A DESERVED COMPLIMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 35

A DESERVED COMPLIMENT.

The Dunedin Jockey Club's Committee have formally recorded their high appreciation of the services rendered by the Hon. G. M'Lean in connection with the removal of the club's operations to Wingatui. An acknowledgment of this kind is only a fair thing. I expected it, and being inclined to let the committee give a lead in the matter, I have until now refrained from saying anything on the subject. Now, however, that the committee have called for three cheers for the popular president, it is meet and right that all should join in with " Hip, hip, hurrah !" also in. tho " Jolly good fellow " chorus. Even those who still sulk in the background and profess to regard the shift to Wingatui as detrimental to the city's interests and inimical to the dub's welfare— the purely diecontented and tho honestly- critical racing man — these may without loss of self-respect swell the chorus, since, though they still retain their doubts as to whether the change was altogether wise, they must agree that the question of a. ehift was at any rate debatable, and acknowledge that thoße who voted for the move were most capably led by the gentleman wi.om it is our delight to honour. Looking at tho position fairly, the malcontents should indeed find in the facts the most cause to praise tho Hon. G. M'Lean and those who backed him up. If the flight to Wingatui wae ill-advised, it must bring about evil consequences and serious difficulties for the club, and inasmuch as tho difficulties have become so far surmounted and the awful things that were to happen have been staved off, there *is so much more credit due to those who have stood as tho club's defendeis and guided it through the jeopardising ehoalf. Tjjje, satisfactory outcome of the inaugural meeting is by no means the result of luck. It is largely the reward of patience and perseverance and the adoption of a policy which in most particulars has been judicious. For these reasons I count on asaent to the committee's vote of thanks from the party who yet remain hostile to Wingatui. The great bulk of us, who accept the change as forced upon the club and view the recerU happenings as a blessing in disguise, will add our hosannatiß from simpler motives, viewing the position in this way — that the Hon. G. M'Lean, who was from, the first the active head of the Wingatui party, undertook a grave responsibility and deserves our hearty thanks now that the crisis- is over. In any case, his unremitting and self-sacrificing endeavours were entitled to recognition^ but we can thank him the more cheerfully if not the more heartily now that his efforts bid fair to be crowned with success. Three cheers for the Hon. ' George M'Lean.