SPORTSMEN'S HUMOUR

Northern Advocate, 11 July 1925, Page 3

SPORTSMEN'S HUMOUR

"THE SPIRIT OF RACING CLUBS"

WIT IN WHANGAREI.

At one stage during the annual meeting of the Whangarei Racing Club on Wednesday night the problem of how to prevent any unfinancial or non-members from voting, and the solution ,tendered by the president was that, as sportsmen, those present should act in the true spirit of the club and refrain from accepting ballot papers if they were not entitled to vote. That the spirit of sportmanship was not wanting was shown by the general good humour prevailing throughout the lengthy session despite the fact that the record attendance numbered about 230, and that it was due to a big issue being at stake. Numerous delays were occasioned while ballot papers were being counted, but these halts, instead of annoying those present, gave opportunity for expression of some witticisms and a few friendly jibes.

On one such occasion Mr R. G. Ilosking was prevailed upon to lead community singing. The audience, however, appeared to appreciate liis singing of "Peggy O'Neil" so much th t they allowed him the community role all to himself, and the chorus was decidedly weak. When the singer, appreciating the joke, broke down laughingly, Mr C. L. Storey declared that as '' Dick'' had proved such a frost he would call upon Sandy McLean for a song." Like Mr Hosking, Mr McLean was also waiting the result of the ballot in which the pair were contestants, and he excused himseW by declaring that whenever he was called upon to sing Mr H. W. Crawford generally took his place. On that occasion, Trowever, the latter -vtas too shv Others then" appealed to Mr T. A. Williams, who had taken a somewhat prominent part in the meeting, though with little success. "Come on Tom. Blow yourself out. Are you downhearted, Tom?" was called. Tom was not. He recognised his friendly tormentor and met the situation by volunteering to warble if "Bill" Delamore would do so too, but Bill "reneged."

Then someone, noticing the steady accumulation of sorted ballot papers, aroused the attention of all by laying: "Sir Boseberry first, Dick second." The race proved that the guesser will have to guess again.

"Any shortage of pencils?" asked the secretary while a ballot was in progress. His implied invitation met with a vociferous chorus in the affirmative. The secretary's appreciation of the spirit of the club combined with his duty to look after its affairs and property was evident by his perspicuity. What he held he retained. Being de

barred from borrowing a pencil one wag cried: "We have only a Scrap o'Paper." "Well, have a bit of Pa tiencc with it," was Mr Hill's apt reply. Anticipating that there would be but two nominations for the presidency, the secretary, to save time, had prepared a number of ballot papers with the candidates' names written upon them. As soon as the nominations were declared closed, these were produced and distributed, and the secretary earned congratulations upon his

acute discernment of the trend of events. Later, when nominations were sought for the post of vice-president two were forthcoming. "Have you got the "ballot papers ready?" came from the audience, but. the secretary was content to rest upon the laurels a I ready won and proceeded to hand out blank papers —and no pencils!

Faced with a further delay for another ballot after the one for the presidency, many offered suggestions whereby a decision might be reached without incurring the delay caused by counting the papers. Impressed by the Parliamentary method, Mr T. A. Williams, suggested that the followers of the respective candidates should file out through separate doors and be counted. The idea seemed to meet with some favour but it faded into space when a voice from the house queried: "Want to get out, Tom?" After that he gravely scribbled on a ballot paper in the orthodox manner.

That the meeting was representative of the whole district was unquestionable, but when 17 nominations had been submitted for half a dozen seats on the committee the meeting was reminded that the committee might not be equally so. Came a plaintive, forlorn voice from a seat in the background: "Being the only member for Hikurangi, can I nominate myself for the committee?" The laughter which this aroused prevented any see-on dol- - himself heard, and if th •• voice really belonged to Hikurangi's belt hope it would appear, at least to the uninitiated, that that important sporting centre was inadequately re presented on one of the principal bodies of real sportsmen in North Auckland.