Poverty Bay Hunt Club.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 35, 11 February 1901, Page 3

Poverty Bay Hunt Club.

MEMBERS’ SUBSCRIPTION,

AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

The annual general meeting o! the Poverty Bay Hunt Club was held on Saturday afternoon, when there was a large attendance of members present. Mr W. Ackland Hood presided, and amongst those present were Messrs A. Dewing, S- Williamson, J. A. Harding, C. White, R. Sherratt, T. Holden, <3. Primrose, W. Hutchinson, and E. Desßarres. The balance-sheet showed the receipts during the year to have been £ll7 2s 2d, which included balance at bank at end of last year £7 18s 2d ; subscriptions £BO 2s, arrears £3 3s, donations £l9 19s. The expenditure was made up of the following items:—Huntsmen £B9 13s Od, registration hounds £O, repairing fences £3 4s 6d, and sundries 13s 6d, leaving a balance at the bank of £l3 6s Sd. As against this the secretary stated there were liabilities which would be due in March next amounting to £55 0s 6d, whilst the subscriptions overdue totalled £46 16s Bd.

The President pointed out that fees should be paid before hunting was allowed, and contended that the balance-sheet should show exactly how the Club stood. All fees obtainable should be collected, those that were not good written off, and thus the position of the Club could be clearly defined. The Secretary said that it was a hard matter to collect the subscriptions ; when he asked for them, members told him that they had resigned years ago. The President: What I complain of is that the statement does not place the position of the Club before us. Mr C. White: Why should men be allowed to hunt if they have not paid their subscriptions? The Secretary, at the request of the meeting, lead out a list of the names of those

who were behind in the matter of payment; and, at the end, Mr. White remarked: “ Why, half of that money is not worth twopence.”. The Secretary, continuing his lament, said that in one particular instance he had asked a man twenty times for his subscription. In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that he had approached him so often that the person referred to would rather run away than pass hinrin the street. —(Laughter.) Mr Harding: If we get all that money in, we will be about level, and be able to start the year free of debt. Messrs Sherratt and Williamson thought that members should be made to pay before they hunted. In fact, they should pay before they were allowed to vote at the meeting. “ That course is followed in the Turf Club,” remarked Mr Sherratt, “ and it works well.” Members present thought the same course that was adopted in the racing clubs should be followed, members being made to pay before they entered the gates. It was pointed out that some members might take umbrage if this were done, and the difficulty further presented itself that it was hard to prevent a person following the hounds if he had not paid his subscription. One member suggested that the owners of the'properties through which the club hunted might be able to assist by barring all those who had not paid their subscriptions.

Mr White cited a case at a recent race meeting where a member bad not paid the entry of his horse, and had he won the event he certainly would have been disqualified. The President: I think we should put our finances in a form which will really show the position of the club. It is not a businesslike manner of doing business to carry on as we are doing at the present time.- I would suggest that during the next few weeks efforts b 9 made to get in the subscriptions, and that this meeting should be adjourned until that is done.

Mr Williamson: Let us adjourn until the proper meeting day in March. Mr Sherratt: Is it decided whether or not we are to hunt this season ?

Mr Dewing: At any rate, let us define the lines upon which .we are to work. In answer to Mr Primrose, the Secretary said that there _were 34 members • in the Club.

After further discussion, it was decided that the financial portion of the business should be deferred to the second Saturday in March.

The election of officers was then proceeded with, Mr W. AclandHood being unanimously re-elected President, and Messrs White and Dewing Vice-presidents. On the motion of Mr Harding, Mr T. Holden was also elected a Vice-president. In moving the proposition, Mr Harding said that Mr Holden had been a constant supporter of the Club, and, although he did not hunt himself, he always took a lively and keen interest in the sport. Mr Harding asked to be relieved of -the duties of Master, and proposed Mr C. White for the position. The latter said he did not at all like taking the position, but if it were the unanimous wish of the meeting he would do his best. The motion was carried amidst applause. Messrs Harding and G. Ormond were appointed Deputy-Masters, and the following Committee were appointed: Messrs Williams, H. Evans, 0. Evahs, R. Sherratt, T. Holden, Reynolds, G. McLean, W. Hutchinson, Des Barres, and G. Primrose. The question of the appointment of a secretary was deferred, as Mr Des Barres could not see his way to again accept the position. A vote of thanks to Mr Des Barres for his past services was unanimously carried. The President said that last year the residents of Tologa had invited the Hunt Club to have a day’s outing in that district, but they had been unable to accept the invitation. They would, he thought, like the members of the Club to attend the races this year on the 17th March, and afterwards have a day’s hunting. The matter was favorably taken up, but it was decided to wait a little before a definite decision was arrived at.

Mr C. White gave notice of motion with regard to the payment of members’ subscriptions previously referred to.