WELLINGTON RACING CLUB

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 79, 1 October 1919, Page 11

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB

SUCCESSFUL YEAR'S WORKING

NEW BUILDINGS FOR TRENTHAM.

The annual meeting of members of the Wellington Racing Club was held yesterday afternoon. There were about twenty-five members present, and Mr. Mr. J. B. Harcourt (president) occupied! tho chair

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet (already published'), the President, after an appropriate reference to the conclusion of the war, said : "Looking first at our liabilities, you will observe that we have now a debit balance at the bank of £1497 5s 4d, compared with, a credit balance last year of £750 9s Bd. This is largely accounted for by our having increiLsed our investment iv war bonds from £10,000 to £14,486 4s set. The reserve for new stand is now £11,500; last year it was £10,500. On the asset side you -will see that a commencement has been, made with a new totalisator house, and a sum of £900 has been spent; additions have also been made to luncheon room plant, which, now stands at £618, as compared with £200 last year. In the revenue account you will see that the stakes paidl were £26,800, as against £17,151 8s last year, but it must not be overlooked! that last year we raced for six days only. Government taxation wag £19,985 19s 9d; last year it was £13,630 13s 4d. The other principal increases in the expenses account are: Salaries £302 14s Id, maintenance £483 18s 4d, rent, rates, and land tax £276 12s 6d, advertising and printing £220 7s, attendance, etc., £318 4s. The redaction in expenses ia small, the principal being general expenses £101 7s 4d, horse feed £86 16s sd. Under other headings there are small inductions. A sum of £821 13s 6i has been written off plant and war bonds. A SATISFACTORY POSITION "On the other side of the revenue account the totalisator receipts appear as £42,918 9s 3d, as against £33,032 16s lOd, an increase of £9885 12s sd; the gates and railways show £74'K) 17s 9d, as against £3317 14s lid, an increase of £4123 2s lOd. Nominations and acceptances are £6018, as against £4627, or an increase of £1391; privileges, race books, etc., are £467 6s 5d tetter. The general result is that the total receipts are £59,703 18s 6d, as compared with £43,718 19s 7d, an increase for the year of £15,984 18s lid. The result of the past year, though not quite up to our best,previous year, may be considered as satisfactory, seeing all the difficulties we have ha)d to put up with. INEFFICIENT RAILWAY SEEtfIOF "Our chief difficulty during the past year has been the inefficient railway sei--vice, which lias prevented large numbers attending our meetings, and lias i put those who did- attend to great expense in the hire of motors, etc. The wear and tear of the roads has been enormous, and many thousands , will be required to repair the damage done. The revenue lost to the railway has amounted to thousand's of pounds, and one cannot but think that with a little better management these, losses might have been avoided. When we consider the enormous sums contributed ;to tho revenue by racing clubs, we must arrive at the opinion that the clubs have not received the attention from the authorities that they deserve. ■ ■

ILIMINATION OF BOOKMAKERS.

."In the report mention is- matte of the electric totalisator which is now in course of erection a-t Trentharo. Hi© main advantage of this machine is that all investments. are simultaneously re- I corded, thus giving speculators the exact odds at the time they buy their tickets, and obviating the delays at present caused by the calculations necessary after the machine has ceased selling. ■ It is quite possible we will be able to reduce the interval between races, and also extend the time allowed for lunch. As mentioned at a previous meeting, the totalisator contributes towai-ds clean racing. It does not canvass for business, 110 one is asked for business, and totalisator betting is rarely responsible for the downfall of anyone. It is betting on credit with the bookmaker that is tho cause of nearly all the trouble, and the remedy is to get rid of him. One way of securing this would be-to restore to racing clubs the use of the double betting-on the totalisator, as recommenced by the Racing Conference. liivestors should also be allowed to use the telegraph to remit money to the secretaries of clubs to make investments on the machine. If these two points were granted, the life cf the bookmaker would be short, and the revenue of the Dominion increased. Since the beginning of the war the Wellington Racing Club has paid the Government £77,921 14s Bd, and) this would probably be nearly double if the bookmaker was dispensed with. ' ERECTION OF NEW STANDS. . "To meet the constantly-increasing attendance at our races it is the intention of your stewards to erect three new stands—a stewards' and members' stand, with, accommodation for the public on the roof, a grandstandl seating 4500, andl a people's stand seating about 2030, and all so designed as that they can bn added to when required. The buildings will be in ferro-concrete, as little wood as possible being used in their construction; The members' stand will be, as now, on the same gallery as the visitors' aaidj stewards'. It has been suggested! thai members should have the privilege oi taking up a,guest to, this stand, and if this is desired the ■ necessary se&iing acconiroo'd'ation will have to be providedl. The,, stewards have entered into an agreement with Mr. E. S. Luttrell, who is ai specialist in racecourse buildings, for the construction of the new stands, etc., but it is not anticipated that they will be ready for occupation Until 1921_, as great difficulty is being experienced in obtaining the necessary materials.,1 ■ HOSPITAL COMFORT FUND.

"A large hospital is now established alongside of our course for the war-worn, the sick and the maimed. Our grounds are thrown open to them daily, and it has been suggested that permission should! be obtained to hold an extra day's racing, and that the surplus from this day be devoted to a 'hospital comfort fund.' This would give pleasure to the men and brighten the lives of all in the hospital."

In conclusion, the Chairman expressed appreciation of the services rendered by the various members of the staff, and said that especially was the club- indebted to Mr., A. E. Whyte for the ability and interest he had displayed in the interest of the club. Mr. Newman seconded the motion for the adoption of the report, which was agreed to.

Mr. Harcoiirt was re-elected president for the 19th consecutive year, and. Mr. C. P Skerrett, K.C., "vice-president, both unopposed. They returned thanks for. the .honour conferred upon then:..

ALTERATION OF RULES.

The'President-then'moved : "That rule 37 be amended by striking out the word 'eight,' and substituting the word 'ten' in lien thereof. That for the purposes of the first election, of the two additional stewards, nominations shall be received far dioli t-srrt ohivwaJ'cLss uti In d n-iw /m

14th October, 1919, and a ballot taken as hereinafter provided. That voting papers with the names of all candidates for election of such two additional stewards, !, with, their respective proposer ana?' seconder, shall be sent to each, member. That rules 33, 34, and. 8 shall apply. That upon the result of the election being reported to the stewards, the shall be advertised once in the thaw daily newspapers in Wellington, and thereupon the two additional stewards so elected shall be deemed duly elected as stewards in all respects as though duly elected at the annual meeting in September, 1919 (anything in any other rule or rales to the contrary notwithstanding)." An amendment that the number of stewards be increased by four was negatived, and the motion carried. The elate of election for the two new stewards was fixed for Bth October, the ballot to be taken on 20th October, to allow the ejected stewards to act at the coming Spring Meeting. Plans of the new members' stand, providing for accommodation for 600 people, were exhibited at the meeting. It was agreed, after discussion, that each member be allowed to take a visitor into the stand, provided he is not a resident of Wellington. The ballot for four stewards resulted ill the election of the four retiring stewards, Dr. Gilmer, Messrs. 0. W. Ohilman, I. G. Duncan, and Eric Ridoiford.

Messrs. E. Buchotz and A.\ 8. Maoshane were re-elected auditors.

Owners and trainers of horses engaged ,at the Horowhenna Meeting are reminded that acceptances for all events close on Thursday, at 8 p.m., with Mr. Walter Bull (secretary), Levin.