DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 21783, 27 July 1934, Page 6

DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB

future prospects bright PRESIDENT’S OPTIMISTIC NOTE Increased stakes, with a consequent improvement in the standard of racing, was forecasted by Mr A. C. Hanlon. president of the Dunedin Jockey Club, at the annual meeting of members last evening. He pointed out that the club hgd experienced severe hardships in recent years as the result of a stand being destroyed by fire and the roof of another being blown off in a gale. This damage had now been made good, and no expense of a similar kind was expected for a long time. ' In moving the adoption of the annual report, the President said that members would bo gratified to know that the chib’s operations during the past season. had shown a little profit, despite ' the fact that 'five of the nine days allowed the club for racing were wet. He felt quite sure that the profit would have been much larger had the club experienced fine weather on Cup Day. when the fields attracted good entries and good horses. The club was also unfortunate that two wet days were experienced for the winter meeting. A great deal of the success during the year was due to the win and place method of betting. The secretary had prepared figures which showed that the average win dividend for the year was. £8 9s, and the average place dividend was £3 8s 6d. Of the 180 place dividends paid, 31 were uner 30s, 36 between 30s and £2. 38 between £2 and; £2 10s, 33 between £2 10s and'£3, 26 between £3 and £4, .and 26. over £4. Members would see that the club was,, in all probability, very wise in continuing that system of betting. Wellington retained the win and place system, and, despite ■ the wet weather experienced at the recent meeting, it was quite successful. At the Dunedin meeting the racing had been very interesting, especially in the classic events, and it was gratifying to know that the entries for the new season’s classic races were entirely satisfactory. During the year the Government had reduced the rebate of 1 per cent, on the totalisator receipts to $ per cent., and this had meant a reduction to the club of £SBO •—a very considerable loss. Members would be pleased to see that the club was able to have the grand stand reroofed, and the speaker went on to deal with the other improvement? effected at the same time, and expressed the hope that evidence of patrons’ appreciation would be realised. BENEFITS TO MEMBERS.

Mr Hanlon drew attention to the improved conditions for members, and pointed out that half of the seating accommodation of the new stand had been set aside for them and their lady friends, and he thought that members were now well catered for in that direction. They were also allowed a large room in which refreshments could be obtained, and portion of the balcony had been set aside for them. He did not think that members were treated better in any other club. Each member, he said, would be able to present a good case for membership, pointing out that in return for an outlay of £3 3s members received £6 5s worth of benefits. He further enumerated other advantages of membership, including the right to assist in the general management of the club. This year offered an additional attraction to members in the form of certain privileges granted to them by the Victoria Racing Club at the Centenary meeting. RAILWAY DEPARTMENT THANKED. The best thanks of the club, continued Mr Hanlon, were due to the Railway Department at Dunedin and at Wingatui for assistance given when races were being held. He had found that these officials did their level best to make things run smoothly for their patrons. He also thanked the various officials of the club for the excellent service rendered for the benefit of racing and the club. SOUTHLAND SUPPORT. Mr L. C. Hazlett, in seconding the motion for the adoption of the report, referred to the serious effect which the bad weather had had on the club’s finance?, and expressed the opinion that but for the support of, the Southland people a very heavy loss would have been sustained. He thought that the support accorded the club by Southland and country people was due to the fact that steeplechase and hurdle events were included on the programme, it had been difficult to attract good steeplechasers, but he thought that this would be remedied in the future as the result of the improving economic conditions. During the year the club had extended the distance of the hack races, with considerable success, and at the Cup and winter meetings no hack race was under seven furlongs. He thought that was a wise move, as most of the trouble occurred in six furlong races as the result of the scramble for the rails at the first turn. Regarding finances, Mr Hazlett said that another £4OO to £SOO had to be spent on the grounds at Wingatui, and no further expense would have to be incurred for a considerable, time. The motion was earned. OFFICE-BEARERS. The following office-beaters were elected for the ensuing year:—Presi-. dent, Mr A. C. Hanlon; vice-president, Mr L. C. Hazlett; committee—Messrs J. A. Cook, W. Garrett, Dr F. S. Batchelor, and Dr K. Ross; auditor, Mr Geo. M. Maclean. ADMISSION CHARGES. Mr T. Hayes raised the question of admission charges to the various meetings, and pointed out that the charge for two meetings at which there were two classic events was ss, while the charge for the cup meeting and the winter meeting was 7s 6d. The charge at the Grand National Meeting was 6s, while the same charge prevailed at the New Zealand Cup Meeting, and he could not see why the D.J.C. should have a higher rate. It had been explained to him by a steward of the dub that members would object to the charge being lowered, but he considered that members were well served with nine days’ racing for £3 3s. His experience was to get the people at the meetings, for they generally had two or three pounds in their pockets which they invested on the totalisator. A general discussion ensued, in which the chairman said said the work on the stand had cost the club £2,800, and, having got that done, there wag very little reason for any other big expense, and he predicted an increase in the stake money, with a consequent improvement in the meetings. He thought that the prosperity of the club depended on an increased membership, pointing out that in a city of 90,000 inhabitants only 230 were members of the club. The secretary (Mr L. Hill) intimated that during the last two years the attendance on the outside of the course had decreased by ] ,900, while the attendance inside had increased by the same figure.

The Chairman assured members that the matter would receive the earnest consideration of the committee. THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.

In returning thanks for his re-elec-tion as president Mr Hanlon said that he had held the office for fifteen or sixteen years, and so long as members were disposed to keep him in office he would be disposed to do his best for the club. There was no doubt that the club was making steps forward after experiencing very hard times on account of a stand being destroyed by lire and the roof being blown off. The latter incident hod kept a lot of people away from the races, but the position now seemed to be considerably improved, and there was a distinct prospect of the club getting back to real metropolitan status. Dunedin ought to be one of the four big centres of racing with meetings worthy of a city of 90,000 people. lie had done his best for the club, with the assistance of an excellent committee, and he hoped to continue to do his best until the club was placed in the best possible position. (Applause.) Messrs Hnzlett, Garrett, and Dr Ross also returned thanks for their re-elec-tion, and on the motion of Mr V. Jacobs a vote of thanks to the president and the executive was carried by acclamation.