The annual meeting of members of the Shanghai Paper Hant Club was held at theShanghaiClub on Monday evening. Mr.
Schutfenhauer (Master) presided, and there were about thirty members present.
The Chairman, referring to the steps taken to obtain through the British Consul the assistance of the Taotai to secure the Club against undue interference, said it was proposed to follow the same course of asking the British Consul's good offices this year. Instead of any of the servants of the duo being required to oeet any demands for compensation, it had been arranged that claims should be deposited in the Mixed Court. Up to the present ne claim of any kind had been made, although thearrangementhad been notified by posters in all the surrounding villages. Referring vunts, the Chairman said " balance ".54 had been brought forward from last year, and there wxs now $68.95 in hand. The principal extra expense had been in providing red coats for winners.
On the motion of Mr. Brodie A. Clarke, seconded by Mr. Heguauer, the accounts were adopted.
Before proceeding to the next business, Mr. Maitland, the late Master, said:
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen.—I think it would be hardly correct to proceed with the further arrangements for the coming season before settling up our accounts for the last year, and I Gnd I have an account with the Club still open, Tt may seem pee liar to you, but f am glad to say Iam on the debit side: My debt however is not a pecuniary one; it consists of gratitude to the members of the club, for the grest kindness shown to me during the four years they elected me as Master of the Hunt, also to the stewards who served with me during that time. The success that attended the Club during those four years was entirely due to them, not to me, Gentlemen, 1 have often felt proud of winning the Paper Hunt. Weighing in as winmer of the Beef Stakes some few years ago was also a proud moment, but the proudest of all was when on my return from England at the begin ning of this year, you presented me with such " handsome cup, and especially so you took the occasion of increasing the Uelicacy of the compliment by coupling wy rife's name with the beautiful present. Believe me she feels your kindness as much Ido, and so in her name as well og in my own I return you our heartfelt thanks.
the meeting then proceeded ty the election of stewards, and in the end the following were declared chosen:—Messrs. Schuffenhauer, Perrott, Callaway, Hart Buck, Ayscuugh, Vincent Smith, and Cushny. The first tive named were retiring stewards.
On the motion of Mr. T. F, Hough, seconded by Mr. H. H. Read, it was decided to discontinue the geant of a red coat to winners of their maiden hunt.
Mr. Callaway brought forward a propos tion to amalgamate Rules 16 and 17 into one rule, to read as follows:—'* All ponies qualified to win must be the bond side property of a timber of the 8. P. H: C., but officers of the army and navy or visi approved by the Stewards are qu deride and win upon any pony." did not keep ponies, and the only animals which could be used by visitors who had no friends in Shanghai had to be hired, but under existing circumstances these ponies were not qualitied to win. If visitors were allowed to ride at all, it was only fair to give them chance of winning.
Mr. W. G. Moore seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
Mr. Callaway brought forward for dis sion the questions of the "fair tally ho and bridge-riding. He thought aman who found the paper ought to have all the advantage he could gain; but when one pony reached a bridge only a few yarde in front of another the first' pony ought to wait on the other side and not gain an undue advantage by galloping away at once.
The Chairman said the tally ho was dealt with in Rule7. As to the other case, he did not think most men would like to ride away from a bridge when there were others left behind, Riders he thought would rather wait till the first batch of hounds had got. ov Mr. Schuffenliauer was re-elected Master nations, Tt was decided that the prize in future should be an engraved sovereign or a cup of about the same value, at the option of the winner; and that the paper for every hunt should be provided by the Club.
The chairman announced that he propsed to hold the first hunt on November 29th, The big jumps were not quite open, and mafoos would have to be taken to cut away the reeds; but the country would be quite good enough by that date.
The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.