CYCLING AND AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8292, 22 September 1903, Page 1

CYCLING AND AMATEUR ATHLETIC CLUB

Tlie annual meeting of members of the North Otago Cycling and Amateur Athletic Club was held in the Borough Council Chamber last evening. There were about thirty present, and 111 the absence of the President (Mr J. Buckley), Mr D. Miller was voted to the chair.

The minutes of the last annual meeting having been confirmed, the report of the outCommittee was read by the lion, secretary (Mr J. E. Hood) as follows: "In presenting the ninth" annual report and balance-sheet, your Committee regret to have against report a deficiency of £6 7s Id on th-j previous year's operations. This was doubtless caused by the wet weather on Boxing Day necessitating a postponement of the annual sporte t^jip Friday. "The sports meeting was higiily successful, there being record entries for all the events, especially in the sprints, and some good performances were witnessed. One of our own members (Mr E. B. Fraser) won no less than four events, thus showing that we have in our midst some runners that are capable of holding their own with some of the best competitors from other pares, and we are sure that there is plenty of latent power that only requires bringing out. "The cycling events were also well contested and some very close finishes were witnessed, the prize money bejng distributed between the. local riders and the visitors. "A cross country run found a place on the programme for the first time, and was ahighly satisfactory item, there being a large number of starters who w-ere_watched with interest by tlie spectators. "The attendance of the public was not as large as your Committee would like to have se-en, seeing that the programme was a highly attractive one and the Club had gone to considerable expense in providing valuable prizes so as to induce large fields in the various items and provide a good day's sport. "The Committee were pleased to see so many of the officers of the Club acting as officials at tlie sporte, thus shewing their interest in the Club. "The thanks of tlij Club are due to the following gentlemen for their kind donations towards the funds :—Hon. Geo. Jones, Drs Douglas, Garland, and Whitton, Messrs J. Buckley. H. Newton, D. H. Jennings, A. Potter, W. Lang, C. E. Morris, H. Mowbray, Jas. Miiler, and Hepburn Bros. Messrs Hcalinsr and Co., F. R. Dennison, H. Brown, and W. Isdale also liindly donated special prizes for the sports meeting. "We regret to have to record the loss, through removal, of the following members of the Committee, viz., Messrs W. Lan t g, J. B. Nichol, Jas. Miller, and Jas. Bennett, who were all energetic workers, and whose placfs will be hard to fill. "A smoke concert was held after the sports meeting and was largely attended by the visiting conqietitors and was highly successful.

"In conclusion, your Committee trust that members will do tlwir utmost m the interests of the Club, as they are confident that with a little effort the deficiency can be wiped off •i?:d the Club put oh a sound financial footing."

"•The thanks of the Club are due to the following delegates:—The N.Z. Amateur Athletic Association, Mr J. R. Morrison, Otaso Athletic Centre, Messrs H. Divers J. Burke, and N.Z. Wheelmen, Mr W. Lawson, and also to the- auditor, Mr J. M'Laren ,and the handicappers, Mr John Miller (cycling), and Messrs W. James and W. H. Norton (athletic events)." The balance-sheet was read, showing that the receipts for the year had been £ll2 0s lid and the expenditure £lll 8s 3d, leaving a balance of 12s Bd. A statement of assets and liabilities was also read, and disclosed a debit balance of £6 7s Id.

The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, explained that the position of the Club in showing a small deficiency was really due to the additional expense that had to be incurred through the postponement of the meeting from Boxing Day owing to the exceedingly bad weather experienced. He anticipated that with better luck this year the Club would be able to wipe off the the debt, and have, instead, a credit balance.

Mr Burns seconded the motion, which wok carried.

The election of officers then took place with the following results :—President. Mr St. J. Buckley; Vice-Presidents, Drs Garland, Whitton, and Douglas, Messrs O. R. Wise. A. 'Potter, D. H. Jennings, G. M. Procter, H. Newton, R, Shand, W. Lain:, and E. A. Atkinson; Captain, Mr D. •Miller; Deputy-Captain, Mr J. Burns ; Delegates to League Centre —Messrs W. Lawfon and 0. R. Orwin; Delegates to the N.Z.A.A.A.—Mr J. Miller; Amateur Handica-pper —Mr W. H. Norton ; Committee Cycling : Messrs H. Worley, J. Bennett, H. Brown, "W. James, D. Gillies, W. Turvey, and W Ross ; Amateur—Messrs H. Mowbray. W. Sumpter, E. B. Fraser, M. Hanning, R.. J. '.Morrin. F. J. Du Croz, and A. Carson ; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr J. E. Hood ; Auditor, Mr James M'Laren. On the motion of Mr J. Burns, it was decided to open the season on Thursday, October 15th, with a road race out to Mahcno. thence to Kakanui. and home by the beach road : and Mr D. Miller offered a gold medal as first prize. It was also decided, on the motion of Mr R. J. Morrin, to hold an amateur walking competition from Maheno to Oamnru on the same afternoon, and Mr J. :E. Hood promised a gold medal as first prize. It was resolved that the secretary should interview Mr Crengh in reference to the use of the North Road Ground during the coming season, and report to the Committee. A vote of thanks was accorded to tlie Press for the prominence given to cycling matters, and the mseting closed with a simi lar compliment to the chair.