1897] HUNT MEETING. 239 



was entirely unfair. (Hear, hear.) They must remember 

 that for twelve months Mr. Bass was very ill indeed, and 

 since then it had been impossible for him to hunt four 

 clays a week. He was elected for a period of three years, 

 and they had absolutely no business whatever now to try 

 and turn him out, (Applause.) In conclusion, Lord 

 Bagot referred to the huntsman (Charles Leedham), and 

 expressed the hope that whoever might be elected Master 

 of the Meynell Hounds would retain his services. Mr. 

 Hugo Meynell, the late Mr. Coke, Lord Waterpark, Mr. 

 Clowes, and Mr. Chandos-Pole all had a great opinion of 

 him, and when the Hunt had a good servant they ought to 

 keep him. (Hear, hear.) He hoped that Mr. Bass would 

 reconsider his decision, and consent to continue the 

 Mastership. (Applause.) 



Mr. Lionel Gisborne said that he felt it a very painful 

 duty at the last meeting of the Hunt to second the reso- 

 lution against Mr. Bass. It was not done without very 

 deep and careful consideration, and without a recollection 

 of the great services Mr. Bass had rendered to the Meynell 

 country. He acted as he did with the firm conviction 

 that what he was doing was in the interests of the Hunt. 

 Mr. Bass had always been kindness itself to him, but he 

 did feel that, owing to his Parliamentary and other duties, 

 he was not in a position properly to manage the afiairs of 

 the Hunt. As to the vote that was taken at the last meet- 

 ing, he would like to point out that Mr. Bass was one of 

 the very first to propose that no Master of the Meynell 

 Hounds should be elected by the tenant farmers, but this 

 proposition he was unable to carry. If the meeting to- 

 day elected Mr. Bass, he would do all he could to help 

 him in the Mastership, and would try and find foxes and 

 keep down barbed wire. (Hear, hear.) 



Major Duncombe said he proposed the resolution last 

 week from a sense of duty, and not from the motives which 

 had since been ascribed to him. It was said that he 

 wanted to oust Mr. Bass and take the place himself ; this 

 was entirely untrue and without foundation. (Hear, hear.) 



