Feilding Hunt Club

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 26, 16 August 1890, Page 2

Feilding Hunt Club

The annual general meeting: of the above Club was held at the Empire Hotel last Thursday evening, the following gentlemen being present : — Messrs Saxon (in the chair), Goodbehere (secretary), Carr, Clissold, N. Gorton, Ward, W. Bell, N. Charlton, Horslaid, Lance, Elkington, Kirton, McDonald, Benson, Burrell, Harley, Roake, Lovejoy and Dr Charlton. The minutes of the previous annual meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary brought forward several accounts, which were passed for payment. The Club had handed Mr Roake £21 which they had received for subscriptions, and after the accounts had been paid out of this sum there would be a balance in hand of £1. The election of officers for next season resulted as follows : — President, Mr John Saxon ; Vice- President, Mr D. H. Macarthur, M.H.R. ; Master, Mr H. Lance ; Deputy-Masters, Messrs R. Edwards and Clissold ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr E. Goodbehere ; Committee, Messrs Crawford, Loyejoy, N. Gorton, Carr, Benson, Ward, Levett, Riddiford, Harley, Elkington, J. Pascal, Lloyd, and Dr Charlton. A letter was read from Mr Lingard, Secretary of the Wellington Hunt Club, inviting the Hounds to journey to Wellington again on the 23rd instant. He also stated that his Club would like to make some arrangements with the Feilding Club with regard to the latter's hounds visiting Wellington and Wairarapa. They would be willing to guarantee £15 a trip, providing they could have two hunis each month, Saturday being the day preferred for holding the same. Mr Crawford, of Wellington, explained the views contained in Mr Lingard's letter, and said that his Club wished to come to some arrangements with the Feilding Club. If Wairarapa would join with Wellington (and he had good reasons for thinking that they would) no doubt it would be worth while to send the hounds, as it would most assuredly prove a mutually beneficial transaction. Mr Roake, the huntsman, considered the Club should accept the offer, it being very reasonable. There could be a meet at Wellington on a Saturday, and at the Wairarapa on Monday, coming home on Tuesday to be ready to hunt on Wednesday in this district. A considerable amount of discussion ensued as to the travelling expenses to Wellington, several members suggesting that once a month would be sufficient to send the hounds down, but Mr Crawford explained that it would not be worth while for Wellington members to keep a hunter for so few meets. Proposed by Mr Lance, seconded by Mr Benson, That the Club agree to send the hounds down to Wellington if expenses of the huntsman, whip, two horses and the hounds are paid and £5 a trip over. Mr Crawford said the motion was very reasonable ; but, after thinking the matter over, he considered that it would be a wiser plan for them to amalgamate with Wellington and Wairarapa, the latter Clubs to guarantee a certain number of members. Of course the Feilding Club ought to reap a benefit out of the transaction, as they had purchased the honnds. He would like to see his suggestion adopted, and he was prepared to guarantee 100 members from Wellington. Messrs Carr and Goodbehere supported Mr Crawford's ideas, thinking that if the Clubs amalgamated they could then have capital to work on for the appointment of a huntsman at a fixed salary. The Chairman and other members agreed with these views. Mr Kirton said that perhaps the Club could come to terms with the Railway authorities to lessen the expense when sending the hound*? to Wellington, and he suggested that the Secretary should write to the authorities asking what concession they would be willing to make for the conveyance of the hounds during the season. He spoke on the benefits to be derived by the amalgamation, and made some flattering remarks on the merits of the huntsman. Proposed by Mr Goodbehere, seconded by Mr Lance, as an amendment, That this meeting is of opinion that steps be taken to amalgamate with the Wellington and Wairarapa Clubs for the purpose of forming one strong Club, provided that a sufficient number of members can be guaranteed in the Wellington-Wairarapa district, and if this can be arranged the Feilding Hounds will visit the two districts twice in each month, and that Mr Crawford be deputed to interview the people interested in Wellington, and lay the matter before them. The mover and a number of members spoke in support of the amendment, which was then put and carried. Proposed by Mr Kirton, seconded by Mr Clissold, That the Secretary at Feilding, in conjunction with Mr Crawford at Wellington, communicate with the Railway Commissioners and the WellingtonManawatu Railway Company with a view to obtain concessions -in favour of the horses, hounds, huntsman, &c, travelling on the respective lines to hunt meetings. — Carried. A good deal of desultory conversation was indulged in with respect to the maintenance of the hounds during the summermonths. Ultimately the matter it was left in the hands of the Executive Committee to deal with. The meeting then adjourned.