PIPING AND DANCING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20906, 21 December 1929, Page 6

PIPING AND DANCING.

ANNUAL MEETING op OTAGO

CENTRE,

*?. n ¥ al meeting of the Otago Centre $f le 7^ l r >ln s and Dancing Association of H«n aB held . in Y.M.C.A. Hall on Thursday evening. Mr A. Mackay, Otago president, was in the chair, and about 50 members were present, includmg several from PaJmerston and Oamaru . 1,16 annual report stated that all meetings of the executive had usually been attended by from 15 to 20 members, am proceedings since the present executive assumed office in February had been very harmonious. _ The membership was now the highest in the history of the centre, the figures for the last seven years being as follows:—l923, 70 members: 1924, 48: 1925, 36; 1926, 30; 1927, 25; 1928, 31; and 1929, 86. Thanks were extended to Messrs Lang and Paterson, the associations honorary solicitors for the last 21 years. The annual piping and dancing competitions, held in Burns Hall, Dunedin, last June, were patronised by competitors from as far north as Wanganui and as far south as Invercargill. The door takings were much higher than for several years past. The concerts the same week were excellent as far as talent was concerned, but the attendance of the public was much below the usual through the great counter, attraction of Sir Harry Lauder’s concerts. Under the circumstances the patronage was surprisingly good. The balance sheet showed a deficit of £l3, but since the accounts for the period had dosed the deficit had been wiped off and a further £l2 placed to credit. The meeting adopted the annua! report and balance sheet after' an alteration had been made in one of the references to a recent court case. In thc_ election of office-bearers, Messrs A. Mae Kay and J. W. Young were nominated for president, and a show of hands resulted in Mr Mac Kay’s election by 28 votes to-13. Messrs John Lang, K. Cameron, F. A. Cbcyne. and A. Wheeler were added unanimously to the existing list of Otago life vice-presidents. The election to the other offices resulted aa follows, without the necessity of a ballot:—Annual vice-presidents—Messrs E. J. Bennett, M. Campbell, Thomas Johnstone (Kaitangatal. D. Livingstone and R. Stuart; official pipers—Messrs G. and J, Yardlcy, P. Davidson and D. Livingston; lion, secretary, Mr C. W. Conley; treasurer, Mr F. A, Cheyne; auditor, Mr L. M'Lean; committee—Messrs H. M. Allan, W. H. Baxter, A. Boyd. F. 11. Cameron, Roderick Cameron (Palmerston), James Davidson, James Dixon, A-. Dunn, George Forsyth, George Gcrrie, Leslie Gibbons, A. Hastings, J._ Holland (Waikouaiti). W. H. Mackenzie. George M'Leau, W. R. MacPherson. A. Rayner, John Reid, R. G. Reilly, R. Williams, R. Wilson, R, M. Wilson, and G. Yardlcy, jun. Messrs G. Jardine aud W. Couper, both of Oamaru, were elected to the committee as the representatives of the affiliated Caledonian ■Societies and pipe bands, respectively. The meeting removed the name of a former life vice-president from the list of. officebearers.