SPORTSMAN HONOURED

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12470, 11 June 1926, Page 4

SPORTSMAN HONOURED

WELLINGTON TROTTING CLUB PRESENTATIONS TO MR. R. A. ARMSTRONG A NOTABLE GATHERING Sportsmen gathered in good numbers at Petane last night when the stewards and membere of the Wellington Trotting Club made a presentation to one of the leading lights of trotting in New Zealand, Mr It. A. Armstrong, president of the Wellington Trotting Club. Mr M. A. Oarr presided, and among those present werß the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. It, F. Bollard), the Mayor of Auckland (Mr G. Baildon), and the Mayor of Wellington (Mr C. J. B. Norwood). Mr Carr expressed pleasure at the presence qf Mr Ballard; everyone knew he stood on the side of sport and played the game. . The gathering was honoured also by tho presence of Mr Baildon. Mr Carr said that he and Mr Armstrong were born within 100 yards of each other, but it was only in the last 14 years or so that they had been closely associated. ' It was a privilege to be associated with a man of such nobility of character. A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM Mr Armstrong had fought a _ great battle for liberty and freedom; it had beootme a religion with him,' and all knew how tenaciously real men would fight for their religion. It had been truly said that wealth was not everything. Mr Armstrong had earned the esteem of liis fellow-men, a great heritage to hand to his children. When Mr Armstrong went the way of all flesh—might the day be far off—no better epitaph could be written than this passage from Shakespeare: “His ways were gentle and the elements so mixed in him that any might rise up and say to world; this was a man.” Mr Ry der, a steward of the Trotting Club, said all were glad to be present to do honour to Mr Armstrong, ivho was a wonderfully good president. “The best president we have ever had,” was the summing up of Mr John Sharpe, another steward. Mr John August said Mr Armstrong had been the mouthpiece ,of the club in recent years, and it was difficult to know what the club would have done without him. REMINISCENCES The secretary of the Trotting Club, Mr R. Short, became reminiscent. He said that in 1912 Mr Talbot asked him. for a ticket for “the trots” for a friend of his. Mr Short believed that friend was Mr Armstrong. In 1916 Mr Armstrong became a member of the club, and in tho same year was elected a steward. He represented the club on the conference in 1917, 1918, and 1919. He was on the committee in 1919 and' 1920, chairman of committees in 1920, president in 1922, and president he was going to remain. (Applause.) Messrs H. L. August, E. Price, and E Grindley paid high tributes to the guest of the evening. THE GAMING BILL The Hon. Mr Bollard said he deem-

ed it. a pmilege to be present at a function tendered to one he admired as much as he admired Mr Armstrong. One qf the things to be admired about-him was that he always attained his object. Another thing was that.. i,Jje- was respected by his opponent*. No one knew more than Mr Bollard how great a fight Mr Armstrong-had put up over the Gaming Bill of 15)24. The Prime Minister had asked that his best wishes shonld be conveyed to Mr Armstrong. On behalf of the stewards, and the mem-

hers of the Trotting Club ho presented Mr Armstrong with a grandfather clock and a motor-car. (Applause.) Another presentation was from “lady friends.” It was a gilded horse, decorated with roses and maidenhair fern. MR ARMSTRONG REPLIES Mr Armstrong was received with cheers and musical honours when he rose to reply. He said that after all the good things said about lum he could not claim to have been damned with faint praise. He would do liis best for trotting, as he had done in tho past. Ho greatly appreciated the gathering. He had never sought popularity at the expense of what he thought to be right. Trotting made no distinction between rich and pool- and when the rich mail offended tho rules of trotting he was dealt with just as the bottler would lie. (Applause.) 'Die toast of Parliament was proposed by Mr Baildon and responded to by the Hon. Mr Bollard. Other toasts were as follows:—“Sport” (Messrs W. Perry and H. F. O'Leary) and tho “Neiv Zealand Trotting Association.” Items of entertainment were given bv tho. Aeolian Quartette (Messrs Muyall, Coe, Church and Hall). Mr B. May-nil, Mr Brokenshire, Mr A. Coe, and Mr Norman Aitken.