The clubs AGM was held tonight at the Mimosa Café, Bolton at 7.30pm.  I attended of course.  The room was small, and the sixty odd members who attended were packed rather tightly.  First the minutes of last years AGM were read, and passed unanimously without debate.  The Chairman mentioned the resolution of the Bolton Watch Committee, that all cyclists should be obliged to carry a red rear light.  This aroused much discussion, and the Chairman was in favour of leaving it to the new Committee.    I said that the matter was too urgent to leave over, and it ought to be thrashed out now.  I moved for a resolution of the meeting, and was seconded, but when put to the vote, was defeated.

What constitutes a club ‘potter’?  This question was raised, and there was much arguing over the point.  One moved to fix the speed limit at 10 miles per hour, but of course, this was denounced as impracticable.  I quoted the case that frequently happens, as I myself, having led many runs this year, can vouch for.  There are often two sections to a clubrun, one in front and one behind, and the leader, who is responsible, sometimes discovers that the front party have gone the wrong way.  This often upsets the run. (Shouts of “Let them go on”).  I answered that by saying, that that was wrong, the leader does not like to see the run broken up like this, and would far rather see all arrive at lunch or tea place together. (Hear, Hear).  I suggested a kind of deputy, or ‘whipper in’ to be chosen by the leader.  This proved a little unpopular.  The matter closed after the Chairman had appealed to all present on runs to keep with the leader, and the leader should set a pace that all could keep, (Hear, Hear).

One member (who at present is leading the Bolton Wheelers, and who formed that club) complained over inequality in run leaders.  He stated that he had made six attempts to get a run, whilst one member had led five – or had been chosen for five, and had not turned up on one.  This matter got personal, and created much hot air, until the Chairman closed it.  The Chairman mentioned the Bill from Bolton to Parliament giving the town the right to close moorland footpaths, and a resolution was passed objecting to this, in conjunction with the Bolton Rambling Club.  Some controversy was caused over the right to take intoxicating liquor to the Annual Dinner, and a resolution to make the dinner ‘dry’ was passed.  Voting for the committee resulted in the installation of an almost entirely new committee, and a victory for the ‘potterers’ was recorded.  A vote of confidence was then passed.  After the retiring secretary had been given a vote of thanks, the officials were appreciated in the usual manner, and the meeting then closed.