WAR AND TEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 239, 6 October 1916, Page 2

WAR AND TEARS.

DOES RACING HELP? • MR. E. W. ALISON DEFENDS THE SPORT. BUOYING UP THE NATION. TAKAPUKA J.C.'S CONTRIBUTION IN WAR TAXES, Presiding at the annual meeting of the Takapuna Jockey Club this afternoon, the president, Mr. E. W. Alison, stoutly defended the continuance of racing in war time on the grounds of the necessity of maintaining the spirits of the people - .

"We canijot meet on such an occasion as this without referring to the dreadful storm of war in Europe, in which our Empire, in conjunction with the Allies, is fighting courageously,'' said the president, in moving the adoption or the annual report and balance-sheet. " The awful sacrifices made have been more forcibly brought home to us by the long lists of casualties of our New Zealand troops, lists of tragic length, and none can think without a pang of sympathy and sorrow for those in whose homes the shadow of deatli has fallen. But whilst we mourn the loss of our warrior heroes, we are all imbued with one spirit, namely, that whatever comes or goes. New Zealand is determined to do its duty to the end.

:A BRAVE-HEARTED PEOPLE. " And in that determination it is not to be expected, nor is it desirable, that we should go about despondent or tearful. In such an unprecedented war, where the issues at stake are so farreaching and so vital, and in which the finest qualities of our people, both men and women, are being tested, it is essential that the people of o\iv Empire and of our Allies should be brave-hearted, and that they should be kept as cheerful as possible. There are those who hold the view that during the war there should be no racing. Amongst those who held that view early in the war was the Duke of Portland, who strongly advocated the discontinuance of racing during war time: but. notwithstanding the strong views the Duke held, he subsequently resumed the racing of horses. In fact," added the speaker, " in almost every country involved in the existing war, racing has been continued."

f116,850 THROUGH TOTALISATOR. Alluding to' the balance sheet, Mr Alison pointed out that, after allowing £000 for depreciation on buildings and plant, an amount of £91 16/5 had been transferred to capital account. The stakes paid for the season amounted to £7,520, as against £7,010 the previous year, an increase of £810. The total sum put through the totalisator amounted to £116,380, an increase of £255 as compared with the year 1914-15. The total receipts for the year, including the Government -war tax upon dividends and stakes, amounted to £17,841 18/11. The total expenditure amounted to £16,850 2/6, leaving a surplus of £991 16/5. The total sum paid to the Government for taxes, including war taxes, amounted to £5;699 15/3, as against £2,951 15/ last year; so that of the total revenue of the club, viz., fTT.MI -18/11, nearly one-third was paid away to the Government for taxation. The nominations and acceptances jarnounted to, £1,363,. being an increase of £140 over the previous year. The amount paid for the services of stipendiary stewards amounted to £140 8/4, an advance of £31 15/4. The racing at each meeting proved highly successful, notwithstanding that owing to torrential rains the first day's sport of the summer meeting had to be postponed. The racing at both meetings was of that high order characteristic of the club's meetings, there being many exceptionally fine finishes. The attendances were large, and the popularity of the club was fully maintained.

NEW COURSE FOR 1917. The President proceeded to allude to the from the Harbour Board of 32J acres of land at a ccet of £6tf)o, and in connection with this extension expressed pleasure at the completion with the Devonport Borough Council of an exchange of lands .which waß mutually beneficial, and had enabled the widening of the Lake Road to an average width of 99ft, as well as a material improvement in the shape of the couree. Tin-, fortunately difficulties which cropped up in the course of the negotiations resulted in the club having a very limited' period of fine weather in which tp carry out the formation of the new course, •■which was an undertaking of considerable, magnitude, owing to the greater portion of the area being a soft mud flat, formerly portion of the Auckland Harbour, necessitating the laying of a scoria bottom and extensive earthwork. The greater portion of the new course had been made, however, and it was confidently anticipated that the whole work ■would foe, finished by the end of next March, and that the club would hold its spring meeting of 1917 upon it. When finished the course would be an exceptionally good one. It would be over one mile in circumference, level, well drained, and with easy banked curves. At no. part would it be less than 66ft in width, 'whilst at most of the starting points the width would be considerably greater. The expenditure on the new course up to the end of July amounted to £4194 17/7. To finance the purchase of the l ee-fihnple of the land, acquired at a cost of £6000 cash, and to construct the new course at a cost of not less than £6500, was a difficult task and a heavy responsibility, but' he felt assured that the club, with the assistance of its. bankets, the racing authorities and the public, would pull through. (Applause.)