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1 Cycling Club Banquet. 1

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Cycling Club Banquet. NEED OF A RECREATION GROUND. The annual banquet of the Aberystwyth Cycling Club was held on Friday evening last at the Lion Royal Hotel. In the absence of Mr Wheatley, who was announced to preside. Councillor R. Peake was wuiBimously voted to the chair. He was supported Messrs W. H. Hollier, J. Evans, hon sec, Gordon Bickerstaffe, vice-captain, L. Knight, R. K. Jenkins,, L. Beame, Chris. Taylor, Amos Jones. There were also present Messrs D. E. Edwards, vice-chairman, J. C. Rea, W. Stubbs, D. F. Davies, R. McKay, A. Evans, J. Griffiths, J. Rees, G. S. Collins, W. E. Edwards, James G. Jones, W. Jones, J. Powell, J. Bees, E. Morcom, C. S. Sabine, D. Alban Lewie, Meredith Jones. H. H. Knipe, R. Arscott, T. E. Davies, J. W. Jones, Geo. Lloyd, D. T. Jenkins, Ax Roberts, H. G. Saycell, T. Phillips, J. W, Bevan, H. W. Keeping, A. Jones, D. Rees, J, T. Young, etc. A recherche spread was placed on the tables by Host and Hostess Williams, to which full justice was done. An interesting toast list was afterwards gone through. The toasts of "The Queen" and that of "The Prince and Princess of Wales, and the rest of the Rojal Family," were submitted frcm the chair, and drunk with enthusiasm and musical honours. Mr J. C. Rea proposed the toast of the Army and Navy." and in doing so observed that after the dark times this country met with last December, when our forces in South Africa received some temporary but serious checks, and when the press and the public on the Continent were rejoicing at onr troubles, not only from this small sea-girt island of ours did Britishers respond to the call of danger, but from distant Ceylon, from Canada, Australia, and from our colonies in all parts of the globe the voice ran out" We are ready" (cheers) and they were able to send an army of 250,000 men s to South Africa. This they did without borrowing I a man or a single ship from a foreign country (bear, bear). Another fact brought to light by the war was that ocr volunteers and yeomanry were not toy soldiers. Our volunteers fought with regulars and eometimes even lead them. In the future when foreign countries came to calculate the fighting strength of this country they would not in future reckon the number of regulars in our army list, but they would know that behind them we had another great branch of the army, the members of which had good hearts of oak, who would defend our empire as they had done their duty during the last twelve months (cheers). Mr Sabine, responding for the navy, said our army had shown what it could do during the last twelve months, and he believed that the navy if called upon would respond in an equally noble and courageous manner (cheers). Mr Chris Taylor, also responding as an old army man, said the continental countries, after seeing what we could do during the last twelve months, would sit very quiet in the future, and like niggers on a fence would want to see how things were running (laughter and cheers). Of this they were certain, that wherever there is was Englishman, Scotchman, Irishman, or a Welshman, in any part of the globe in times of danger they would always readily respond to their country's call, and while that state of things existed they could defy the world, and certainly that little nation across the channel, which had made such an exhibition of itself during the last week (cheers). The toast of The Mayor and Corporation was submitted by Mr W. E. Edwards. The proposer «aid it was needless for him to sing their piaises, as they all knew what a splendid body of men they were. He did not think there was a Corporation in Wales or indeed even in England that could boast of a more conscientious, selfsacrificing, and straightforward body of men (hear, hear). They all knew also how greatly indebted they were to them for the present prosperous condition of their little town. He had great pleasure in coupling with the toast the name of Councillor Peake, their tried and trusted friend, and their young and hopeful member, Mr J. T. Davies (applause).— The toast was enthusiastically received. Mr J. T. Davies was the first to respond. As they all knew Aberystwyth was a progressive place, and within the next ten years be predicted they would find it a far superior place to what it was even at the present time. Mr Davies also referred to the recreation ground which bad been mooted for sometime, and assured the company that Mr Peake and himself and the other members of the Corpor- ation would do their utmost to bring about its establishment (hear, hear). Mr R. Peake, who also responded, said he was eix years older than Mr Davies-(Iaugtber)-on the Council. He would like to place some statistics as to the Council's work before them, but be would not detain them that evening. He could tajce them 4back over twenty-five years, and with rega-d to the more recent history of the Corporation could give them a few facts which were not generally known. Mr Dav. as had remarked that Aberystwyth was on iLr upward grade. It had been more particularly 80 during the last seven years than at any previous time in its history. For this they bad to thank those gentlemen and those companies who bad. come to the town and invested their money there. They were only a small comaranity of 7,000 inhabitants, but still they had to make provision for a population of 22,000, so that whenever they talked of Aberystwyth they should not think of it as a small fishing town. Only that day be had had the privilege of signing a requisition upon the overseers for public lighting for the half-year ending December 30th next amounting to £ 451 odd. That amount doubled and they bad fa sum of 9M required annually for lighting Aberystwyth, which meant a '7d rate. In face of a fact like that, Mr Peake -pointed out that the Corporation were limited inJ their actions, and they could not concede to all the demands made upon them. However, notwlth-1 standing all the improvements carried out during the last seven years he was proud to tell them that their rates were lower to-day than they had been for the last 26 years (hear, hear). That only went to prove what Mr Edwards had said that their representatives looked after the interests of the ratepayers (applause). In conclusion, Mr Peak* said be would have liked to have seen the Mayor amongst them that evening. He knew they had a good Mayor, and speaking for Mr Davies and him- self he could say that everything they could do to uphold the dignity of the Town Council and the interests of the ratepayers would be done (applause). An interesting function was performed at this ttage, the Chairman presenting medals to those inembers of the Club who had attended the largest number of runs during the past season. The gold medal was awarded to Mr J. Bevan, who participated in 23 runs, and Mr Alfred Evans, who made the next best attendance, was awarded a silver medal with gold centre. The.toast of "The Aberystwyth CyclingjClub" was next given by the chairman. The Club. he was glad to say, was financially the most success* ful in the town (hear, hear). At different times they had taken ventures upon themselves, and these had turned out successes, and there was now at the bank a balance of jMO (applause). That was the first success, but another important fact was this, that those who joined the club many years ago were still connected with it (applause). As they knew, clubs were apt to die in Aberyst- wyth owing to lack of energy, but with co-opera- tion the Cycling Club was better to-day than when it started (hear, hear). The toast was one, there- fore, which they could drink with enthusiasm, because they were all sportsmen. He would have •very much liked to have joined their runs last season, but could not do so. In conclusion, he hoped they would have a very successful future. The toast was received with musical honours, and in responding the vice-chairman said the club was formed seventeen years ago. Its main objects were to foster cycling in Aberystwyth, and secondly -to obtain a recreation ground for the town (hear, bear). Tbey had been successful in the first, and he hoped when they next met that they would be able to say that they had been successful in the second- (hear, hear). The club was formed at a time when cycling was not at all popular, and when every cyclist was harassed on the road and called 11 cads on castors (laughter). This year they had lost over EZO on the sports, but they hoped to make this up next season (hear, hear)- A good deal of the success of the club was due to the work of Mr Evans, hon secretary, and also to Mr Wheatley<- who was secretary for thirteen years (heat, hear). Messrs J. Evans, hon sec, jana it. v. zivans, the captain, also responded, both of whom looked forward with confidence to the future of the club. The Vice-Chairman next submitted the toast of the "Athletic Clubs of Aberystwyth," and said they would compare favourably with those of any town'in the kingdom. He hoped they would con- tinue to$pros per, and that they would have a brilliant future before them (hear, hear). Mr Hollier, in response, expressed pleasure at seeing representatives of all the different clubs present that night. One of the clubs, that was the Football Club, had achieved a success last season which had never before been achieved by any ilub in Wales, that was in winning the Welsh and the South Wales Cups (cheers). He hoped the members of the Cycling Club would co-operate in winging football up to as good a* financial basis s their own club (hear, hear). He also trusted that the members of all the athletic clubs would do their utmost individually and collectively to make the long talked of public recreation ground in accomplished fact (cheers). Mr J. C. Rea also responded, and said that to a own like Aberystwyth, with a residential popula- tion of eight thousand, and visited by thousands of 1sitors in summer, a recreation giound was as essential as a good water supply. If he could secure the co-operation of all interested in athletics he was prepared to call a meeting for the following week, to decide what should be done in this matter. He contended it was the duty of the Town Council to take the initiative in this move- ment, and as the members of the Corporation were the representatives of the public he asserted they could compel them to do so. The Chairman said, in reply to the statement, the Council bad been waiting for the clubs to state what they wanted, and had refused to let the field on the flats on a three years tenancy, as was their invariable practice. Mr Rea said unfortunately the field in question was below the high water mark of the river, and it would require over £1,300 to lay it out. Now the Corporation could borrow the money at a low rate of interest, and he thought those who took the matter up required a guarantee from the different clubs that the interest would be repaid. He main- tained that it was their duty to do that in view of the attraction it would be to visitors and the nn- doubted source of revenue it would eventually prove (cheers). The Chairman, in answer to this, said if the clubs did Dot take the land on lease from the Council every ratepayer could claim the right and insist upon going thereon. The matter was revived at a later stage of the proceedings by Mr Rufus Williams, when it was decided to convene a meeting the following week to consider the question. Mr Bearne proposed the toast of the health of the President and Vice-presidents, and the Chairman, Mr Hollier, and Mr Knight responded. The toasts of "The Press" and "Host ami Hostef-s were also honoured, after which an enjoy. able union terminated with the singing of Anld Lang Syne and the national anthem. The toast list was interspersed with several songs, given by the Chairman, Mr J. C. Rea, Mr C. Taylor, and Mr Kerr, Mr Hawksley proving an excellent pianist,

LLANILAR.

LLANWNEN.

! LAMPETER.

TALYBONT.

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