THE DINNER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume X, Issue 2343, 31 March 1891, Page 2

THE DINNER.

la the evening, the local Club entertained the visitors from other Clubs to dinner at the Commercial Hotel. Over seventy sat down to the banquet, which was purveyed m host Henry's well-known stylo, and after fi<ll honored been done t;oi«he viands, an adjournment WEts made to the large commercial room, m which the entertainment took the shape of a smoke conceit. Mv 11. H. Stephens was chairman, and Mr A. Harrison, croupier. The toasts of the Linwood, Pioneer. Koyth Canterbury, Tinwu Gtafe

were enthusiastically honoured aul suitjably responded to by Messrs A. G. pYiiliama, Myers, Wihnot, and Whelan jE§p their respective Clubs. The proposers acknowledged the valuable assistance of the visitors m making the meeting a [success, and the visitors spoke of the of the track and the promising form shovra by some of tho local riders. In proposing the Rangiora Club, the Chairman made reference, to the,..misuncleivtarMlmg between the 'Alliance and Mr A. C. Wilmot, which had the effect of preventing Mr Wilm.>t from running that dap. Mr Wilmot, m ; replying said that as to the matter between himself and the Alliance, a certain charge had been brought, a^aiiiht him, which h>d cropped iip six years ago, and its falsity he would be able to prove at next meeting of the .Alliance. He thought he should have been allowed to run at Ashburton under protest, as he had been m hard trainina; for the meeting, and was much astonished and disappointed when he learned only on Thursday last that he was , not to bn allowed to run. | Replyingtothe toast of "The Alliance," Captain Lowry said that cycling owed much of its forward position to the efforts of the Alliance. He regretted that the question of Mr Wilmot's difference with the Alliance had been referred to. The facts were that the Secretary had written to Mr Wilmot, asking if a certain charge made against him were true. A fortnight elapsed without any reply having been received. Mr Wilmot was telegraphed 10, and wired back a simple denial, but gave no explanation. In the absence of a more explicit reply, and pending further investigation, Mr Wilmot was suspended. Mr Wilmot admitted that he was £g * blame m not answering the. Secretary's letter at the proper time. He believed that a proper exp'anation would remove the unpleasantness, but meanwhile he trusted members would withold their opinion until the whole facts were before them, as the Alliance had a duty to discharge without favoritism or any unfairness. In proposing the " Ashburton Cycling Club," Mr Hay ward, of the Pioneer Club, said the visitors had been surprised at the splendid Ashburton track, and the splendid riding of the Ashburton men. ' They certainly did not expect to see such riding as that of Messrs E J.'Oraiqhead and F. W. Bennetts. The track would be better if it were made exactly a quarter mile, and he made other suggestions of a technical character for the track's improvement. Mr Bennetts acknowledged the toast. Songs, recitations, etc., were given by both guests and hosts, arid the meeting broke up m time for the northern visitors to return hoitie by the special train carrying the JSorthevn Volunteers.