HUNTING IN SOUTH CANTERBURY

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23288, 25 August 1945, Page 4

HUNTING IN SOUTH CANTERBURY

Anonymous Letters Answered Club A “Democratic Concern’’ "The Hunt is a democratic concern and the master and committee are elected annually. If members are dissatisfied with the running- of the club they can remedy the matter at the annual meeting,” said the Master of the South Canterbury Hunt Club 'Mr C. L. Orbell' at a meeting- of the committee yesterday when referring to anonymous correspondence about the affairs of the club which had appeared recently in “The Timaru Herald.” “I made a reply to the correspondence,” said Mr Orbell, “and I had not intended to do anything further in the matter, but, unfortunately, a number of persons have the impression that our huntsman (Mr J. Shaw) is behind these letters. I have his authority to say that he was in no way connected with them, and he has no knowledge as to their authors. He wishes me to say that at no time during his term of huntsman has he had any friction with the master or the committee, nor has he made any request for repair work at the kennels which has been refused. He had neverpaid out of his own pocket for such work. “For my own part,” continued Mr Orbell, “I cannot accept the claim of the writer of these letters to helping the

hunt. I think the main object has been to cause discord between the huntsman and the hunt.”

The annual meeting was the place to air grievences, and anyone with a suggestion to put forward who could not attend could always write, and he was sure that it would receive due consideration. There was a right and a wrong way of doing things, and the writer of the anonymous letters had taken the 'wrong- way, concluded Mr Orbell. Next Year’s Hunting With the war over there were prospects of a full programme next year, said Mr Orbell. He suggested the buying of a float for the transport of about four horses and the hounds. They had been saving up money during the war years and some of it could be used for that purpose. The master and deputy-master were appointed to investigate the suggestion. The recent Hunt Club meeting had, in spite of the atrocious z conditions, been a success, said Mr Orbell. The balance-sheet showed a profit of £4OO. The stewards had done a good job of work and thanks were due to Messrs H. J. R. Somerville and L. R. Jordan and to Dr. G. R. Kingston and Mr C. E. Hassall for their valuable assistance. A complaint had been received that no tickets had been sent to the Christchurch Club, said Mr Orbell. Fifty tickets had been sent by the secretary (Mr H. H. Fraser), but apparently they had not been distributed. Tickets had also been sent to the Ashburton Club.