CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 7266, 14 October 1891, Page 3

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

A meeting of tho directors of the Caledonian Society was held hat evening in the County Council Chambers, Mr U Davidson (tho president) being in tho chair. Mr Robert Kennedy (•' TVa Hours at Jlame ") wrote asking tho directors to enter into an arrangement with him regarding his appearance in Oamaru in his entertainment on a date between tho 17th and 22nd. After discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr Milne, that as the request was outside the province of the Society to comply with, they could not entertain his proposal, but would be happy to #ive him their support and patronage. The following report was read : The Committee appointed by the Society to enquire into and report upon the proposal to hold " Ingleside" meetings in rounection with the Society now beg to place before the directors the following report : In response to enquiries made by us at Punedin, Christchurch, and Ashburton, we ha\e been favored wish replies as follows: Dunedin Caledonian Society state they have not, for several years past, held any such social gatherings, and can therefore supply us with no particulars regarding same. < The Canterbury Caledonian Society advise that during last winter they held four inglcsides or socials, rcgaiding which the Secretary writes as follows : " Our winter ■ocials ure conducted on the Hues of a concert, the vocal and instrumental music being given by members, or tiny of their friends, with readings and recitations interspersed, closing the session with a musical social and dance, for which & charge is made to cover expenses incurred, amounting in all to About L37." He adds that " these socials were well patronised and appreciated by the members of the society " The Ashburton Caledonian Society advises : •* Thi3 Society has tor tho last six years been in the habit of holding four inglesides durirg the winter months for numbers and their families only. The annual cost to the Society of these four gatherings has been abont L30. The first jrar the members provided refreshments free of charge to the Society, but this proved to be troublesome, consequently the directors raised membership tickets to cover the cost of refreshments. 1 he programme usually adopted is a varied one, consisting of songs, readings, recitatious, step dancing, inttrsisersed with the usual ball programme If a Scottish society. These inglesides are I eld one* a month from 8 p.m. till 12 p m., tnit for the closing ingleside of the season dancing is usually kept up till 2 o'clock." j The Committee having met and considered the foregoing advices from Christchurch and As>hburton, and taking into consideration the small annual cost involved as compared with the Mintages to the Society, aro of opinion that a similar custom would be beneficial and highly acceptable to members and their families, and they accordingly recommend it to the directors for their adoption. In order to inaugurate same the Committee are of opinion that the first " Ingleside ' be held either at St. Andrew's or St. George's Halla on u early a date as the directors may consider best, say before the end of the present month. That in order to meet the initiatory expenses a small charge of 2s per ticket b« made to members which would admit two, >iz.— one member and wife, or other lady. This small charge, they consider, would bring the tocial within tho mrans of every member of the Society and would he suflicieut to cover all expenses, which they do not anticipate would be heavy, it having been suggested that the tffreshmento on tho occasion would be -voluntarily iupplied by members who are anxious to make the hrst gathering & success, and with the valuable aid of the members wives and other lady friends of the bociety it is anticipated the inglesidca for next winter would be favorably established Should the foregoing lccommendations meet nith the approval of tho dhectors, the Committee would suggest that an " iugle--.id* committee' t be appointed to carry out

all necessary arrangements ns to ball, re ficsluncnts, and programme for tho evening's amusement, and that members mid tlit ir friondB bo invited to assiat in furthering tho sum-as of the gathering Tlmt in oi.ler to ?nuko the ♦• inglcsides" sociable and devoid of all unneccssaiy formula it is a recommendation from this Committeo that members and their friends bo invited to attend in plain everyday dees?. i The senson being now so fur advanced the Committee do not think it advibablc that, moie than ono social bo hold this yrar, but during next winter they would propose that 1 11 inglcsido ' meetings bo hold onto a month during the months of Juno, July, August, and September on similar lines to thoso held . in Cluistchurch and Ashbtirton, the firat ' threo to bo from 8 p.m. till 11 or 12 p.m., and tho ono held during September tako tho form of a social and ball to be kept up till, say, 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. Jn placing the foregoing report before the directors tho Committee are satisfied that the proposed gatherings will largely benefit tho Society by tho increase in membership which will rrsult thereby. J. Reid, Convener. On tho motion of Mr Bee, seconded by Mr Procter, it was decidod that tho report bo adopted, and that tho flrat sooi.il bo held on tho night of November oOth, and that a connnitloo consisting of the President, Messrs Reid (convonor), Procter, Wnddtll, Milne, Bee, ivnd Brown be appointed to make arrange merits. It whp also decided to minute a hearty vote of thanks to tho Coinmittoc for the trouble they had taken in pioparing tho report. The following letter from Mr W. F. Cork, hou. secretary O.A.A.C., whs read : You will this attornoon receive a requisition signed by a number of amateurs in Oamaru asking your directorate to hold their foot races under amatour rules. I shall be glad to assist your Society in any wny I can, and I think that if your Society would accedo to the request of the requisi. ticnista that a good number of entries would be recoived for the different events, as the Caledonian Society at Kurow is now wound up and an amateur club formed in its stead, and a number of competitors would no doubt compete from that placo Of course leave to hold tho meeting under N.Z.A.A.A. rules would need to bo got first, but I do not think there would be mucji trouble in getting leave, and I shall only be too glad to co-operate with you ns secretary in getting the mutter satisfactorily arranged. P.S.— I enclose a book of rules of tho N.Z.A.A.A., under which our club is managed. A requisition wns also received, urging the Society to adopt, the suggestion contained in tho letter of Mr Cork. Mr Milno said the Society Ind had a good deal of trouble over tho foot races, and if tho suggestion was adopted it would obviate all this. Tho bicyclo races had been a great success, and they were run undor tho rules of the Amateur Association. Tho Secretary paid professional sports were as de.ul as C;us,»r. Mr Waddellsaid the competition would bo keener and more extended undor tho amateur lulos than under tho old arrangement, and lie gave notice of motion that all tho foot racing be uuder tha Amateur Association's rules. Secouded by Mr Brown. Messrs Moss and Johnston dissented from the proposal, as it would shut oub a number of competitors. It was decided to discins the matter at next meeting. Mr G. M. Procter proposed that a carnival be held on the evening of the first day's games. Seconded by Mr Brown aud carried. Messrs Procter(convenor), Moss, Milne, Brown, Bee, Keid, Waddell, Kennedy, B. Christie, Liddle, Johnston, Meek, and the President woro appointed a carnival committee with power to act, the amount to be exponded on lire- works not to exceed L40. ! Tho President explained the result from the deputation that waited on the N.O. A. and P. Association with reference to the extension of the track. Tho N.O.A. and P. Association appointed a committee, and the ground was visited, but tho Association objected to tho expenditure of any money on the work, and tho matter dropped. Several members of tho committee had urged that the Society look out for a new piece of ground, and he thought that if the old cricket ground were vested in local bodies it could bo mndo to suit the purpose for all local bodies of a similar character. Ho sug~ geated that delegates from other local bodies be invited to meet and discuss tho matter before approaching the Government. Is was decided that the secretary call a meeting of all cycling, football, and other clubs to consider the matter.