RACING NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 183, 4 August 1919, Page 8

RACING NEWS.

/ AUCKLAND RACING CLUB. THE ANNUAL MEETING-, PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. The annual meeting of the members of the Auckland Racing Club was held in the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon, the Hon. E. Mitchelson presiding over a large attendance. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the president said he had again to congratulate members upon another very successful year, and in doing so felt sure that they would agree 'With him in expressing their great rejoicing at the victorious and successful termination of the greatest war in. the world's history. RATES ANiD TAXES. Tie figures disclosed in the balance-sheet showed that after having allowed for all the expenditure on dead work and Kill depreciation (£5608) on all buildings and plant, there remains to be carried forward to the capital account £5746 —a result upon which the club is to be heartily congratulated. The club during the year contributed to the revenue of the Dominion by way of tax on totalisator turnover and general receipts £15,902 7/7, dividend duty £13,850 16/6, tax on prize-money £395 10/, amusement tax £998 12/9, land tax £952 2/4, a total of £32,099 9/2, and in addition to thi» paid in local rates £929 S/8, making a grand total of £33,028 14/10 .paid away In rates and taxes. A REFORM WANTED. In addition to the bobkmaking evil another great reform necessary was to have all trainers' and jockeys' licenses issued 'by the Conference, and not 'by tlie District Committees, who no doubt dtd their best, but were always open to local influence "brought to bear in the interest of .particular jockeys and trainers. By transferring the power to the Conference all the undesirable trainers and jockeys, who are at present a menace to the Turf, would be weeded out. The motion moved by the president of the conference to give effect to this was defeated by a narrow majority, and It was hoped that it would be carried at the next meeting of the Conference in July next. NEW WORKS. The commencement of the long-promised new stand for the outside public woiildf unless the price when tenders were opened were found to be prohibitory soon be an accomplished fact, it would toe 300 feet in length—that l≤, 30ft longer than the stand in the inside enclosure; It would accommodate 5000 people and be provided wilh ample dining and tearooms, cloak roms, and lavatory accommodation, and will be an improvement on the present itrside stand. The present Derby staml would be moved much farther.down the straight to provide for -what. will then, be termed the outside public. While the new stand is being constructed the outside public would 'be put to considerable inconveniences, as it is to tie constructed, in reinforced concrete, and the building of it would take some time, so ■that temporary inconvenience iwae quite unavoidable. THE TOTAUiSATOE. Although the new totalisator lias now been in use for some time in the old building, which was hot large enough to pievent overcrowding, such would more or less continue until the new tote house was built. There .would, however, be two more selling places, which "would ease .the congestion somewhat. Tile cause of all the trouble was that investors left their "betting until It was near time to close the machine, whereas if they would make their bets earlier there would 'be little or no congestion. 'Members would reaully understand that where large expenditure was necessary to give effect to all the contemplated improvements, the most urgent. matters must receive first cerasideratkm, and the committee decided that the_outside stand, being the most urgent, had to be taken in iiand first. The high cost of 'both labour and material may yet cause the postponement of "Borne of the works, for, although the war is happily over, it is difficult to say what financial troubles may foe looming ahead, bnt the best possible "would 'be dime. One thing, however, was certain, that while racing was continued, and with a growing population, members must make up tnelr minds to the fact that expenditure at Efilerilie wonld never cease. The report and 'balancesheet were adopted. A.R.C. (X>MMTTTEE. The full committee of the Auckland Racing Club met at Ellerslie on Saturday afternoon, hen the proposed programme of works to be undertaken was considered. The site for the new stand for the outside public was approved, and a general inspection of the whole of the proposed improvements was also undertaken. HORSES FOR AUSTRALIA. The horses owned by the Napier sportsmen Messrs. Stead and Richmond arrived from the South by the Mokola on Saturday night, under the charge of G. Jones, and are at present quartered at Greenlace, awaiting shipment to Australia by the Niagara on Wednesday next. The teaffl consists of Sasanof, Spanner, Golden Bubble, Surveyor, Taunaha, Lads Ball, and Delight. AUSTRALIAN' HURDLE RACE. MELBOURNE, August i The Victoria Amateur Turf Club's meeting opened at Caumeld to-day. The following was the result of the leading THE AUSTRALIAN HURDLE RACE, of £1500. Three miles and a-half, less 92 yards. E. 'McArthur's b g Sir Mnemon, aged, by .Mnemon—Damsel, 9.3 ('McGregor)..* , 1 E. Philllpps' br g Beltane* 6yrs, by Elysian—Lady Hester, 10.0 (Hawkins) ; 4 J. L. Reilly'a b g Cuffs (imp.), aged, b* Collar—Murcia, 9.10 (M00ney)..,'.... 3 Fifteen started, including Gladful. Grapheme and Tlnana were prominent in the early stages. Sir Mnemon led a* the torn* hut Beltane was first Into the straight, and the Auckland gelding jumped the last hurdle well clear of 'Sir Mnemon. The latter finished strongly, rand won a great' race by half a neck from Beltane, who was a length and a-half in front of Cuffs. Time, 6.413. —(A. and N.Z.. Cable.) THE GOODWOOD MEETING. LONDON, July 31. At tile Goodwood meeting the leading ♦vents resulted as follows:— G-oodwood Plate.—Haki 1, Golden (Helddy 2, limpsfiefld 3. Goodwood Cup,—Queen's Square 0, 'IVniteheat 2, Splutter 3.