THREE OFFICERS RETIRE

Chronicle (Levin), 27 August 1946, Page 8

THREE OFFICERS RETIRE

Happy Dinner Function Present and past offieials of the Levin Racing Club, and their wives, gathered in Messrs A. L. Williaras' Reeeption Rooms on Saturday night to eiitertain three members who have this year retired from executive positions after very long periods of service, and to pay tribute to their work. They are Mr. Walter Ryder, a foundation member and steward, vice-president from 1931-35 and president from 1935-46; Mr. J. W. Procter. also a foundation member and steward, and vice-president from 1932-46; and Mr. F. Nicholson, a steward from 1919-27 and secretary from 1927-46. There were some 70 people present and the evening took the form of a dinner function. The time passed quickly and happily in the honouring of a toast list, during which some of the speakers related many interesting incidents in the early days of the club's history. The new president (Mr. E. M. Ryder), who was accompanied by Mrs. Ryder, made a genial chairman and toastmaster. With him at the head table were Mr. and Mrs. Walter Ryder, Mrs. J. W. Proctor and her son, Mr. F. Procter, of Wellington, Mr. F. Nicholson, Mr. and Mrs. T. Bevan, Dr. and Mrs. S. J. Thompson, Mr. W. C. Hannan and Mr. and Mrs. W. Bull. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Keedwell, Mr. and Mrs. F. F. Newman, Mr. and Mrs. L. G. McDonald, Mesdames W. Mason, M. McLean, W. C. Hannan, W. Stannard, N. W. Ryder and C. V. Day, Mr. J. L. Edwards and Dr. and Mrs. L. J. Hunter. After all had partaken of an excellent repast, the chairman warmly welcomed those present, referring in particular to the visitors. He said it was very gratifying to the cornmittee to see so many past offieials of the club present to pay tribute to three longstanding past officers, who had rendered a wonderful service not only for the club but for racing in New Zealand as a whole. Mr. Ryder went on to say that it was with very much regret that he had to apologise for the absence of Mr. J. W. Procter, who was one of those the dinner was to honour, but he was indisposed and it would have been against medical advice had he attended. The toast list opened with the assembly honouring the loyal toast by the singing of the National Anthem. "Mr. Walter Ryder" The next toast was "Mr. Walter Ryder." Mr. Bevan, who was the first speaker, said he had known Mr. Ryder ever since the Levin Racing Club was formed and held its opening meeting where the golf links now were. Mr. Ryder had always been a -loyal supporter of the club from its inauguration up to the present time. He was one of its first stewards and had held office in that capacity up to when he was elected president. He had also been one of the stewards at the first Horowhenua agricultural show, and that also owed a good j deal to him. Mr. Bevan said that he was one of the club's first stewards also, and with Mr. Ryder had seen the club have its "ups and downs." Mr. Ryder had been one of those who could always look on the bright side, and it was due to him and other gentlemen like him that the club had survived and reached the sound position it was in to-day. The speaker recalled one early meeting from which the club had emerged with a deficit of £400. They had made a canvass in Levin and Ohau for donations and . had rais'ed £45 by that means. The balance of the deficit had been provided by the then offieials. .. Mr. Hone- McMillan, who fbliowed Mr. Bevan, said he had known Mr. Ryder for the past 52 years. Their friendship had begun when Levin was virtually unknown and Koputaroa was then the place. He had then been associated with Mr. Ryder in the club, and had found him to be one of the finest personalities he had ever met in racing. The loyal service rendered to the club for so many years by Mr. Ryder typified the zeal of the old generation, and it should be an inspiration to the younger people. Mr. S. J. Sievers, of Wanganui, said his association with Mr. Ryder went back to 30 years ago when he came to Levin. He had come to realise in the suceeeding years that Horowhenua without names like those of Ryder, Nicholson and Procter would not be Horowhenua. They had lived up to the very best traditions of citizenship, and he felt that the best in them had been brought out because of their connection with sport. The club had been fortunate to have men of their calibre in it. Levin was a very popular club, but it was the men who had been associated with it throughout the years who had given it that good name, and in the forefront of them was that of Mr. Ryder. Mr. Sievers then went on to recall some of the humorous incidents during" his residence in Levin. At the outset of his reply, Mr. Ryder voiced his keen regret that Mr. Procter was unable to he present, as that gentleman had always been a member of the course cornmittee and for that reason he had been in closer association with him than perhaps anybody else. Mr. Bevan had referred to the club's early days, and looking back on. them he felt sure it had met with more "downs" than "ups." The offieials had always kept together and worked hard, and as a resulti

of that the club had prospered Mr. McMillan had always been a hard worker in the early days while Mr. Sievers had been a steward for several years, carrying out well whatever fell to his lot. He : appreciated the kindly references t to him, and was pleased to be pres- ' ent and see so many of his old friends together again. All his term i as ^president had been while Mr. Nicholson was ♦ secretary. Mr. Nicholson had rendered sterling service, taking oVer the appointment when the club's finances were in a parlous position during the depression years and placing them on a sound basis again. Mr. J. W. Procter" As the first of those speaking to the toast of "Mr. J. W. Procter," Mr. R. V. Brown, of "Wanganui, said that as a worker for the club he had perhaps done more than ar>vbody else for it. Mr. Procter had possessed a background to this sport, being a rider, later a trainer and then a steward. "After the war the club's course was in a very bad state, but as course steward Mr. Procter had put in the bulk of the work required to restore it. Mr. Brown went on to refer to the ha.cmcnious working of the offieials of the club, and said that of all of those with which he had been associated he had not been able to find a better team than Levin, and in them all Mr. Procter stood out. Dr. Thompson said that Mr. Procter had always been first and foremost a worker for the club. His knowledge of courses and what was required from the point of view of the horseman had been his paramount consideration in all that he had done. That knowledge, which had not been possessed by anybody else, had proved of very great value in alterations made to the club's course. Mr. Hannan recalled that it had been his pleasure to work under Mr. Procter on the course, and the knowledge and energy he had shown had been remarkable. It was interesting to note that some of the hurdles still in use on the course had been specially designed by Mr. Procter, and had been made under his supervision. He had worked hard in everything he had

taken up, another of his notable associations being- with rugby football in the distric.t. The response was made, in the absence of Mr. Procter, by his son. Mr. F. Procter. He thanked the club for the recognition made of his father's services and the speakers for their eulogistic references.

"Mr. F. Nicholson" Mr. Bull was first to speak to the toast of "Mr. F. Nicholson." He said Mr. Nicholson had come to Levin in 1912 on the staff of Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., and he sooned joined the club. He had been a member for six or seven years and was 'then elected a steward, at which time the speaker was Secretary, followed later by Messrs. Bryant and Varnham. Then in 1928 Mr. Nicholson was appointed secretary, a position he had held for the next 18 years up to 1946. In that long period a great many calls had been made upon him, but he had always met them kindly and courteously. During Mr. Nicholson's early days in the position the country had been in the throes of the depression, and the turnover at the club's meeting dropped to £6000. Under his guidance the club had weathered the storm and since had progressed year by year until in November last its turnover had exceeded £60,000" a record for a country club outside the Auckland Province. Mr. Bull extended good wishes to Mr. Nicholson in his retirement. Mr. S. L. Jackson spoke to the toast in humorous vein. He went on to refer to the courteous manner in . which Mr. Nicholson .had met every one who.- had apprQached him, and the assistance he liad so will-i ingly given to • one- and. -all at ail times. Coupled with his interest m racing, the speaker said, was his enthusiasm for football, boxing, wrestling and shooting, all of which had made him a fine sportsman. Mr. C. V. Day, of Palmerston North, said that he had been a steward of the club in 1921 and 1922, at which time it was emerging from the war period. A queen carnival had been organised to assist its funds, at which time Mr. Bevan was president. That gentleman had built the concrete fence which still surrounds the entrance to the course. The stewards of tne club had always been a fine band of workers, and in that the club had been fortunate. The turnover at the club's first meeting was £1600 and it had gradually risen until at the last meeting it was over £60,000, which, as had already been stated, was a record for a country club outside the Auckland Province. That was entirely due to the popularity of the club, built up throughout the years by, among others, Mr. Bevan as president, who had done the spade work, and his successor, Mr. Ryder, and the stewards associated with them. He had met a number of racing club secretaries, but none better than Mr. Nicholson could be found, nor one with greater understanding. In responding, Mr. Nicholson said he had resigned from the secretaryship because he felt like the good cricketer who retired while he could still make runs and the pitch did not seem half a mile long, making way for a younger and more vigorous man. It had been his pleasure to see the club grow from humble doings to what it was to-^ay, one of the most popular and enterprising clubs in the Dominion. Mr. Nicholson paid tribute to the work of Mr. Ryder as president for 11 years. He had occupied the office with immense popularity with the offieials and public, and had been a keen

worker, always approachable and understanding. Mr. Procter had been chairman of the course cornmittee and in that capacity had shown himself a tireless worker, with a vast fund of knowledge of an inestimable value. In conclusion, Mr. Nicholson extended good wishes for success to the new secretary (Mr. R. G. Romans) . Other Toasts Other toasts proposed and honoured were as follows: "The Life Members," Messrs. L. Procter, J. W. Procter, W. Ryder, T. Bevan, H. McMillan and F. Nicholson, proposed by Mr. G. D. Harris and responded to by Mr. L. Procter; "The Ladies," Dr. Thompson — Mrs. M. A. M. Blenkhorn; "The President and his Wife," Mr. Day — the chairman; "The Visitors," Mr. G. Lamb — Mr. S. Matthews; and "The Press," Mr. E. R. Winkler— "The Chronicle" representative. Between the speeches Mr. H. F. ("Tony") Wood, of Wellington, the well-known radio and stage singer, delighted the gathering with a number of solos. He was accompanied at the piano by Mr. Frank Crowther. The happy evening came to a close shortly before midnight with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."