WELLINGTON CLUB

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 300, 15 September 1936, Page 15

WELLINGTON CLUB

President’s Report To Members ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club was held yesterday in the club rooms, Woodward Street. The president, Mr. E. L. Riddiford, presided over an attendance of about thirty members. ” The annual report and balance sheet, already published, was adopted. The president in his annual address said teat since the last annual meeting things had taken a definite turn for the better, which we may all hope would be permanent The year’s operations, after making provision for depreciation showed a surplus of £294/1/1. The club’s total indebtedness now stood at £87,569/3/11 —only a few hundred less than the previous season certainly—but considerable expense had been incurred in making alterations to the main totalisator house. The club’s indebtedness in 1926 amounted to £120,651, so in the past ten years in spite of many ups and downs, the steady improvement in the financial position was most gratifying. Another interesting proof of the club’s progress was the fact that during the aforementioned ten years, allowance for depreciation of the freehold property and buildings had amounted to £36,000. The sum of £35,630 was paid in taxation during the season just closed. He trusted that the Government would yet see its way to make permanent the rebate of l-sth of the totalisator duty, which they had enjoyed for the past fifteen months. This 1 per cent, was of very real use to clubs; unlike other totalisator revenue, it was not tied up for stake purposes—it undoubtedly gave clubs a sense of financial security that was otherwise lacking. Totalisator Improvements. Immediately after the autumn meeting. structural alterations to the main totalisator house were taken in band, the work being carried out under ihe supervision of the racecourse superintendent, Mr. N. Hayley, in whom the club had a most efficient officer. At the conclusion of the winter meeting the dismantling of the old totalisator was begun, in readiness for the installation of the new totalisator, which would be in operation for the spring meeting in October, and which would enable win and place tickets to be sold from one window. The who'e of the responsibility of installing this new totalisator was in the hands of the club’s very capable engineer, Mr. L. L Saggers. Racecourse Alterations. Early in the season, the sand track wak topdressed with about 500 yards of sand. The two-year-old track, which was originally the light plough, had been filled in. This would be grassed in the near future to form another galloping track. The casualty room had been completely renovated and brought up-to-date. A trained nurse was in attendance on race days. Owing to the uncertainty of th" electricity supply ttt the course, the stewards had installed a diesel engine driven generating plant—this plant to come into operation in the event of the failure of the public supply. The installation of this plant necessitated consideiable a’terations to the existing power house. ' Deaths of Members. The stewards’ report recorded with deep regret the death of all too many valued members. Of these, none rendered greater service to racing in general, and to the Wellington club in particular, than Mr. O. S. Watkins. Of his work over a long period of years—culminating in his hold ing the office of president of the New Zealand Racing Conference—there was no need to speak. What he wished to refer to was his devotion to the Wellington Racing Club, and his unfailing interest in the course, itself—it was not too much to say that he loved every inch of it. |Trentham to-day, and :ta reputation as one of the best equipped courses in the southern hemisphere, was the best monument he could have. As i further tribute to his memory, the club bad named the principal event on the second day of the spring meeting the Watkins Handicap. Mr. Riddiford thanked the various race day staffs for the efficient manner in which they had carried out their duties. Also a great deal of praise was due to the permanent staff at Trentham, where work had been proceeding at top speed for the last six months. He expressed appreciation of the office staff, Miss Kirkby and Mr. Seddon, and last but not least, the secretary, Miss Bray, for the hard work she had done. Through her ever untiring energy the club had profited to a very great extent, and he congratulated Miss Bray on the year’s work. Officers Re-elected. The following officers were ie-eleeted unopposed: President, Mr. E. L. Riddiford ; vice-prseident, Mr. C. W. Tringham: stewards, Messrs. J. C. Crawford, D. M. Findlay. W. Higgins, N. McLean and Dr. H. A. H. Gilmer. Messrs. O. G. Kember and G. B Maemorran were elected auditors. Incorporation of Club. Resolutions were passed necessary to the application to be made for incorporation of the club as an incorporated society under the provisions of the Incorporated Societies Act. The meeting placed on record appreciation of the valuable services rendered throughout many years by Messrs. J. L. Abbott and I. G. Duncan. Mrs, O. S. Watkins was elected a life member of the club. Mr. G. H. P. Davidson suggested an alteration to the rules to allow a wife of a member or other members of a member s family to join the club at a reduced membership fee. Foxton Acceptances. Acceptances for the Foxton Racing Club’s spring meeting, to be held next Saturday, will elose to-morrow night at 8 o’clock. Class. Class horses like Jonathan and Red Manfred showed sufficient improvement at Wanganui to suggest that they art not far from the winning list. Greek Shepherd. There is a possibility that Greek Shepherd will not make his reappearance for a few weeks yet. He has been suffering from the effect of a mishap to a fetlock joint suffered in July, and it has not been deemed advisable to give him anything beyond easy exercise He has not been allowed, however, to put on much,surplus condition, and will not take a great deal of winding up work when it is decided to resume serious operations with him; but in the meantime a patient policy is to be adopted, and no risk of causing further damage is to be taken. Answers to Correspondents. “Excelsior,” Wellington.'—£.l.l/15/6. "Reader,” Wellington.—(l) £2/18/6 (2) £2/12/6. “C.J.R.,” Wellington.—(l) The deduction from the total pool is 124 per cent., and a further 5 per cent, is taken from the resulting total for dividend tax. (2) The win dividend is then calculated by dividing the total by the number of tickets on the winner. (3) The place poo! is divided into as many equal parts as there are horses in the places, and the dividends calculated by dividing such parts by the respective number of tickets on the placed horses (4) Hazoor is by Black Ronald (a son of Magpie) from Moana by Hymestra—Velour, by Birkenhead—Maluri by Malua—Nona, by Conrad —Thalia, by Brocket, He has won an Egmont Cup, a Wairarapa County Cup, a Wairarapa Autumn Handicap (twice) a Wairarapa Easter Han dicap and a second to Sporting Blood in the Canterbury Cup. the latter being probably his best effort. "