MANAWATU RACING CLUB

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3167, 18 August 1917, Page 3

MANAWATU RACING CLUB

ANNUAL EEPOBT. , Tho thirty-.evouui aiuiuai luiiort ol tile comuiittco of ilio lUanaviuii naciiiß. W»° states :-"Tho total aiuW.nl- uu'- tlU'OUffli mo lotalisatoi- tins year was /.14i,id(, « 3 against £U7,1"02 for uic previous yea.., luiiKing an iucrcasu of £27,946. Thib , may appear ou first sight as an extraoruiu-i-fy iiiciease, especially iliuins w«r time, out it is aocouuiud lor by the fact Mat ino previous Christmas- (bi6) wus exceptionally wet, showing a Uecit-ue of £8266, and the aiitumn meeting (M6j being "JJcserte Uold's" year, when .in onu' race alone practically no investment was made, tinu tho decrease was £W,.TiB. Thcrelore, ;o is only rigiht to compare tins I , '"* amount with, the amount put through in tho year ending 1916. by doing tills our iucrease is £9301, which, in the ordinaiy course, is about the nominal increase. Our autumn meoting, in consequence of ino strike, had to be postponed from April 25 and 26 to May 16 and 17, and wo were without any train service to tho course, whilo the ordinary Bervico was greatly reduced, a-nd no excursion trains were run or fares issued. This, with a. decrease of £1206 ou the totaiisator turnover, made i a material difforeuco in our receipts, ana. increased our expenses. It Iβ quite ""' necessary to go into a. comparison oi profits as all our surplus is given to the various patriotic funds. No depreciation has been written off since tho war began, but small sums, as bad debts, have been written off arrears (£3l). This yurje have distributed to patriotic funds £2340. paid off a debit balauce last year ot £475 14s. 6d., and havo a credit balance in hand of £482 14s. 10d., which is. satisfactory. Tho matter of super tax is stiu undecided, and if tlie club has to pay this amount for the past two years, it will run into a very considerable sum. The taxation paid to the Government this year amounts to £7072 6s. I/a-st year we paid £5735 93. 2d. Our mortgage account stands at £3500, tho same as last year. Tho following donations Jiave been made this year:—Salvation Army, £100; Overseas' Tobacco Fund, £10; Salvntfon Army, £1000; Aotea. Home, Egypt, £100; New Zealand Expeditionary Force Tobacco Fund, £25; Overseas' Tobacco Fund, £25; \.M.I/.A., £500: Martin Memorial Fund, £100; Lord Plunket's Fund, £250; Dr. Bainardos Funds, £25; Patriotic Shop, jam, etc., sent to Awapuni, £5; All Blaoks, Mayoress s Parcel Fund, £100; Hoyal Flying Corps Hospital, £100; extra, cost to clnb of. upkeep through camp being at Awapuni, iauu; previous donations, £4550; total, £7390. The buildings and appointments at Awapuni conrse aio in fair or,der, and are stiu occupied by the Medical and Ambulance Corps. Tho upkeep is considerable, and. is in excess of last year's maintenance by £340. This cicess is-mainly due to compulsory alterations in tho sewerage. As long as tho buildings aro occupied and tho course is used as a. training ground our maintenance must continue to bo. very heavy, as the wear and tear is considerable, and wo get no rent or allowance .for upkeep of any kind from the Government or tho Defence Department. Under existing circumstance?, the grounds, lawn, and training track's aro in good order, and reflect credit on the caretaker and his staff. The committeo have deemed it advisable, after oaicful consideration, to purchaso a site for offices in Eangltikei Street, recently occupied by Messrs. Barraud and Abraham as a machinery depot, details of which will be given at tho annual meeting. Tho average number of horses training on the tracks during the year is betweeni 40 and 50. The committeo deplore the deaths of_SurgeonMojor A. A. Martin and Mr. Walter Rutherford, auditor for many years. Thanks aro extended to tho honorary officials and permanent staff for the satisfactory manner in which thoy carried out their duties during tho year." ,