HAWKE'S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3069, 28 April 1881, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY JOCKEY CLUB.

Awnual Meeting.

A largely attended meeting took place at the Criteriou Hotel this morning at 11.45. Mr C. A. Fitzßoy was voted to the chair.

The annual report and balance-sheet were placed in the bands of members in a printed form. The report was as follows:—"Your committee have the pleasure to report that the Hawke's Bay Jockey CJub continues to steadily progress both financially and in tbe character of its race meetings. The very liberal programme of the autumn meeting induced owners of the highest class of horses in the colony to compete, rendering the meeting certainly the most successful ever held in Hawke's Bay. The popularity of the grand stand increases rapidly, the revenue on the 17th and 18th "March from that source being £240 lis against£l99 10aat the previous autumn meeting, and this notwithstanding it was the first occasion on which the members of the club were admitted free. Evett's handicaps proved very satisfactory to both tbe owners and the public, and conduced very largely to the succsss of the meeting. Your committee desire to suggest that steps be taken to fence the inside running of the training course, as by that means the course can be greatly improved, and the danger of sheep getting on the training track would be obviated."

The balance-sheet showed receipts to the amount of £2446 7s 3d; and expenditure £2367 6s 9d, leaving a balance in the bank of £79 Os Bd.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted

The Chairman said he thought it was only right that some explanation of the reason of the delay in opening the meeting that morning should be given, either by the secretary or treasurer. Mr Burke said that some difficulty had been experienced in getting the auditors together yesterday, and the delay had occurred in auditing that morning. The meeting then proceeded to., elect office-bearers for the ensuing year. Captain Russell was elected president, Mr W. U. Burke treasurer, and the following a committee:—Messrs Shrimpton. Douglas, Lyon, Murray, Birch, J. N. Williams, Winter, Fitzßoy, and Coleman.

Tbe following new members were elected: —Messre Ramsden, Balfour, Gillman, Oluny, Scrooby, Dixon, Gilbertson, Handyside, Potts, Ferguson, Broughton, J. Heslop senior, and R. Warren. Mr A. McLean proposed that the thanks of the club be given to Mr Evett for his handicapping for the recent race meeting. Seconded by Mr McDonald, and carried,

Mr Shrimpton said he would take this public opportunity of referring to an article which recently appeared in a Wanganui paper. In so far as it said that when he : gave, his decision there were several gentlemen in the box, aQ d that his judgment had beeri influenced by them, it was a foul and slanderous lie. If there had been any truth io it the press in Napier, in their discharge of a public duty, would have taken notice of it. One local paper had said that if the decision bad been a dead heat, it would have given more general satisfaction ; that was a fair criticism, but tbe judge was not there to give general satisfaction, but to decide which horse had won. He should not have made these remarks, but he thought that, if there had been any truth in such a statement,, his conduct would have been incompatible with his position in the Club. If any of the members had believed that report, he felt sure they would have taken this opportunity of publicly statin*; it.

Mr Walker said the opinion of the members was quite evident when they had elected him on the new committee,, almost at the head of the list.

Mr Shrimpton moved a vote of thanks to the retiring committee. Carried. Mr Grant movtd that it be an instruction to the new committee that the track on the course for training horses be made to cross the creek, so that the horses could come round the back of the stand after the finish. Agreed. Mr Shrimpton thought it was the duty of the Club to provide more accommodation on the course for the general public. At the last race meeting a large number were standing where they could not possibly see the races. He thought another and a cheap stand should be erected. Of course the committee could do this, but they might not like to go to the expense without an expression of opinion from the general meeting. There . was a general agreement that another stand should be erected, and the meeting closed.