PRESENTATION.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2337, 6 March 1897, Page 3

PRESENTATION.

The committee of the South Canterbury Jockey Club held a special meeting at the Grosvenor Hotel last evening' leaving for an hour the usual round of sporting, for the closely allied round of pleasure. There was a good representative attendance, and Mr Edwin JR. Guinness, president of the club and chairman of committee, presided. The meeting had been called to present Mr Thomas Teschemaker with a wedding present, and the gentleman named occupied the post of honour at the chairman's right hand. ' Prior to commencing the' chairman read an apology from Mr J. H. Glasson, whom pressing business kept from being present, and m his letter Mr Glasson, as an old member of the South Canterbuiy Jockey Club, said that he had" always recognised and appreciated Mr Tesehp- j maker'fe effortij m the direction of affording good and pure sport." Glasses having been filled, the chairman rose and said that they had been called together for a very pleasant and special purpose, for handing over to Mr Tesehemaker a small present on the occasion of his marriage. All knew that their guest had been connected with the club for a great number of years, perhaps longer than any other member of tile club, and, further, all-. the members fully recognised that he had given the club very valuable* services; They knew also that he had been very keen m everything appertaining to the interests of sport, and he (Mr GainnessJ considered that they ought to be very proud to have a member of the standing of Mr Teschemaker. He ranked as among the best of all men who took a delight and active part m the great sport of horse-racing, and had always maintained a close connection with it. They knew from their experience of their guest, that when a protest was to be discussed, or any other matter of racing business to transact, Mr Teschemaker was one of the first to come straight to the point, sf.a;be : his views, and speak out without fear or favour. As he (their chairman) had said, they ought to be proud of such a man, and he was quite sure they were proud of having such a man a member of their club. And they were extremely pleased of having such an opportunity ' as the present, when Mr Teschemaker had joined the ranks of the married men, of presenting him with a slight token of the respect and regard m which he was held by all, and to mark m a small way what he had so ably done for the South Canterbury Jockey Club and what they hoped he would still further do. Mr Guinness then handed the present to Mr Teschemaker, and asked him to accept it, not so much for its intrinsic value, as for the true arid hearty spirit m which it was given. They were aware that he was contemplating a trip Home, and he was sure that they would all sincerely join with him m wishing their guest and Mrs Teschemaker a very pleasant and highly enjoyable time, and to express the hope that when they did return to New Zealand, Mr leschemaker would renew old associations, once more take part m their race meetings at the Washdyke, give them the benefit of his valuable experience and assistance, and that they would have many a happy day together. (Prolonged applause.) Mr Guinness then proposed Mr Teschemaker's health, which was musically honoured; and a very hearty extra cheer was given for Mrs Teschemaker. The present consisted of. a handsome solid silver afternoon tea piece of plate, and Was inscribed "To Thoe. Teschemaker, from the SC. Jockey. Club ; 26th January, 1897." Mr Teschemaker made a short but happy reply. He hardly knew how to thank them for their kindness and the

" handsome appreciation of his services, * He had from the commencement of his 1 connectionjwith the South Canterbury ■ Jockey Club always tried to do his best, ■ land he could look bak on a very long cone nection with it and honestly say that he had never done anything unjust or unfair - to any man. After expressing his thanks i -for their handsome present, and refer- \- ring to the excellent position the club r occupied, Mr Teschemaker gave some " amu3ing and interesting reminiscences of the early days of racing m South Canterbury , He well remembered the time when the Mackenzie Country " boys " rode many miles to see the South Canterbury races, and'sometimes rode back ; with, their ".tails down.". It wasplea■sarft!tt<|P^ m Jvthose to talk about and look back upon the time spent m seeing the South Canterbury races. In those days all Timaru; and-. , all Mackenzie ; country, r^ram^ vsn° w » or fine weather ;wpuV4 sooner ' think of hanging themjaelveithpn riot go to the raoes. . His association with racing began almost when he landed An New Zealand, a boy of 14, and his first remembrance was of a race between two horses. At that age (when ihe was pretty well as soft as butter) he had walked from Lyttelton to Christchurch, about a 15 mile journey, to see Marco Polo arixi' Tammerline* run this , match, and from that time. to this he had remained fond of racing. He held that sticking closely to "business" would cause cobwebs on the brain — every man should have some sport, some relaxation from the daily round; and the only way he kept cobwebs from forming on his brain was by taking an interest m- racing. Had it not been for u:the • races -he < i^as afraid that he would have been m • a lunatic- asylum long ago. He trusted that ; every, pember of the club, eVery, member •, of the .commitiee, -would; do theif: best for the ; sport: .keep the club and racing as pure' as possible, and so strive to make the S.C.J.C. looked up to and spoken of,: as the best racecpui-Be m New. Zealand ;'a-clu,b, to be respected and honoured " by" all 1 true lovers of sport, and feared.by; anyone who would do a^ wrong aciti 6ii. 'In conclusion, Mr Tesohemaker once more thanked them for their handsome present, and fissured them that, m arid,it,ion to being proud of it.liis wife, when she* saw it and knpw what little he had really done for the club, would say that the club liad ( .. ...bpen t very liberal to t .him, He hopecrto live a few years ye.t.arid assured them that he would always do his best ins the;iintereßtß of sport -and; the South Canterbury Jockey Club. ; Their hari*isome present would be thoroughly appreciated, not so much for its triere valued as for. the kind way m which it had been given, and the thoughtful expression of the" goodwill of his fellow members of the club. (Hearty applause.) The guest and members then spent a pleasant hour m talking over old time incidents and matters directly and indirectly relating to. the. entertaining subjedt of 'horse racirig." :i;! ; ' !