CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15892, 11 October 1913, Page 12

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

ANNUAL MEETING.

NEW DEPARTURES FORESHADOWED

Tho annual meeting of the Otago Caledonian Society was held last evening, and was largely attended. Mr T. Elliott presided.

In moving the adoption of the report the President said that the holding of the Schools' Championships mooting was a now departure. They had carried on their annual games, but thero had been no other sport in connection with tho Caledonian Society for some years. Tho directors could see that tho former interest was not now taken in tho Caledonian Sports, and they camo to tho conclusion that they should educate the young.' If they did not do so they : would have no future competitors. Tho meeting received full support both from tiho masters and children. The sports were really splendid, but they were held under unfavourable climatic conditions, and there was a loss on tho meeting. On the annual gathering they would notice that the loss was heavy, but it was Tather heavier than usual, the shortage being £220. They had tried to come out of their shell during the year, and had given a lot of money. The annual gathering cost them £650, the heaviest oost for soveral years, and tho prize money was the biggest that had been given away by tho society, but their inany friends had assisted by putting their hands in their pockets, and as a result tho loss to the society would really be very small. They could not expect their friends to put their hands in their pockets year after year, and something shonld be dono in the direction of guarding against losses in tho future.

At this stage tho Secretary read a letter from the Dunedin Expansion League suggesting that the society should fall in with a proposal to hold a gala week in Dunedin in the near future.

A communication was also received from Mr J. C. Stephens in regard to the matter of altering tho dato of the annual sports gathering. He suggested that the society should fall in with tiho proposal by tho Expansion League. The letter stated that the gathering would nevor bo as successful as in former years if held at New Year time, as a great many families leave town during tho Christmas and New Year holidays. He favoured the holding of the sports during Summer Show week.

Mr James Brown, in seconding tie adoption of the report, prefaced his remarks by intimating to the members that he would not tako up much of their time. They would all be prepared, ho thought, to accept the report as a faithful summary of the events of the year. In referring to these events thp report found it necessary to speak of some of -them in terms of regret and disappointment, while in regard to others it was able generally to refer to them in a hopeful and satisfactory manner. The president had told them that a new departure was made in regard to the schools' demonstration, which, lie thought they would all agrifo witli him, had been a most satisfactory feature of the year. All tho members of the society entered into the gathering with enthusiasm. This departure opened an avenue for tho society's usefulness in the future, and he had no hesitation in saying that it would bear very good'fruit. The interest of the society appeared to centre round the annual gathering. The plea contained in the letter read to the meeting pointed very conclusively to tho circumstances which had led to a climax of tlife affairs of the annual gathering. They 3iad, despite tho beautiful weather and excellent conditions, reached a climax.' This was probably due to tho large prize money, and i OS3 experienced by tho societv on its annual gathering was £221, Ho thought they were all pretty _ well agreed that if the society was to continue its annual gathering tliexo would have to bo sorao now departure.. Even if the financial position of the society was strong enough to 6tmnd the I strain of the aanuai' gathering on the lines of past gatherings, business prudenoe would not permit it. There was not one single argument to be advanced in favour of a continuation tho gathering ae they had been doing whidh last year's balance sheet would not refute. It would bo for tho management of the society to consider carefully what the future was to be, and ho thought thoy had arrived at tho stage when the members should take part in any consideration which had to be given to this aspect of the matter. Ho did not befierco that they would ever agree to drop out the New Year's gathering of tho Caledonian Society, and ho thought it would bo a _ most regrettablo tiling for such a traditional gathering to bo dropped 'by the society, It would havo to bo altered. Ho would do away with tho bulk of the cash prizes, ajid «all the gathering the Caledonian Society's festival, and try and work up some events in connection writh sports for trophies. He suggested that they might have a Cadet display and physical exercises, and there might be other displays arranged, all of which would attract a largo gathering. -He thought tho society could £aco sitdh a gathering at a total liability of under £200. Ho asked them to consider such a gathering and oomparo it with last year's gathering, The accounts were very explicit and left nothing to bo desired even by the most exacting. The result, unfortunately, was a loss of £172 9s 10d, and th«y would notkso that there Tiad been written off a sum of £181 16a 7d. _ This diould not be looked upon in the light of depreciation, because it represented in the miim tho amount expended on tho affairs of the society during the year. The publio would consequently see that they were still worthy of support. Mr Hopcraft drew attention to the fact that a number-' of subscriptions had not been paid. Mr John Ogg said he thought that the annual gathering of the:society would not ibo a success until the sooiety came to an arrangement with other societies as to tho dates to be adopted for the sports meetings. Mr A. Sligo expressed the opinion that tho New Year's gathering should bo done away with and their funds put to something' oI6C.

Air Murdoch M'Kehzie earidl that tho society might as well consider the question of going into liquidation as_ think of giving up the New Year's gathering. Tho report was adapted. Tho following officers wero elected President: Mr T. Elliott (re-elected); vice-pre-sidents—Messrs W. Reid and W. M'Leod; treasurer, Mr Greenslade; secretary, Mr R-eid. Tho directors wero elected as follows:— Messrs R, W. Campbell, T. M. Gillies, Robt, Harper, J. A. Hopcraft, H. M'Donald A. B. M'Ewan, John M'lndoe, H. M. Mlatichlun, R. Pcrwloy, G. R. Ritchie, C. Speight, M. Wills. Mr J. Brown was elected a life director, and D. A M'Nicholl a life honorary member.