SUBSCRIPTIONS REDUCED.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20918, 27 July 1933, Page 13

SUBSCRIPTIONS REDUCED.

CANTERBURY jockey CLUB. the administration CRITICISED. A KEEN DISCUSSION.

After a discussion lasting for two j, ou « . the Canterbury Jockey Club decided by 49 votes to 35 yesterday afternoon, to reduce the annual jubscription from five to three guineas. The chairman of the committee, Mr George Gould, who is also treasurer, presided over the largest attendance of members preaent at a meeting of the club for I considerable time. The proposal to reduce the subscription was made in a motion advanced by Mr F. W. Johnston on the ground that both the memberihip and popularity of the club | were <l£?limng, and that an effort : ibodlS-'b® made to revive Interest j in latin? in Canterbury. Speakers ! that the club was in diswith the "public. The motion watfopposed by Mr Gould, who, as treZntftr, feiared that the finances would not bear any redufltan of income. A -circular «ent to. member? before M»,me*ting by Mr Gould, , and which in .for much criticism, read as to a requisition by some mejJjberr of the club, the committee of the Cahterbury Jockey Club has MoToßliged to call a special meeting ~club on Wednesday next to eoMjger a proposal which will have of further reducing the club's already diminished income. It g "without saying that-at a time, tbe present it is much easier,to willipg ears to a suggestion of g ; £2 2s per aAmim than to organjje ofeSiistahce to the . proposal. • "Asithfe constitution of the Canterbury Jockey Club makes it possible, afcd even probable, that a mere handful of members attending the meeting may reduce the subscription and do injury to the welfare of racing in Canterbury, I feel that it is my. duty as" chairman and trsasu±cr?bf the. club, to what may be laid on*.the other, tide so that interest is awakened, and if the motion be carried it shall be. by a substantial, representation of the membership. "The only thing to commend the re- ' duction of the subscription is that' it' will reduce the costs pf those,.who.de- . ' rlv« pleasure from the sport at the expense of those who maintain it or earn 1 their livelihood from it There are today 320 members remaining out of about 500 four years, ago. It may .be afely. assumed that the whole- of time members are interested in the cSnnuance and maintenance of race Mftings for various reasons—whether tCTactal gatherings, opportunities for MBfrg or for love of horses. jM-* ■ ! Costs to Members. | • j the existing scale of subscripJdfisi'.a meirtlßfe may attend every wV racing aha take ; >y.it;b..JjJm three .jkdtes for a tolal entrance fee /'of VH 6d each day. Surely this is a very modest contribution t6 the maintenance of the 'Sport of Kings.' In England 1 th£ flame facilities and comfort would eon at least £5 a day. If he makes AjU jue of his tickets a member reeehrss value for £lO for his £5 5s • nSWcription. t •'Racing cannot be carried on withowners, find horses; • Wfeat does tne sport of racing cost tm average owner? It may be safely 1 that including a proportion \ oftraining fees, every horse costs his flnfaifer £lO a start. Against this must b(*'credited the proportion of stakes There are usually about 150 ' torus -paying training fees at Ric{'ostcn»: Each of these costs in the dftfor of £250 a year—total, say, 1 £87,500, Stakes within the last few jdua.have fallen from about £45,000 i lift under £ 19,000 per annum. If the J Jokes won by Riccarton horse* outWptfl • their homo centre equal those at Riccarton by outside horses, .ttee.is obviously a big' gap to" be jJfjSU £I7OO per annum too great a ;«u»for the members to contribute for tottf, enjoyment of the sport? If the revenue is to be further • flnleted. tne loss will fall first .on the wners by further reduction in J for there is still a debt of rhich we are in honour'Dound > ft. effort to balance the budDverhead costs of maintain:ourse and running the club i reduced from £11,500 to r annum. The staff has borne > cuts without complqjnt,- and 1 us loyal and faithful sery and the owners, who are >one of the sport, are the i whom the suggested econWlvlleges Compared. mterbury Jockey Club suband privileges are approxie same as at Auckland and n. If the motion is carried, the a reduction of ladies' tickets I require to be considered by ittee. It is unlikely that more fourth of the loss occasioned tduction In subscription will y the Bav*ing of resignations lection of new members." I cannot agree with the purMr Johnston's motion, still r glad indeed that he moved is at least shaken up interest ilrs of the Canterbury Jockey produced a full gathering of ' remarked Mr Gould in ;he meeting. "This is the Bring that we have had tor ia for that reason that I iticipated - the meeting and my circular "because I felt was not a matter that should (d by a small attendance.' ild said he thought another the full attendance would ; /erhaul of the rules of the , said he considered it was ' were reviewed and altered •Iy in some respects, although '■ would require a notice of fore a general meeting or a Written Opinions. from various members of wno were unable to attend t by Mr Gould. He said he ved letters. from both Mr Sell and Mr Leslie Orbell, of Jterbury, both of whom ap- . the reduction in the annual sn. He said this did not a surprise for both these, lived in South Canterbury had their own sporting in-1 support there. When they ] Christchurch they often orses with them, so that, in t they would have owners 1 would not want members '.9 thought, therefore, that if decided to revise the rules, >e worth considering whether not be wise to provide for on of members who lived the Rangitata river at a . übscrlption than that asked;

feh m dSict. liVi " S in thG Christ " ,thH r u F * « E- Sutt on had. written stating avo V re fl the eduction of the oubscription to three guineas and that th* as a member of wnnwi ? i 1)" although he n0 the P res ent rate of five hiwh he con sidered to be too nigh at the present time. The trouble m?,k .J Go " ld remarked, that if the 6 - J lts subscription during I tne depression as Mr Sutton suggested, And it very difficult to inthe future Bam if 11 wished to do so ln , from Mr G - Murray Aynsley stated that the present subscription was reasonable, and that if it were reduced there would be less r T or stakes. Mr C. M. Saunnff?- J? f Lyndon, Opawa, wrote stating was J". fuU accord with the suggestions of the chairman that the: •subscription should remain at five guineas with free access for members' Although he, as well as others, naa suffered severe losses recently, he was willing to pay the full subscripted thG privile Ses which he enh?re J is some sense in that letter." ft? Gould, amid laughter. He aaded that in another letter received "} om ker it had been suggested ♦2 iu subscriDtion were reduced to three guineas, the present concession giving free admission to members motor-cars should be withdrawn. This concession, it should be noted, neiped only those members who attended the races regularly. Satisfied Members. Mr Gould said that Mr M. Bethell naa written to him stating that he was against the proposal to reduce the subscription and that he would have voted against it if he could have been present. Mr Rutherford had written that he was against what he . considered a move to enable him to | take a harem to the races at Riccarton ior a mere few shillings, and that he i was quite satisfied with the present **Ascription. "i will not say which Mr Rutherford that is," Mr Gould said 3 loud laughter. Mr Gould added that Mr Denis Chapman had written stating that if the reduction were granted the club would probably have to reduce stakes. Owners, he said, were already finding it difficult to continue racing with the stakes at the present low level. Mr G. Hall said that the reduction in the subscription, would mean a cutting down of stakes, 1 and if this happened he would take his horses home until times improved. Mr Johnston's Motion. Placing his motion before the meeting, Mr Johnston said that in addition to the tnain rule relating to the annual subscription of five guineas two subsidiary sections in the rules would have to be'altered if his proposal were adopted. At present if a member joined the club after January 1 in any year his subscription would be three, guineas. In addition, an anachronism persisted in the club rules in that there was still provision for subscribing members who paid the same fee as ordinary members, but. who had no voice in the club's deliberations and who could not vote. Both these provisions would have to be overhauled if his motion were carried. Mr Gould questioned whether it would be possible to move these additional amendments at the special meeting. . • , , • Mr Johnston . said .he thought it would be, sis they were purely consequential. He said he would have been willing to ferpbody them in his ongi'nal motion, but it was only: after the nbtice had'gone.out.that his attention had beeq drdwn to. .the need for con T sequential changes.. For that reason he had not wished to confuse them with the main motion, which members had been brought together to consider. In any event, it would be possible to call another meeting to make these alterations in the! rules if it were decided that they could not be made that day. He said ,that Mr Gould no doubt had his legal adviser present, and that he would be able to give an opinion when the motion was carried. Mr Gould: Or lost.

Impersonal Action. "This motion of mine is quite impersonal" Mr Johnston added. Far from showing any animosity, I am inclined to' the other extreme, but not to the extreme of joviality that Mr Gould has shown. This is one of the most momentous occasions on which members of the Canterbury Jockey Club have' met. In the first place, should like to ask whether the circular sent out was sent as the considered deliberation of the committee of the club or whether it contained the purely personal opinion of the chanm Mr Gould: Pid you read it? 55? W Mr m johnston: It Ba ? s . it ff fart treasurer. You also bring m the tact that you are sending it out as chairGould (sternly): I said it was Mr I am merely asking a straight-out "Quezon, and all I ask for is a straight°V gS And you will got it As I endeavour to say in that cir rular it Is purely my own opinion. I did it because I considered it wa hs ! lather hurriedly, »ndl >t» pects. Mr Gould's Work. his action r w^: v ° e nt r^ ei d y oub t that every state, an heart agrees with one „ u cLd "that Mr Gould, eve|r me, he .^ aK i' t connexion with the ctub, r through every word jockey thought has done only where he and I. is m our devoured to be associated with the goveSent of racing, but, I am a very tid member of the club. ctntine that he v/as - qualified to judge Public opinion which was a important consideration as far S the discussions thgt day were cgn, cerned, Mr Johnston said he had been boxing council for 25 years, j fnr Tj vears he had been , on the A lSfrtrS CU HMhe°r r e foS T to have a cosmopolitan outSTan? to have * Sgf the opinions ol the members rf members woultt di' b discusbear on the wou i d not let ft -ith their M ?'? h Thad e S? ?»mTSre qU «h= \°H Dealin" with the finances of club. '"o . . ihat the racecourse to it in" the balance-sheet. 'TmSS2h.p had "v?ndled to 317 and .taut « gubthose ih? thou^t that thS 3 thc puls f °Tt l!c opinion should te':e a hand in affairs. No Apolojry Made. -This is not my apology but my The' club,' t s tnke i it upon myself to move S''s!lß- - stereotyped method of meeting The srereu j'H s i UTnp has been by There has been a cutZg 'dm "f wages, salaries, «ake»,

and expenses, but it has led us nowhere." The only point Hint would strike anyone in" Mr Gould's circular, and it 'would strike no one but the uninformed. v;is that the reduction of the subscription would mean a reduction in stakes. He considered that this led to the question being regarded from the wrong viewpoint. "IE a elub such as ours, with great traditions and :;re-ator prestige in the old days than any other club in New Zealand, is to be run, and the stakes provided out of members' subscriptions, then that is the entirely wrong way to go about it." Mr Johnston said. "In regard to the cutting down of salaries, we have a new secretary, a young man. energetic and capable, and whom I would like to see given his chance by the club to make good and to bring this club back to its pristine status and position." Brush with Chairman. Mr Johnston, who was standing alongside the chairman facing the members, suddenly turned on Mr Gould. "Yes, Mr Gould," he said heatedly, "you can murmur if you like and smile with your hand over your -mouth. I say you can go on with the thing, but will you kindly just behave yourself as chairman." Mr Gould said that the only thing that troubled him was that it might be inferred from Mr Johnston's remarks that the club had not given the secretary every chance. Mr Johnston said the secretary should be given a real chance. The club should aim at securing a membership of 500 within a few years and anything up to 1000 later on. A voice: Get on with if. Mr Johnston said he did not believe in invejgling people to go to the races and possibly . encouraging persons to rob their employers' tills to be able to gamble on the totalisator. But as one who was delicate in his youth he did believe that there was no better way of getting away from the trials and tribulations of the city than to go to the racecourse. • It was a much better tonic than cabarets or cards. He said that-a few years ago it had been an unwritten law with the club that the membership should not go above 600. .But- he eomd not understand why this number should not be exceeded." It was an absurdity to enable members to be admitted to the club who had no voice in its deliberations but wno paid the same fees as ordinary members. Racing had been called the "Sport of Kings." but kings to-nay could be counted on one hand. To-day the sport of the kings was the sport of the people, and the club had to remodel its ideas accordingly and make the club one of the most popular in New Zealand, rather than retain for it the name it held to-day. Outside Christchurch the Canterbury Jockey Club was regarded as one of the most unpopular clubs in New Zealand, and his endeavour was to make it popular. (Applause.)

Trotting and Racing,

• It was entirely wrong to suggest that the club would be ruined if the subscriptions were cut down. This was proved by the position held by the various trotting clubs. The Metropolitan Trotting Club had a subscription income of only £897 as against a subscription income of the Canterbury Jockey Club of £IB4B. The ,Jockey- Club nominations returned £4OOO, and the Metronolitan Trotting Club's nominations £4313. The Jockey Club's race receipts 'wefe £7424, as against the> trotting club's race receipts of £679?, although this was accounted for because thc trotting club made a smaller charge at the gates. Jockey club privileges produced only £2142, against £2751 for the trotting club. From this it was clear that the subseripfi&n. of a club did not matter in the slightest. The two guineas which he asked them to remove from the subscription was nothing more than a "drop in the ocean." There never had been a more ill-conceived idea than that contained in thc ch: irman's circular regarding the subscriptions and their flirtation to membership. It was not the subscription mat mattered, but 'the nurri&er of members which the club could claim, for the more members it had the greater would be its influence. Mr Johnston said that what was wanted most in the club was a spirit of camaraderie; members did not want to go to the races and feel that they were walking round under a ceiling of ice. At the present time members did not go to Riccarton for the social ameniticis that were to be found there, for they simply did not exist either for the members of the club or for the public. Totalisator Receipts. Turning again to the question of membership and finance, he said that the Jockey Club's totalisator revenue was £29,089, as against a totalisator revenue of £27,916 gained by the Metropolitan Trotting Club. The trotting club could wind up its year with a credit balance, although it paid out £l7ll in rent last j ear. Yet the j Jockey Club had to go to its receipts and payment account to get a balance. No.'..doubt, also, the receipts covered something that should have gone into the'previous year. I The Jockey Club had 317 members 'from the whole district in and around Christchurch. Yet thc New Brighton, Canterbury Park, and Metropolitan Trotting Clubs had a membership of 710, the two last-mentioned clubs both using the Metropolitan ground. Thc Jockey 'Club's membership included about 25 men who were "black-balled" on applying for membership and who subsequently came in as subscribing members because, apparently, they were not good enough to be admitted as ordinary members. The New Brighton Club had a subscription of 10s 6d, and yet it had surplus funds amounting to more than : £13,000. . The Metropolitan Club had an accumulated fund of £81,737, as against an accumulated fund of £78,315 by the Jockey Club, although the Jockey Club had "been going since almost the beginning of things whereas the trotting clubs were comparatively only an innovation."

. "So much for the subscriptions being the be all and end all of finance," Mr Johnston said. "If we had a membership we could command we should have such an influx of persons that the totalisator receipts would jump up, and instead of cutting down stakes we would immediately talk about putting them up." Continuing he said he did not think that Mt Gould had kept his circular "up his sleeve" but he did think that it had been unfortunate that he had not released it until the last moment. In this circular the chairman said that the Jockey Club had been obliged to call a special meeting. However, it should not have been necessary for an ordinary member like himself to run the risk of incurring the odium of his own friends who might differ from his opinions, and force a meeting to bring about an amendment to the rules. The committee itself should have called a meeting of the club many months ago. "Saving Two Guineas." The chairman had also said that it went without saying that at a time like the present, it was much easier to find willing ears to a suggestion for saving two guineas a year than to organise resistance to the proposal. "There never was such a cheap sneer issued by the chairman or the treasurer of "an organisation," Mr Johnston commented hotly. "It is a cheap and nasty sneer on those who have taken upon themselves to bring forward this motion. "I am speaking for myself and probably for others when I say that nothing was further from my thoughts than the saving of two guineas. I am as well able to pay two guineas as anyone else and- to suggest that we are moved in this by a paltry matter of two guineas is entirely wrong." Continuing,. he said that as far as the club privileges were concerned he had always, been against people living by privilege, considering that if a person were not worthy in himself he should not claim anything. He was inclined to agree with Mr Gould that a member received £lO worth of tickets for £5. but that was riot the point, and it merely showed how misguided the

chairman was The real point at iosue was what was best for the club._ If tine club did not place its linger on the pulse of public opinion. its "Sport of Kings," would die as surely as had the kings themselves. If the motion were carried it was possible that there would be a slight reduction in income for the present year J:>ut a start had to be made somewhere. The question was whether the club was to keep going down or whether it was to take its courage in both hands and go in for something new to combat ttie depression it was facing. He was certain that if the club went about it m the right way it would find enough people in Christchurch to help it. Were subscriptions not cut down he believed that the club would lose another 75 members this year, but he would bo very disappointed if they could not pet as many as that to join at three guineas. Even if only 50 new members joined the club would be only about £l7O worse off in the first year. "Is £l7O going to cut down stakes and ruin owners?" Mr Johnston concluded. "I say emphatically, 'No. 1 have no axe to grind, and I have done this only because I believed that it is the best and only thing to do for the benefit of the club and its success. (Applause.) Two Opposite Opinions. Seconding the motion. Mr J. Mawson Stewart said he entirely agreed that if the subscription were reduced to three guineas the club would not suffer a very great loss of revenue. Mr Gould said that as he could not match Mr Johnston in eloquence, and as he wanted his views to be clearly defined, he had prepared a written statement containing his opinion. It would be difficult to imagine two viewpoints so utterly opposed as those held by him and Mr Johnston. Mr Johnston had said much about revenues and the prosperity of trotting. They could not shut their eves to the great popularity of trotting, and this was perhaps one reason why racing had not expanded in Christchurch as it had in places like Wellington, where racegoers saw a totalisator only once every two or three months. In recent years racing had had a little the worse of it in Christchurch, and he thought there were several causes for this, one of the principal being that it cost twice as much to train a racehorse as a trotter. Mr Gould then read the following statement:—

"The more I examine this motion the less I like it. It is right that a member who pays his subscription in advance should receive some advantage, but I consider he has this in a reduction of admission fees by 50 per cent, in addition to other privileges. The claim that he should obtain admission to the inside enclosure for Is 7UI while the public pay Gs is one that I cannot endorse. There is a very excellent enclosure from which both the horses and the racing can be seen to great advantage for Is Gd admission. The members' subscription of Auckland and Wellington clubs is also £5 or £5 ss.

The Cost of Racing. "Il is most regrettable when a .supporter of racing finds that owing to hard times he can no longer a/ford to attend race meetings, but this applies equally to a member of the public as to a member of the club. "There is a price at which the election of further members is unprofitable. and I consider it will have been reached if the members' subscription is reducea to £3 3s. The man who joins the club simply as a means of economy to himself to the detriment of racing funds has no special claim to consideration. What is the purpose of a racing club? "I take it to be to promote, organise, and control racing and racing funds according to British standards and traditions having regard to the welfare of its sporting patrons and for the culture and good treatment of the thoroughbred horse. Provided the membership is large enough to secure the selection and appointment of a body of men who can wisely exercise the above functions, the extension of the membership at one-third the cost paid by the public has no merit that I am aware of. "It is the first business of the committee to provide programmes which will attract public interest, and it s upon a large public attendance that the success of a meeting chiefly depends. If we were to obtain 100 new members of £3 3s we should be merely deDleting our gates revenue and extending the claims on the club for special accommodation. In my opinion it would necessitate the limitation of membership and the reduction of ladies' tickets. Public Admission. "It is argued that because the general entrance fee has been reduced to 6s, the member is entitled to the reduced subscription. My view is that the public admission charge should bo fixed in relation to the members' subscription and not vice versa. I consider the present relation a fair one. "During the last 20 years some £IOO,OOO has been spent in improvements, chiefly in the members' enclosure. These improvements have not yet. been fully paid for, and I consider it is not playing the game to reduce the subscription until they arc, for the finance enabling the building scheme was granted not on the security of material assets but on confidence in the good faith of the committee, and the standing of the club." Continuing, Mr Gould said ho intended to stand up for the public which maintained racing, and he was opposed to charging the public 6s for what members would get for Is Gd. Mr Johnston: You are entirely misinterpreting my statement. Mr Gould said that having fixed the membership it was then the club's business to decide what the membership subscription should be. If it were reduced to three guineas, which only meant Is 7}d a ticket issued, the public would have a right to claim admission at 3s. The club had no reserves nt all. Unfortunately it had rushed into t-xp<yiditure during the war, building a large stand when building was expensive, and depending on an overdraft. He had worked for 17 years to work that overdraft down, and he was perhaps more concerned about the question of finance than most members

Future Expenditure. It was likely that the club would have to spend about £2OOO in a year or two in. improving the totalisator." but it had no money. It would have to do this work on borrowed money. Mr Johnston said that the reduction in the subscription would cost only about £l7O a year, but he thought the figure would be nearer £SOO. Again, he spoke sensitively from the viewpoint of an owner. He knew that racing could not be conducted without owners, breeders, and horses, and he considered that those who were carrying on to-day in an effort to keep the sport going were "the gnmest of the game." Mr Johnston had used the greatest sarcasm and irony in reference to the reduction of two guineas in the subscription, saying it had not the slightest influence with him or with members. Mr Johnston: That is it again. Another twist. I object to it. You are twisting my words. I said I and persons in the movement cared nothing about the two guineas. The chairman: Two guineas is nothing. Mr Johnston: You can twist as you like. Mr Goulu said he had the floor at the moment. He said it was his duty and function to look after the club's finances and try to keep them sound. That might govern his views too much, but he thought he had the interest of the sport and the public at heart. (Applause.) Two Considerations. Mr A. T. Donnelly said that two considerations must be taken into account when members vote: (1) the present status of the club in racing circles and among the general community, and (2) the consequences of the action proposed on the club finances and the club apart from the finances. He said that Mr Gould, who was chairman and treasurer, in a letter to members, had opposed the re-

duction in subscriptions, and his opinion, in view of his long association with the club's finances, must carry weight. It had been largely through the careful financing of Mr Gould that the club owed its present position. (Applause.) However, although the chairman might be right in his statement that the club would suffer financially, there were other considerations. First of all the status of the club in the community had to be taken into account. "Once." said Mr Donnelly, "this club was by common consent pre-eminent | amons racing clubs in New Zealand. To-day, no metropolitan club, and few provincial clubs, have so slender an opinion of themselves as to do us any reverence." At the lime of the last Racing Conference, when the representatives of the club were striving to obtain to secure some satisfaction over the clashing of racing dates in Auckland, it was told that if it we- in trouble that was its own fault. The dates were under consideration, but it was mainly owing to the work of Mr Wanklyn and Dr. Louisson that this was so. (Applause.) There was a general feeling of hostility to the club through-' out the country. In Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, the local racing clubs were regarded as belonging to the city. The; citizens were proud of their clubs and proud to belong to our club is not regarded as belonging to the city at all. We are charged with exelusiveness and with running the club for the benefit of a few people who are congenial among themselves, and our management is invariably contrasted with the trotting clubs. The icason is that the trotting clubs have not forgotten, as we have forgotten, that raring clubs are sellers of entertainment and that like other entertainers they must consult their members and their audience. On account, therefore, of our reputation in general, and among the racing commun- * think this motion should be supported even if the chairman is right and the club loses money as a result. | iu e Y ent - I arn n °t certain that the loss will be a serious one." Increasing Membership. If the subscriptions were reduced, the number of members would undoubtedly be increased, more citizens would be encouraged to interest themselves in racing, and the hostility of the city and province would be removed. The membership of the club had shrunk quite apart from the depression. The trouble was that the constitution made it possible for reputable citizens who were fit for membership to be "black-balled" when they were put up for membership. The explanation was given that prospective members black-balled were in trade, but whatever the reason was, the black-balling was a discredit to the club, and not to the persons rejected. One member present had provided the worst example of all. He was a member of the club before the war. but resigned to go to the war. and his reward for serving his country was to be black-balled when he stood for membership on his return. He was present that day because he was a big enough man to stand again, but this would not have been necessary in any other club in the world. There were dozens of men in the province who were fit for membership, but they would not stand for the club for fear of being black-balled. If a man could be satisfied that he would be welcome in the club there would be as many members as could be provided for. 'Applause.) On this ground the motion should be supported

The chairman's letter to members contained just such expressions as had contributed to destroying the club's popularity. His letter was a trifle domineer in;.; in tone, and uncomprising in expression, while in one i paragraph motives which he did not ] think existed were imputed. The first paragraph of the letter contained an implied reprimand to members. The second paragraph might well have been put a little more graciously. In another part of the letter there was the implication that, if the reduction were agreed to the chairman would attempt to persuade the committee to nullify its effect by reducing the privileges of members, which, even so, were not very great. Question for Committee. The chairman: You have no right to sav I will attempt to persuade. I will certainly bring it before the committee. I will consider it my duty to do that. The principle of ladies' tickets has been subject to alteration on one or two occasions. A voice: That is a threat. Mr Johnston: It is a veiled threat, and very thinly veiled. Mr Donnelly said that if the motion were carried, Mr Gould, as chairman, should understand that the members were giving a direction to the committee. The bringing of the question of ladies' privileges before the committee, if the motion were carried, would have the effect of nullifying its effect, and of giving members less value for less money. The position would thus return to 'where it was. Committee's Opinion. Mr 11. F. Nicoll asked for the opinion of the committee on the question The chairman said the question had not been submitted to the committee. Mr Johnston: God bless my soul! Just fancy that! The chairman said the committee was free to act individually and was not bound. Mr G. R. Macdonald said that the members of the club were akin to season ticket-holders. If the Tramway Board reduced its charges to the general public, then the season ticketholders would have a right to expect a reduction, too. Mr H. A. Knight, a member of the committee, said he agreed that the subscription should be reduced. Mr D. E. Wanklyn said he had decided to vote against the motion. They had not heard one constructive argument from either Mr Johnston or Mr Donnelly, the former having indulged in nothing but airy flights of fancy. As members of the club, they received certain privileges. These privileges were more than the public got. The chairman had said that the club would make a loss if the subscription were cut down, and Mr Johnston said that the two guineas in dispute was neither "here nor there." Thus why should they run the risk of a loss of revenue which Mr Gould anticipated? "Black-Balling" Criticised. Mr C. E. Jones said he thought that Mr Gould had done much for the city of Christchurch, and that he had not always been appreciated. He had a great admiration for him. However, lie had almost tendered his own resignation when one of his dearest friends had been black-balled a few years ago. He was not speaking under the influence of that incident, but he thought that the chance had come, for the club to make a gesture to Canterbury. The club could show the city that it wanted its support. Financial interests could be put on one side if it were really desired to regain the club's lost prestige. The sport of racing and the club in particular needed to be popularised. "My advice to you is to pass the motion and chance the ! ducks," he added. I The chairman said he considered the public, and that if the subscription were j reduced to three guineas, the public would have a right to ask for a reduction in the admission charges. Mr W. J. Tracy said he favoured the motion. He said that 100 members resigned last year and that Mr Wanklyn could not have a more powerful argument than that. There came a time in the history of all clubs when their ways became stereotyped and the time had arrived in the affairs of the Jockey Club when it had reached a state of utter exhaustion. It needed the infusion of some new blood, and this would not be got at five guineas. A generation was growing up in Christchurch which did not know galloping, for the Jockey Club was "so extraordinarily unpopular." The club had not wanted new members and those who might like to join would not offer themselves for fear they were black-balled. "We move in a little restricted circle ° f ° UI " own and do not hold out the hand of friendship to those around

us," Mr Tracy said. "I am sick and tired of the one cry, 'Damn the Jockev Club. You get nothing out of it.' Although the committee does not know it, the Canterbury Jockey Club is the pariah in the racing world to-day. I am strongly in favour of the motion for these reasons. If you do not move shortly you will certainly have a constituency from which you will get no members at all." Power of Committee. Mr Nicoll said that the club had elected a committee, and it should take the advice of that committee. It appeared there was a strong body ol opinion in favour of the reduced subscription, but in all sport the authority of the elected body had to be recognised, and for that reason he would move as an amendment that the proposal be referred to the committee, with a recommendation that it consider it and report its decision. Mr J. Studholme seconded the amendment, stating that he failed to see that the reduction would add to the status of the club, as compared with Auckland, Wellington, or Hawke's Bay. Mr Johnston said he opposed the amendment; the membership had been dwindling for four years, and the committee had not brought down one concrete proposal. Although there were excellent men concerned in the government of racing, he considered that they were out of touch with public' opinion. It would be fatal to pass the amendment. The amendment was lost, 11 voting for it. The motion was carried by 49 votes to 35, amid applause. Mr Gould remarked before the meeting closed that he felt like "the naughty boy of the assembly." A great keen said about his circular and its phrasing. However, his idea •'.vas that, had it not been sent out, l "f re . wou M have been a much smaller attendance, and the matter would not have been so thoroughly discussed. (Hear, hear.) He was in the habit of calling a spade a spade, and what he thought, he said. He thought the circular was a sound statement from the viewpoint of the racing man who kept horses, and those were the men he had considered. Personally, he was satisl>ed to reduce the subscription if members wished it. The move would not ruin the club. However, he did think that many unjustified things had been said about the club. (Hear, hear.) The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.