , £59 Us 6d surplus a o sets over liabilities- This may chiefly be accounted for b}' tbe vory sportsmanlike offer of Mr Bowyer, who undertook the hunting of the pack during the year for tbe oxcepioaaHy small sum of £75, as against £125, amount paid the previous year, together wish the profit on our last steeplechase meeting of £18 14s Bd, as against a loss of £25 on the meeting of August, 1886, and when taking into consideration the great depreaaion still exiatine, tho finances on the whole must be considered very satisfactory. — Your Committee commenced tho year with oredlt balances amoun'lng to £12 19s 4d, and now, after payment of all liabilities m connection with tbe Club, are able to report having £44 13a 6d standing to the oredit of their aooountp, with aevatft' small amounts still to be oolleo!ed, whioh may be considered good and forthcoming shortly . — Tbe total expenditure covered by the present statement of aooounts is £234 12s 7d, as against £298 8s 9d last year, of which former sum £117 18s Id is on bunting account, and £116 14 i 61 on stoepleohaae account. The hunting aoaoont shows, including balance from last year, £12 10i 2d, a ■arplaa of receipts over expenditure of £25 18) lOd ; tbe steeplechase a.oount, including balance from last year of 9s 2d, of £18 14i8d ; or a net profit on last meeting of £18 5a 61. — The number of members this year is 101 with subscriptions amounting to £121 2s, as agafnat 115 membert with lubaoriptlona amounting to £137 5j for tbe previous year, showing a decrease of 14 membors with subscriptions £16 3s leas than the sum received from the same aouroe last year, bat it ia anticipated tbat oat ot the 17 subscriptions still due eight may be considered perfectly good. — m reviewing the period just ended, the principal events of the season were the viait of the Tiniara Harriers on August 9th, ao onopanled by their worthy Master, Mr John Rutherford, and some dozen of his Club The meet waa at Tinwald, and they showed us exceedingly good sport. The visitors were entertained m the evening at the annual Hunt Olub dinner to the farm era ; although poorly attended by the latter a moat bdj >vabte evening, waa ■pent. Mr Armitige'a Walmate Harden also vUlted the district on August 24. The meet waa again at Tinwald, the elements on thia ocoaslon were all that could ba desired, and the visitors were well reoompanaed for their loog j jnrney by the floeit day's sport and one of the longest runs evor obtained In the dlatriofc. We look forward to m»ny auoh euj tyable visits m the future from the neighboring packs. — it a moat pressing invitation from the Tlmaru Hunt Cub, ojr pack accompanied by about a dozen members visited South Canterbury on August 16, and met at Arowhenua, where we wt>re moßt warmly welcomed by abou; 90 of the southern Bportßmen. Although our pack did not compare fivorably with that of our neighbors, an exceedingly pleasant day waa spent and we were moat hospitably entertained at a dinner m the evening, after visiting the kennels, whioh were well worth seeing. The annual steepleohase meeting waa held on August 5, and proved a decided success, the fields being good, the weather splendid, and the attendance large. £812 waa put through the totalls&tor, being £336 more than at the previous meeting. Through the liberality of the Aahbartou Booing Olub who returned £15 as a dona-tlbnTouT~or"tno~3KS&-Tjhargcd~lo» 4ho-o«i»---of the course we are able to show a net profit on laat meeting of £18 5a 6d as against a loss of £25 m August 1886, a result which mußt be considered aatis factory.— Mr E. "W. Bowyer acted as huntsman, and it la chiefly owing to his liberal offer for hunting tbe paok that the finances show the increase they do. The district was hunted regularly during May, Jane and July and the greater part ot August. The sport shown was better than during any previous teaaon, but the abundance of hares met with will acoount for the number killed being only a little above the average. Mr Bowyer, however, is fully entitled to the best thanks of tbe club for the very efficient manner In whioh he kept the hounds, it being remarked from all quartan that tbelr condition and appearance was a great Improvement as compared with previous years.— The oommittee have not purchased any honnda during the year but have been presented with several by Messrs G. B Starkey, J. Rutherford and W. S. Armltage. The oumber of pqpa reared by Mr Bowyer, will it is hoped, prove Buffiolent to Increase the pack, after drafting out several old •nd alow hounds — In conclusion your oommittee bfg to thank tbe farmers and others who have bo cheerfully forwarded the interests of the olub by placing country at their disposal, walking young hounda and otherwise assisting the oommittee m the discharge of their duties whioh we trust will meet with your approval. The balance-sheet showed a surplus of assets over liabilities of £59 11s 6d ; a balance to the credit of ateepleohase account of £18 14s Bd, and to hunting account of £25 18a lOd. The report and bilance-sheet were adopted. OFFICEKB. The following office's were elected for the ensuing year :— Patrons, Hon J. McLean, Mr M. Stitt ; President, Mr John Grigg ; Vice- Presidents, Dr Leahy, Messrs Denshire, Alington, D. MoLean, J 0, N. Grigg ; Master, Mr T E. Upton ; Deputy. Master, Mr J C. N. Grigg ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr 0. Jephaon; Committee, Mesßiß Gr G. Mere wether, Wroughton, J. Hunt. Pitt. A. Fooks, J. Jackson, J« Kemp, H. Weaton, MoOwen, Bowyer, Rufisell, J. Woraer t J. Corbett, Auditors, Messrs fteatell and Paul. HFNTSMAN, Two applications for the post of hunting and keeping the hounds were received, and that of Mr J. Worner at £110 was accepted. AN OFFER. Mr Archer, Timaru, wrote offeriog to lend the Club six couples of hounds free of charge. Mr Archer's offer was accepted, and the Committee were authorised to dispose of a draft of the present pack to the best advantage. COMPLIMENTARY. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to £he farmers for the assistance they had iffigrded tbe Club by allowing hunting over their properties; A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the retiring master, Mr M. Stitt, and much regret was expressed that he had decided not to again accept tho position. Votes of thanks were also passed to the late deputy-master, Mr T, E, Upton, to the outgoing Oommittee, to Mr Bowyer, the late huntsman, and to Mr Jephaon, the secretary and treasurer. The meeting adjourned with the usual oompliment to the chair.

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