MOTOR CYCLING

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14722, 12 August 1921, Page 7

MOTOR CYCLING

THE HAMILTON CLUB. A SUCCESSFUL INSTITUTION. £22S RAISED FOR VARIOUS OBJECTS The second annual meeting of the Hamilton Motor Cycle Club was held in the Theatre Royal Dining Rooms last evening, when there was an attendance of 50 members. The club lias made great progress during the two years it has been in existence, and, gauged by the enthusiasm of last night's meeting, a further even more successful term is, ahead of the club. Mr A. W. Smith (president) occupied the chair. The Annual Report. The report submitted to the meeting indicated a very successful state of affairs, and one for which the executive deserve every congratulation. In two years the club had subscribed donations to various objects in the town, the figures in all reaching the splendid total' of £228. The club at the two annual sports which it had conducted had arranged for visits of an aeroplane to Hamilton, and last year the first exhibition of "stunting" from the air was introduced to the Hamilton public at the club's gathering, held at. the Claudelands Showgrounds. Referring to the annual sports, the report stated that there was a large entry of riders, including the best in the Dominion, and excellent racing was witnessed during the afternoon. In the matter of prize money, the club's allotment was up to the highest given anywhere in the Dominion, and well in advance of the majority. During the year teams representing the club had •jj-isited Auckland and Opotiki, and had raced with conspicuous success, especially at Auckland, where a member of the Hamilton Club (Mr M. C. McGregor) had won the principal event, the Great Northern Handicap. During the coming season it would be the aim of the club to greatly increase the number of club runs, reliability trials, and the social side of motor cycling generally. The club, the report added, was a real live one, and it was hoped that ail the Hamilton motor cyclists would join the ranks and help to advance the good work it was already performing in the interests of the sport and of motor cycling in general. "It is worthy of note," the report added further, "that all the visiting riders at the last race meeting voted it the most successful they had had the privilege of attending, and all had given their assurance that they would return to the next meeting." The thanks of the club, were expressed to the committee of the Hamilton Racing Club for its permission to use the Claudelands racecourse for the motor race mooting. This support was very deeply appreciated by the club. The committee also expressed the club's indebtedness to the gentlemen who gave their services as officials during the race meeting, and also to the donors of cash and trophies to the prize fund, which proved a very material help indeed. In'moving the adoption of the report, the president said that the club had been' generous in the past, and lie was sure that the public would back the club up and make it a very strong one. He exhorted the members to pay their subscriptions promptly, to make every endeavour to get new members, and to do everything to bring the club up to an even stronger position than it was to-day. He thought that there was every reason to be satisfied at the present position of the club. The motion for adoption was seconded by Mr S. Tisch, and carried unanimously. Appreciation of Services. • The president returned thanks to the executive and to the club members generally for the able and valued assistance they had given him during his term of office. The president then made a presentation of a gold stop-watch to Mr P. J. Williams, and eulogised the very valued services he had rendered to the club as secretary-treasurer during the two years it had been in existence in Hamilton. AVhile Mr Williams stoutly refused monetary reward, the executive and the club members felt, Mr Smith said, that they could not let the occasion pass without in some small way, at any rate, giving expression of the gratitude all felt at Mr Williams' work in the interests of the club and of motor cycling. In returning- thanks in brief and appropriate terms, Mr Williams paid a tribute of appreciation to the committees with which he had been associated during his term of office. The members generally showed their appreciation of Mr Williams' services by hearty acclamation. Office-bearers: The election of office-bearers resulted: Patron, Mr Ewen McGregor (re-elected) ; president, Mr A. W. Smith (re-elected) ; vice-president, Mr J. McKinnon (re-elected) ; secre-tary-treasurer, Mr P. J. Williams; assistant-secretary, Mr M. Chainey; executive, Messrs E. Valentine, T. Loughlin, B. Peace, J. Currie, F. Peace, S. Tisch, H. D. Aitken; club captain, Mr N. R. Souter; vice-cap-tains, Messrs A. McColl and S. Whitehead; hon. auditor, Mr E. Prince; honsurgeon, Dr. Pinfold. The matters of attending to the social side ,of the club's affairs, the selection of a distinguishing badge, and the fixing of the club's opening run of the new season were referred to the executive. A hearty vote of appreciation was passed to the Waikato Times for the assistance it had given the sport during the season. At the close of the business the members spent an entertaining hour in music, song: and story.