OTAGO JOTTINGS.

NZ Truth, Issue 483, 19 September 1914, Page 8

OTAGO JOTTINGS.

( • ■ (By "WaUalo.") In noroft qwortors my remarks In provJous Issues on tho recent meeting of ihft local Hunt appear to have hurt tho feelings of several prominent mipporteru nf tho sport, U l» Just ns well to bo cnn<lld. I have no jyrlcvnncc HKnlnat the nUtciatii who luivo unifruJKiagly glvon their titno and put x\u-[r hamut Into their pockolo since tho incoptton of tho Hani, and neither have 1

any desire to decry the hunt as a sport. Apart from egotism, the writer is pleased to be able to say he was the first "newspaper man" to advocate the formation of the Hunt, and it became a reality. But, owing to certain causes, although it went off with a bang, it later on 1 hung fire to a certain extent. Why? Because someone who should have kept -the hunt well before the public and invited desirable acquisitipns to the membership, seen to it that those who knew less than nothing of the sport should npt become office-bearers, and kept out othersf whose presence would deter these desirable acquisitions, failed either to grasp the situation or to display attractiveness. That is my "grievance." Now, a few lines m reference to the recent meeting. It has been said that the meeting was well managed;, that not only were there numerous entries but the fields were also good; that good sport was the order of the day. Which is all perfectly true. And much credit is due to Mr. Shugar, who, at the last moment and under disadvantageous ' circumstances, took up the position of secretary. He was for years secretary of the Woodlands Hunt; and the O.tago Hunt was particularly fortunate m, securing his services, for not only is he enthusiastic, but he knows the game and the business side of it. It is to be hoped that he will be prevailed on to "keep" the position. Nor should Messrs. B. S. Irwin, A. Hastte and Mas. Thomson be overlooked. They also have proved themselves live men "on the ground. 1 ' I have not heard of them tackling the big jumps. That is by the way. But there are other horsemen living m and about Dunedin who might be coerced into joining the Hunt if approached in Vft mild way. Of course, it would be unfair to say that the. majority of the present members should "npt" be members, but it is well known that the presence of several members seriously handicaps the Hunt. And thereby bangs a tale. To the Otago Hunt I wish all prosperity, and if m time the House extends the totalisator privileges, I hope the local Hunt will be well up on the list Then the "element" that bars present progress may easily be. pushed overboard! ' ■ ■ . In glancing over the circular Issued by the secretary of Fcrbury Park Trotting Club, apprising members of a special meeting to be held m a day or two for the purpose of electing extra stewards^ etc., tho writer was amazed to read an effusion which stipulates that the clerk of the course shall In future be elected from amongst the club members! To those m the know the meaning is as clear as a piece of plateglass.' Somebody or other has a grievance, imagines he is the only person m the land capable of filling the bill arid badly wants the job, and perhaps a personal canvass may succeed. But did anyone but a crass-headed fool ever hear or read of such a thing as the taking away (practically) from the executive of a club the power to appoint the most capable officers to be liad? Surely the members of F.PiT.C. have some intelligence. If they pass into law, this motion on the order paper, then someone should immediately* come forward with a scheme to oust the present office-bearers and secretary and run the plu,b to its ultimate destiny— destructipn.