I AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 207, 30 August 1916, Page 2

I AUCKLAND TROTTING CLUB.

ANNUAL -MEETING. I The annual meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club was held in the club's new rooms this afternoon. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which have already rjeen published, the president CMr John Rowe) said: -'I think I can congratulate you on the result of the year's operations. As the report indicates, we have had a successful year, not a record year in so far as profit was concerned, but certainly a rpcord from a racing standpoint, and in the quality of horses competing. As you know. this, is not an. Auckland Trotting Club,- but a New Zealand Trotting Club, and the commopolitan character of oor meeting is being accentuated more and more as the years go on. Not only do we have competitors from all over "the Dominion, but every year the number of visitors from Australia continues to increase, and the visiting, owners leave behind them valuable additions to the trotting studs of the Dominion.. .At the beginning of the season, notwithstanding war conditions, we felt that we were justified in adding to our stakes. By comparison with last vest's figures you will see that we gave away a total of £1360 more under this heading during the season just concluded than during that of 1014-15. I think we can consider the result satisfactory from all standpoints, but I cannot say that I would ■dvise any further considerable increase while the present conditions continue. NEW PURCHASES. "In the report I have drawn attention to two purchases which were made during the year The first was the portion or T a „ t y2 iniP n f V, tllC arrta SP PaddOPk ill Green. Lane. This we considered necessary for the future, and we realised that £.» •k P oand was a "°wed to remain withont being purchased, and eventually built upon, it would probably be a very costly business to obtain it when necessity arose. The second purchase was the freehold and ml«„ uUdil \^ ia which w « are «t Present meeting. When the property was" put befonnd rtrT i°° ked ,iP t0 tne matter and tonnd that we could save, rooehlv £80 per annum In our own buiiding.lTagai** W r7 Wefe resultthnt ™ k the opportunity, with the irf fiitri =it c are , here to-day, and that in ruture all your business mar be done Shntsdr2 , ss »«**"»«. Veagata con! o, d at to th^ e fi ? atrlOttc lunds ' ■»* only re- » c . finances of a ' dub did not w-rrant a larger contribntion. HANDICAPPING atSff as- i srss ting sport at the present ttal. I 7e\£«, the starting question. Quite recently the Metropolitan Trotting Club, of Cnr?.tchureli ' trilled S „^ s Che fiftnei nandteap' a \tT,irrfHtl ? ? DOVr decide<l t0 «dOPt it in etr - 1 ™ stm doubtful as to the ultimate success of the system L ™! committee Is seriously conspiring the EZ ri,lnb°T testt "S it this seasorf. B Irr r «« I think I am safe in saying that It will be. . tried. In some of the shorter limit"races , STIPENDIARIES. .JI As / on > ar< " J all no doubt aware, the qnes- 1 ««..? 9 , U Pr ndlary "awards wis finafly vetr h at H th l C , ( ' onferenCe last m « a th: tart thefn ,'„, d £ cislon - w ?s a "ived at to appoint them but the questions of the shape of the ', appointment and regulations were left unti! the present season to be completed .. "1 hay » no doubt that the sport wni feel the benefit of th e expert attention of these gentlemen at the various meetings, and I am quite sure, from my personal experience !5J?i Dr,c<,ss;l,- y that there should be some continuous supervision from meeting to meeting, to assure the proper conduct of our licensed men. I do not say this with any idea of casting reflections on anyone, Vi we „ a . ll kllow tbat - ln "OT large body, there will be found black sheep. In the Inl terest of the good men it is well that these black sheep should be attended to, aud If nei-casdry, culled from the flock. -I must congratulate the Waikato TrottinClub on its success during last «eason. As you are aware. It was the second occasion ,on which the club had a totalisator license, land the meeting arugurs well for the fntnre of trotting in the district. The Waikato district was fortunate in having a number |of srennlne sports to take The matter in I hand, and I feel quite assured that It is only a matter of very little time when the club will be a -very strong, one, and the district ..•will he one-of the largest utility horse-pro-; | ducers In the Dominion, and certainly the largest In the North-' Island. ■ A DERBY. I "At the Conference which was held last month—owing to ill-health I could not be present—the business outside the stipendiary matter already mentioned, was not of a very contentious nature One thing I think is worthy of special attention from onr club's standpoint, that Is the Derby question. It haa been decided that there shall he only one Derby for each Island. I think our club, being the strongest in the North Island, is the proper body to carry out the race In our portion of the Dominion, and I would~suggest to the committee the placing of such a race on the programme in the near future." Mr.. J. Hodgson seconded, and it was carried unanimously. A--vote of thanks was passed to the president, retiring committee, the secretary and state and the Press- In responding to the vote accorded the secretary, Mr. C. F. Mark, said he had been connected with the club for over 26 years, and greatly appreciated the expression of goodwill. A vote of sympathy was passed to the relations of the late Sir G. Maurice O'Rourke.