SPORT OF TROTTING

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 29, 3 August 1933, Page 6

SPORT OF TROTTING

WELLINGTON CLUB'S YEAR

FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL

Satisfaction with the result o£ tlie club.-; activities- during the year just closed was expressed by the president of the ■Wellington Trotting Club ,(Mr. J..E. August) at the annual meeting of members lust evening. The year had been successful, both in regard to,snort and to finance, and it was pleasing to record that the club hud been able to reduce its overdraft at Hie bank from £3559 12s lid to £2070 19s 7d, so that there was now very little, likelihood of the guarantors', being required to make good their guarantee. "Although financial .conditions tlirougliout tho- Dominion ,liad , not improved, said Mr. August, "tho stewards, with.the experience of two difficult,; financial years behind them, were enabfcd to keep expenditure down to a minimum, without, however, impairing the . quality ot the sport provided at Hutt Park. While stakemoneys have been somewhat curtailed, the club has given the maximum: amount its finances would allow, avid I consider that the stakes compare favourably with those offered by other clubs/" , STAKES HIGH AS POSSIBLE. "I am firmly of the opinion that it is important to 'keep stakes to the- very highest point-possible," lie continued, as I consider .one of the first duties oi clubs is to offer such stakes as will provide owners and trainers with the wherewithal to keep, their horses in training, and to encourage them to travel to meetings away from home. I am very pleased to report that stake-moneys for the September Meeting.total £1160, an increase of £110 over .the corresponding day last season. As finances permit, stakes will be increased for the remaining meetings. Dealing with the income and expenditure account, Mr. August said that the club had 'toore than: complied with its commitment to the bank, and for the .first .time in somet years .'ho considered that the financial;position of the club was becoming really secme "Towards tho latter part of the season the '-Bin and-place 5 sjetcm oi betting v,<is instituted and has done a great dcil to popularise theispoiL throughout the Dominion," continued Mi August "I feel,,sure that the innovation will provi. the salvition ot a numbei ol countiy clubs, and will allow them to hold meetings that otheiwrae would- line been abandoned until more favourable financial times." •:.»{ ; ; . . CATIRING jFOiR THE BEST. : The annual report stated that the best of the Dbmiriiori'e competitors were seen in action; at Hi&t Park and- in the majority of eveiits excellent sport was witnessed. The maintenance and increase of public support in ' this centre depended entirely upon a continuation of the policy of cater-. ing for .thei.?1 best: class Horse, and the, ready response received from owners and trainers wasjcleai* "evidence rthat the. club was' pursuing: ;'the correct "policy .with, regard to-stakes, and classes.. 4 V : •• , ■ During thie seasonI,fall tracks had been given every possible attention and they should be secondto nohein the Dominion for the coming season. < ~ There" can. be-iip doubt f tjiat'vthe met that - the-club eka" vemain'iin a financial position is only" by "reasou of •'being allowed to.race on a. Saturday,, states the report. During tKe depression it be impossible "for the ,\ public to sacrifice a working day to attend a ineeting, and, indeed) it. is,questionable' as' to whether the sport is sufficiently firmly established in this centre to enable meetings to be successfully ■ conducted on midweek days. The stewards -wisH.; to place on record their sincere appreciation, of. the action of the dates. committee of the New Zealand Trotting, Conference in,granting tho club fou,r separate, Saturday permits. "In" accordance, with the clnb's policy of offering : assistance to country clubs, the Wairarapa Trotting. Club was allowed the use of ourgrounds'for a meeting held in March on very. liberal terms. It is pleasing to record- that a very substantial profit was made, and ~wilL provide tho Wairarapa Club with' a; 'very satis-j factory 'nest, egg.'- ';'; T' i "During last month representatives of the Hawke's Bay ■Trotting Club interviewed the stewards with regard to the holding of a meeting at.Hutt Park," Mr. August reported. % "Their financial position was «o precariousthat they might be forced to forgo their, permits this season j unless' some assistance was forthcoming, and the stewards 'were most sympathetic towards.th^iProrjosal. .-.Permission for the change of ventieas being requested, and if it is granted*the meeting will be held at: Hjitt'ißatfc/rih-September 16, the Saturday *following... theV;; Wellington , Spring Meeting' 'T|ie'-'m'eetir>g~wi]l'be run on a 'fifty-fifty' 'basis, jnd (l both clubs should materially benefit, therefrom." '■'. It was , to'abolish the entrance fee attaefiin&:.io]club'\niembership. Stewards were elected as follows:— Messrs., J. E. August, H. L. August, E. P. Armstrong, J. Bentley, M. A. Carr, D. M. Dickson, W. H. Edwards, F. S. Hewer, A. L. Johnson, S. W. Kelly, J. McDonald, R. McWhirter, H. A. Ryder, J. SJiarpc, ,J. W. Sharpe.