TARANAKI HUNT CLUB.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 148, 11 November 1912, Page 7

TARANAKI HUNT CLUB.

AXNTAL MI<J:T'XG. The annual meeting of !!;.■ North Taranaki Hunt Club was h..d on Saturday night. The master (Mr. A. H. I-I'alcoiiilie) presided. Tlie annual report and balance-sheet (a precis of which has already been published) was read and adopted. A credit balance of £2O 6s 3d was disclosed. The receipts totalled £217 18s 9d. Mr. A. CliU' laised the question of the advisability of continuing the holding of an annual ball in view of the fact that the last function had resulted in a loss. The secretaiy (Mr. A. Humphries) explained that the deficit of £2O had been made up by personal donations by members of the Hunt. The matter was not further discussed.

Officers were elected as follows:—Patron, Hon. 0. Samuel (re-elected); president, Mr. E. W. Wheatley; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. E. F. Blundell, F. Samson, W. Birdling, F. Salway, C. Topliss; hon. surgeon, Dr. Leatham; hon. veterinary surgeon, Mr. Mason (Stratford); master, Mr. A. H, Halcombe (re-elected); deputymasters, Messrs. B. H. Chaney H. Matthews; committee, Messrs. Lonergran, W. T. Hookham, Jennins, W. Cole, G. Foreman, Samson, W. H. Boulton, H. T. and H. D. George, J. Smith; hon. auditor, Mr. A. N. Bewley; hon. secretary, Mr. A. Humphries. Mr. Cliff having resigned the position of huntsman, the matter of appointing his successor was left to the committee. The meeting accorded Mr. Cliff a hearty vote of thanks for his past services.

It was decided to recommend the incoming committee to reconsider the question of discontinuing the meets in the Stratford district. Votes of thanks were accorded the farmers who had lent their properties to the hunt on the occasion of meets, the honorary secretary and others who had assisted the club. ANNUAL DINNER. INTERESTING SUGGESTION. The North Taranaki Hunt Club's dinner and presentation of prizes won at the last annual meeting took place in the White Hart Hotel on Saturday evening. The master (Mr. A. H. Halcombe), and with him Mr. H. Okey, M.P., presided over a large attendance of huntsmen. Captain Davy, officer commanding the Canadian Cadets, was among those present. After justice had been done to an excellent repast, typical of the club, Mr. Okey proposed the toast of the Hunt Club. In doing so he welcomed Captain Davey, and went on to speak in support Of

HUNT CLUB RACE MEETINGS. He w ( as not, he said, a racing man himself, but he was well aware of the benefit which hunt clubs were doing, to the country's horseflesh. He was hopeful that if all the hunt clubs joined together it would be possible to get one day's sport a year for each club. The feeling of- the House was not in favor of increasing the number of race days, but it was certainly favorable to improving the breed of horses as the existence of the hunt clubs must do. in conversation with officers of the North Taranaki Club he had suggested that all the clubs should unite—even if it went as far as forming a union, for unions were the fashion now—and see if they could not bring some pressure to bear upon members of Parliament to the end he had indicated. It would be useless bringing down a measure to reduce the number of racing days to the metw politan clubs—the city members would not hear of it —but if they went the right way about it he thought it would be possible to secure a day's sport a year for the hunt clubs. IN DEFENCE OF THE COUNTRY.

He. approved of the suggestion made to him by Mr. A. Humphries (secretary, of the local club) that the club was prepared to offer the Minister of Defence the free use of their horses, should the occasion arise, to defend our shores. What: would it mean to the Dominion if a number of Well-trained horses, specially adapted for the cavalry, were at the disposal of the Defence Department in time of war? In the face of such an offer he felt sure the Department would come forward and meet the club.

Touching upon the visit of the Can- 1 adian Cadets, Mr. Okey expressed the opinion that in the long run it would do much good in the direction of still further cementing the bonds of friendship and trade between Canada and New Zealand. He pointed .to the rapid growth in trade between the two countries, mentioning that in three years it had, grown from £II,OOO to £400,000 per annum. It had to be remembered that the young men who were now visiting New Plymouth were going to be the business men of the future. VIEWS OF A CANADIAN VISITOR.

The toast was coupled with the names of Captain Davy and Mr. J. R. L. Stanford (Stratford), and in responding the former remarked that the kind and courteous invitation which had been extended to him to be present at that evening's function was but another instance of the unbounded hospitality which the. Canadian Cadets had met with throughout the whole of New Zealand. In Canada they were also a sport-loving community. They had their hunt clubs there, and were very fond of racing, but unfortunately a certain element seemed to have got hold of the erroneous impression that it was bad to hold race meetings! In Christchurch they had visited one of the finest racecourses in the world. They "had a few shillings" on some of the. horses. Some of them won; .others (including himself) lost, but all 'enjoyed their day's sport. Passing on, he said it reflected great credit on the huntsmen that they were willing, should the need arise, to sacrifice the steeds they loved almost as much as other lovable beings. (Laughter.) Incidentally, if the hunt clubs ever ran short of suitable horses in the Dominion, they in his country would be glad to supply them with some, for Canada bred some very fine horses.

Mr. Stanford returned thanks on behalf of the visitors present, remarking that in New Plymouth one experienced more hospitality than in any other town to which one went. He hoped the club would not discontinue holding meets in the Stratford district, as he was sure more support would he forthcoming from that district next year. ■PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. Mr. Okey then presented the prizes won at the club's last meeting to the following members:—Mr. B. 11. Chancy, owner of b g Malaphin, winner of events No. 1 and 7; Mr. 11. D. George, owner of the b g Inglewood, third event; Mr. A. Cliff, owner of Rangi, fourth event; and Mr. W. Hookham, owner of the br g Otaraoa, fifth event. The prizes won in the other events had been previously presented. All present drank to the health of "OtaTaoa," out of the magnificent cup presented that evening to its owner (Mr. ITooknam).