TROTTING

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 63, 11 September 1924, Page 16

TROTTING

THE WELLINGTON CLUB

ACTIVITIES OP SUCCESSFUL YEAR.

There was a large attendance of mem>ers at the annual meeting. of the Welington Trotting Club, which was held it Petone last evening. Mr. R. A. Armstrong presided. Congratulations to members on a, very successful year were expressed in the mnual report, which stated that in;reases were shown on practically all the terns covering the club's sources of revenue, the most marked being an in;rease of £189 10s in nominations and icceptances. This latter was stated to oe an indication of the popularity of the :lub's fixtures with owners and trainers. Despite the fact that rain in the morning must have deterred many from journeying to the Hutt Park, the attendance at the club's annual race day was well up to the previous year, and a fine day's sport was enjoyed' by all present.' Hie totalisator recorded an increase on the previous year, and~patroiis were well served by a large staff working efficiently in the new tote: house. The club started the year with a credit balance of £2244 7s 7d, and concluded with a credit balance,of £1848 16s Id. P«rmanent improvements, however, will be : seen to have-accounted for an expenditure of £805 17s lid, and to this may be added £146 8s lOd expended on the track and ground,, showing the club to be in a stronger financial position than has yet been recorded. ... "As in previous years, the Government has benefited far more . than: the club from our operations—the sum of £1840 7s Id having been handed over in taxation on our one day" of racing. Relief in this matter has been promised for so long that it cannot now-be much further delayed, and we look, forward to the Government doing the right thing so that we may be enabled to meet the increasing calls' for the public" convenience and comfort by way ■of improvements and extensions in our ' several appointments..".

Realising that- members deserve more I consideration than has been possible to give in^the past, the stewards have decided to erect a special members' stand attached to the present - stewards' stand, and plans for this work, which will be proceeded with at' once, are now under, consideration. The stewards, regret that another annual ■'report has to be submitted without, anything definite being forthcoming regarding extra racing days. A Gaming Bill has, how-

ever, been introduced, and although obstruction has already made • itself unpleasantly manifest from a certain quarter, it is to be. hoped that members of Parliament will recognise,; as sportsmen, the grave' injustice under which this club, "in common with; others, is struggling;- and will provide. the extra days necessary for the development of the sport of trotting to keep, pace ,with public.- requirements. - The president, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said there had. been. an actual profit on the year of £SCO. The balance was not so large as that of last year, but over£looo had. been spent on the "tote"' house and track. On'the question of taxation, he said he could not agree;with a recent view put forward-that.taxation was not excessive. Trotting clubs had a duty to the sporting public as well as to the Government, and there was no doubt that the people were being made to pay dearly for their sport. It had further to be remembered that every pound thus collected in taxation was a relief, in like proportion, to those of that party in the community who would, if they had their way, wipe the racing clubs out of existence' altogether. . Regarding. the question of an increased number of race days, the speaker stated that he had consulted Mr. R. F. Bollard, Minister of Internal Affairs, on the matter., and had,: received from him a dafinite promise -.to the . effect that it was the Government's intention to bring down 'the Gaming Bill, and to have it dealt' with this'session. They had been in some doubt as to whether the Bill would be dealt with this session, and for a. while members' had' felt that once again they were to be made the. plaything of, politics. Now, however,*' they had a definite assurance that no unnecessary, delay would be allowed to take place, and as ; soon as a few^other important matters had. been disposed of, the Bill wpHld be introduced.. A Committee^would prob-.. ably be set up, but this Committee would lose no .time in presenting a :re-_ port. Before the" of -nextv month they should know exactly how they were t;oing to stand, whether they were going to get.the.increased permits or not. If there were to be any increase in racing permits in New Zealand, trotting was certainly entitled to a large share, since its proportion was very small in j proportion to those allotted.. to 'sjallop-, ing. In their own. particular case there was a. further aspect of the question, and; that was, if the. increased permits .were granted to them, they would be able to effect such improvements to the. Hutfc Park as to confer, a big benefit on the public. . - ; : " :,| (The following stewards were elected unopposed :—Messrs. R. A. Armstrong, J. M'Donald, W H. Donovan, J. Bentley, H. L. August, W. 8., Taylor,'W. H. Edwards, F. G. "VVarburton, James W. Sharpe John Sharpe, R: :M'Whirter, J. T. Craig, H. A. Ryder, H. E. Ryder, Albert Pere. ' ■ :1'1 ; v. ■