HONOURING THE SECRETARY OF CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3029, 3 April 1912, Page 17

HONOURING THE SECRETARY OF CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY.

(By a Special Correspondent, l GLASGOW Scctlanc.v February 14. Air Jmricd Ai-3>cajider Rankin, who has v *-eea appointed the. lkst secretory of tho Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand, was •.■.;!«; upon to-day in tho Corn Exchange Sfestiuriiiit, Cordon street, Glasgow, and presented with a purse of gold on the eve of his departure for the Dominion. _ Mr James Kilpatrick, Craigie Mains, Kilmarnock; occupied the chair, and tho gift was handod over by Mr Archibald MaeNeikige, secretary of the Clydesdale Horse Society of the tlndted Kingdom of Groat Britain and Ireland, under whom Mr Rankin has been serving during the past five years. A number of well-known Clydes-dale-breeders who could not attend sent letters of apology, wishing Mr Rankin every success in New Zealand Mr Kilpatrick, in the course of a highlycomplimentary speech, said they all regretted Mr Rankin's departure, but while that was so they freely admitted that he was tho best, man available for tho important position of secretary of the newlyformeci 1 Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand. After the tuition he had received under their friend, Mr MaoNeilage, he was sure Mr Rankin would justify the selection which tho colonial society had made. Tha frank and genial manner in which Mr Rankin met tho members of tho society and exporters, and tho knowledge of the work which he displayed in the matter of pedigrees, convinced. 1 him that he was well qualified for the post to whioh he had been called. Ho had much pleasure in asking Mr MaoNeilage to make the presentation, which was a slight indication of the good will of Clydesdale men and other friends in Scotland.—(Applause.) Mr MacNoilage eaid be regretted the absence of Mr John Findlay, the treasurer of the Clydesdalo Horse Society, the council of which body were the most liberal subscribers to tho testimonial. Mr Rankin had been with him in the office for fully five years, and he had proved himself to bo a very efficient clerk, for ho was net long is becoming accpraimed with the work, and he know how to deal with country people. Mr Rankin had now been appointed to an important office, and ho would probably find some difficulties in front of him. The indications were that these difficulties were the same as he had had to meet when h<> took over tho work of the parent society. He would just have to face them the be3o w.:y ho could, for it was the old cry that it was belter to have one book for Clydesdalo and Shires than to have a separata stud book for Clydesdale alone. He believed Mr Rankin would be ablfl to steer the ship aright and have the same measure of success as had come to himself, and