any account stated with regard to any sum of $731.55. I think on that simple account alone I must give judgment for defendant with costs.
HONGKONG JUCKEY CLUB.
The CHAIRMAN-Gentlemen, the reason for calling this extraordinary general meeting is given you in the advertisements which have appeared in the various newspapers and also in the notice which has just been read by the Clerk of the Course. Therefore I presume we can take it for granted that you are acquainted with it. It was represented to us that the words which we are about to deal with were of an objectionable nature. A meeting of the stewards was called immediately, the matter thoroughly discussed, and a resolution unani- mously arrived at to the effect that the words in question were objectionable and should be expunged from our rules. (Applause.) And this is what we are now going to ask you to do. We have found it impossible to trace how and why these words have appeared in our rules. Mr. Francis, who kindly undertook to draw up these rules, is of opinion that they must have been in the old rules of the Hongkong Race Fund and were inserted here, whilst Mr. Coxon, one of the oldest members of the Hongkong Race Fund, does not recollect these words in the old rules, but does recollect indeed officers of the Army and Navy being elected as stewards in the old days. But let that be as it may, the fact remains that the words are there in this rule, and although they ought to be expunged, the only way they can be expunged is by adopting the present proposal. I have therefore great pleasure in proposing the alter- ation of rule 9 as read to you by the Clerk of the Course.
and pe
the Hongkong assist the gentlemen, not an interest in a competing would be a very valua may have held the same position Members might say
1896
hes would
vote for this resolution because in naval and military officers that may be at the general meeting there are several for all we know, do not care a fig about racing. and races and they are presented with a bouquet- and come to the steward's dinner. Now gentlemen, I ask you to adopt the amendment I propose to put, and that is that rule 10 should refer only to the officers I have suggested: -I do not think what I have said will be opposed by the military members of this Club because His Excellency General Black is, I believe pre pared to second my amendment. My amend ment is that rule 10 be altered so that it leads. as follows--that is if there is no technical-
The CHAIRMAN—So far I must say you have been well within your limit, that is to say, you may submit any amendment you like and you may refuse to vote for the present resolu=> tion, but you must confine yourself to the reso-** lution, of which due notice has been given and which has been read. If you want to alter ar. ticle No. 10, you must go through the some pro- cess we are going through now with Article 9 But if you are prepared with an amendment to the original resolution I will be very pleased to hear you on that.
Mr. MASTER-I propose to tack this on to rule 9 as altered "The Governor of the colony, the senior naval officer, and the senior military officer may be invited to becomőv honorary members of the Club and to set as stewards during the racing season.***
The CHAIEMAN-Then, Mr. Master, what have we? Suppose that amendment is seconded
have not heard it seconded yet but suppose it is seconded and suppose it is carried. Then you would have the words you have just read opposed to the words in Article 10" The Governor of the colony, the senior naval and military officers; and such other persons as the stewards in their discretion think fit shall be invited to become honorary members of the Club, and to act as stewards during the racing ao son:" It is not consistent. zon
THE HONKGONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
to be here ten or twelve years before you can be stewards of a Race Club. Many of them come here, especially" military officers, with a very considerable knowledge of racing and racing matters and rules, and it may be that the presence of officers of the Army and An extraordinary general meeting of the Navy is of great help to the stewards. Decisions Hongkong Jockey Club was held at the City have sometimes to be given without hesitation Hall on the 2nd October for the purpose of cou and on the spot, and it may be that the sidering and if thought fit altering Rule 9 of the stewards hesitate in arrving at a decision. rules of the Club by expunging the words "not What we want of course is the strongest being officers of the Army or Navy" where such body of stewards possible to represent us, words occur in Rule 9, which reads as follows:-
The stewards shall be 10 in numberpecially at the annual moeting. We want men who have a knowledge of racing as our shall be appointed annually. They shall be stewards and who take a great interest in chosen by ballot from among the resident racing, and men who watch each race closely and members of the Club not being officers of the form an idea in their own minds as to what has Army or Navy at the general meeting of happened and are able to deal swiftly and members to be held in the October of each year, surely with any objection that may be made as hereinafter provided. All vacancies occur after # race is over. Such things have ring during the year shall be filled up bathe to be dealt with оц
the spot and not stewards by selection from among the resident at some future date. There may be-for- members of the Club not being officers of the tunately there have not been lately-occur Army or Navy." Hon. C. P. Chater was voted
rences on the race course that require to to the Chair, and amongst those present were be dealt with forthwith. When anything out Hons. J. J. Bell-Irving, T. H. Whitehead, of the ordinary crops up in regard to riding I Messrs. A. Coxon, T. Jackson (Stewards), and say it should be dealt with severely, especially T. F. Hough (Clerk of the Course). There was when the riders are what are known as amateurs.
very large attendance of members.
They have no such thing as a licence, and a The Clerk of the Course read the notice call- gentleman rider needs a very firm hand exer- ing the meeting.
cised over him to keep him in his proper place and so on. If you alter this rule 9 by striking out the words mentioned there is still another rule which enables the stewards to do as they have heretofore done-to appoint stewards from amongst the military officers and a large namber of stewards daring the racing season. The rule reads "That the Governor and the senior naval and military officers and such other persons as the stewards in their discre- tion think fit shall be invited to become honorary members of the Club and to act as stewards during the racing season." You will notice that the words are honorary members" and the "honorary" does not come before the word "stewards." So that I take it that the gentlemen who are asked by the stewards elected at the annual meeting here this afternoon to become honorary members have as much right to act as stewards as any stewards elected here, and to give a decision on a foul or foul riding or whatever it may be. Now in roting on this resolution I ask yon gentlemen here to take into consideration whether there should not be I propose that those words shall be something tacked ou to rule 9 or some under- added unless the stewards say now that they taking from our stewards that this honorary will confine their invitations to the Governor, business should be discontinued in a very large the senior naval officer, and the senior military measure. Gentlemen, I ask you to discon- officer. So far as I am concerned, if the stewards tinus appointing any honorary member as give that assurance it will be satisfactory; but's a steward, and I do so with great pleasure. if the stewards are going to try to carry this The three honorary members I propose to ex-resolution to-night and to keep 10, then with cept are the Governor, the senior naval officer, and the senior military officer.
I do not say the General or the Admiral, because the General or the Admiral may be away. I ask you to limit the number to three; there should be three honorary members only. Then we should have our ten stewards elected here from amongst civilians and naval and military officers. It is not likely that naval officers will be elected because they are not here for a long time. Other officers may be here all the year round and they may be particularly interested in racing. Our military officers are here all the year round and some of them do take a keen interest in racing and have a thorough know. ledge of it. It is unfortunate of course that this meeting should be held so late, because it is necessary to have the resolution confirmed at an- other meeting and so this may prevent any mili. tary officer being elected at the annual general meeting to be held immediately after this meet ing. But it is better to alter late than never and I ask you, if there is no technical objection, to tack on to rule 9 words which will be in a great measure in opposition to rule 10, or I shall be content if the stewards will say that in future they will not-invite as honorary mem- bers of the Club any except the Governor for the time being, and the senior naval and military officers, and as regards such other persons 88 the stewards in their discretion think fit, that they be limited to some gentlemen who may be here belonging to the Shanghai Club. A steward of the Shang- hai Race Club may be down here--a steward who may be considered a valuable addition to
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Mr. T. JACKSON-I have great pleasure in seconding.
Mr. Coxon-I would like to say one word in reference to what has fallen from Mr. Chater about this part of the rule having been part or parcel of the old rules of the Race Fund. am positive that no such wording ever appeared in any rule of the Race Fund. Quite the con- trary. I think this Jockey Club and this meet- ing should be thankful to those who brought this particularly objectionable part of rule
o the notice of the stewards and the Club, and supporting Mr. Chater's proposal I will only iell you that I have a list here of very dis- stinguished officers of the Army and Navy who have served as stewards of the Hongkong, Race Fund from the year 1849.
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Mr. G. C. C. MASTER-Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, before this resolution is put to the meeting I wish to make a few remarks about it, and I have an amendment to bring forward. I am in favour of this resolution, but subject to my amendment. I quite agree with what has fallen from the Chairman. There ought to have been no such rule directed against a class of dis- tinguished men. Naval officers and military officers are quite as eligible to serve as stewards of 8 Race Club as civilians, and I cannot see why they have ever been excluded by such a rule. It may be said that they are merely birds of passage, but they are not. Most of them come out here and are with us for three or four years, and you are not required'
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Mr. MASTER-Quite so; I quite agree. Then I can call a meeting to eliminate rule- 10.
out in any way wishing to oppose military officers being elected-I am in favour of it I shall at this meeting vote against it in order that rule 9 and rule 10 may come up later and be put together in the way I suggest. Let ns have as few invitation stewards as pos sible. We do not want to have stewards merely to look at; we want to have stewards who are capable of managing the affairs of this Clu (Applause.) There was once a most flagr piece of behaviour on the part of a
on-the-race course, and who is not now what was done? Nothing for a fortnight, and then there was a meeting at the Hongkong Hotel. That is not right; such matters must be dealt with on the spot. That is why I say our stewards should be gentlemen who have knowledge of and who take gre racing and who are prepared to de with anyone guilty of malpractices cused may be a man withiont
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on his character and he would war to say on the spot which side was in (Applause.)
Major-General BLACK Mr. Chairı gentlemen, as the individual the notice of the stewards the words, I was asked to give my consen amendment, probably because if I object to the exclusion of five or six officers from honorar 10 it was quite proba cannot follow Mr. but in asking words. I thin than we
stewardship
putting
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