CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3422, 16 September 1885, Page 3

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

The annual general meeting of the South Canterbury Caledonian Society was held last evening at the Grosvenor Hofel. Mr Alex. Sinclair (Vice-President) was voted to the chair, and thero was a very large attendance > of members. After tlie Secretary (Mr Sydney Davies) hud vend an apology from Mr D. Maclean (President), Hie minutes of the last annual ' meeting were confirmed, and the Directors report was then read as follows : — , "Your Directors report tbul during tho I past year they havo undertaken several works 5 not hitherto performed by the Society, and which they hope will meet with your approbation, though they have led to an increased expenditure, which together -with tlie falling j off m the sum realised by the sale of privileges, the increased charge for tho uso of the ground, and tho large amount expended on [ prizes, shouM prepare you for a considerable diminution of the net ensh proceeds for the , year. " In August 1881, they joined the combined . Societies m an endeaTor to obtain control of [ the 4J acre reserve near the Gaol. In this they were unsuccessful. They then turned their attention to the 8 acre reserve at Peeress Town. Ilere they appear to have more like- , lihood of success, the Minister for Lands . having promised a 14 years lease (with right \ of renewal) to be vested m a Board of . Trustees for tlie public. This land has been [ cleared and ploughed and its further improvement is now uuder consideration. I "It having been determined to establish , at the High School a scholarship of the annual - value of 12 guineas, open to all pupils m i South Canterbury, beforo not m attendance , at that school, circulars giving conditions, . &c., were, m Murch last, forwarded to all '. Head Masters and School Committees m the , district. The first examinations will take place, m December. " It is to be rearctted that on the first occasion of the Society retaining control of the gates at the annual gathering, the weather should havo been unpropitious. The heavy rains which prevailed during the latter half of , December, lasted up to the commencement of tho gathering, and undoubtedly had o bad effect upon the attendance. Nevertheless your Directors arc glad to be able to report , that no loss w:\s suffered by retaining this control, and the receipts rculi'sed fully as much as the sale of this privilege would have done. " Nc rules having hitherto existed for the government of the Society, your Directors have caused such to be drafted. They will be submitted for your approval. " Your attention is called (o the fuels that no prize was unawarded at the gathering, the '. prizes paid amounting to .-£3 l moro than • previous year ; that the privileges Bold realised less by £H 10s than before; that an extra charge' of £7 10s was mndo for the ground ; that m consequence of retaining the gates, an . expenditure of about £9 is represented by 1 plant, which remains for further use ; that £31 Is has been expended m obtaining and improving new grounds, and .{.'l m connection with the proposed "scholarship ; the whole making decreased receipts and increased expenditure amounting to .£7l Is. The balancesheet, which will be laid beforo you, ebons £12 17s 3d increase of a credit balance." The billanee-shcef., duly umiilct! by Jfr T>. Stuart, was then read over. It showed that Hie receipts had been £615 0s Bd, nndtlio expenditure ±"377 2s lid, there being a fixed deposit at the Bank of New Zealand of £136, and cash m tho hands of tho Secretary, .fl 17s Od. The report and balance-sheet, after a slight discussion, was put and carried unanimously, on the motion of Mr William Evans, seconded by Mr Mnlii-r. ' A copy of the rules, us drawn up by tho Directors, wns then submitted. Tne rules wcro taken seriatim mid adopted. Tho only alterations were the reducing of v life j membership ticket, trom £10 to £5; Unit a! person bo accepted ti member on purchasing iv ticket (10s), payment for which must bo made on or before the .'Ust December of each yenr, mid that seven members form a quorum at cenoral mootings. Tho rules, the Secretary siiid, hud been partly drawn up on tho lines of tho Otago and Canterbury Caledonian Societies rules. Mr Bruco when moving tho adoption of the rules added tliut it bo un instruction to the Directors to get them printed and that copies bo Bold to membors at a nominal price. Tho question of securing n sporls ground at Pecrtss Town then cmna up, several mombcra being desirous of knowing what bad been done. This Mr Gtunn explained very

clearly, and read a mass of correspondence on the subject from the Hon. the Minister of I amis (Mr Bailance), and Mr Richard Turnbull, Member for Tiu.aru, and the Directors of the Caledonian Socicl.y. The correspondence dales ub far back as April last, just subsequent to the Hon. Minister of Lands visit to this town. It will be remembered a meeting of representatives of Friendly Societies was held about that timo to consider about securing a public recreation ground. Several pieces of land were inspected, and the Government reserve at Peeress Town evontually selected. It wi\s found then that some amendment would have to be made to the Domains Act to ensuro the Societies having the sole use of tho ground. These amendments were inserted m a measure entitled tho Reserves Amendment Act, which, according to a tologram from Mr Turnbull, M.H.R., has just passed the Upper House and contains all the provisions aslied j for. By the Act seven trustees are appointed i to look after and generally manage the ground, something similar to the way tho Tiruaru I Racecourse Reserve is now managed. After discussion and explanation, it was resolved on the motion of Mr Robert Ferguson that tho action of the Directors re the ground at Peeres« Town be approved of. — Carried unanimously. i Mr 1). Stuart then moved— " That Messrs Gunn, Sinclair, King, Evans and the mover be a Committee to wait upon Messrs Turnbull nnd Sutter on their return from Wellington and ascertain the true position of affairs with regard i> the ground." — Carried. 1 Alternative tenders for ftneing tho reserve were then opened. Tenders were for a galvanised iron fence 7 feel high, and a " pig- ; proof" wire fence Ten tenders m all were received, and it ■•■.::= required to keep the tivo lowest m each material pending the result of the deputation mentioned, the rest of tho tenders to be returned. I It was then resolved that it bo a recommendation to the Trustees to have tho iron fence 7 feet high erected round the ground. ' Mr Jfeiklo further moved that the Caledonian Society be empowered to lend the money required for fencing to the Trustees. Messrs Jas. King and D. Stuart opposed this course being taken, and moved an amendj ment accordingly. ; Tlie motion was carried. Mr Bruce asked the Chairman if any overtures had been made by the South Canterbury ; Amateur Athletic Club to the Society with re- , gard to amalgamating for tho purpose of purchasing the ground used by the Club right i Tho Secretary replied no positive overtures • had been made". Mr G. F. Clulee, the Hon. i Sec. had spoken to him about it, and bad said , tho Club would be favorably disposed to conBider such a proposal. , I Mr Evans pointed out, that the Club had . sent no communication to the meeting, and therefore the mutter could not be diECUssod. , , As the rules that had been adopted pro- . vided for the election of a President only by a [ general meeting, Vice-Presidents being left' to j be elected by Directors, Mr Gunn rose nnd ; proposed that Mr Bruce now take the chair. - ; This having been done, Mr Gunn said he had ' ■ very groat pleasure m proposing that Mr I Alexander Sinclair be elected President of the ■ : Caledonian Society for the ensuing year, ! paying at the same time a very high eompli- • \ ment to that gentleman's zeal and ability m . I studying the welfare of the Society. Tho motion was seconded by Mr Jno. Meikle, and carried by unanimous acclamation, i Directors were appointed as follows: — i Messrs W. Evans, W. Gunn, James Bruce, jR. Ferguson, T. R. Jones, John Meikle, P. J. Bell, J. Fraser, A. Davidson, A. J. i I Quelch, D. Stuart, T. Henderson, J. David- ■ son, and Charles Palliser. The meeting then adjourned to Monday, the 28th iust., at 8 p.m.