TROTTING

Evening Star, Issue 22892, 25 February 1938, Page 5

TROTTING

FORBURY PARK CLUB STAKES FOR WINTER MEETING UNCHANGED A decision that the stakes for the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Winter Meeting remain unchanged at _ £3,500 was made at a committee meeting last night. An amendment that the stakes be increased by £250 was lost by one vote. The chairman (Mr B. S. Irwin) recalled that the stakes at the club’s last winter meeting had been £3,500, a profit of £2,400 resulting. In 1936 the stakes bad been £3,000, but bad weather had been responsible for a loss of £372. The stakes had been increased for - the last meeting on account of coronation holidays, Mr J. M. Samson: I want an increase in the stakes, and I think we should go on increasing them. We are not yet near our limit. Mr H. Halliday: We have to exercise care. Last year the increase in stakes was for a special occasion, and two holidays helped us out. Mr Samson: Look at the way other clubs are advancing their stakes. There should he no difficulty in our increasing the stakes by £2OO for this meeting. We have to keep looking ahead and also moving forward. Mr Halliday: Do you suggest that prospects are rosy? I stand definitely against any increase. Several members thought that there should be no race with stakes under £2OO or, at least, £175. Mr Samson observed that the club had to offer stakes attractive enough to bring horses. Mr Halliday moved that the stakes be left at the unchanged amount of £3.500. The motion was seconded. An amendment that the stakes be increased to £3,750 was lost by six votes to five, the motion being carried. LICENSING TEST CASE. Reference was made to the recent test case under which the licensee of the booth at the Dunedin Jockey Club's Christmas Meeting was prosecuted. Mr Halliday thought that the club might pay a.portion, of,the.costs,of the case. It would be a very nice gesture. Mr T. Fogg: It has nothing to do with us. • ■ • Mr D. Jolly: I cannot see your argument at all. The case is not one for us. The Chairman; The case certainly clears the air so far as the Trotting Club is concerned. Mr Halliday: If our licensee had been sued, would we have paid the costs? The Chairman : We asked the licensee to apply for an additional booth for women. Mr J. Mitchell: W T e are entitled to four booths. Mr Jolly: Wait and see what the Jockey Club intends to do. Mr J. Trengrove: We run our affairs —let the Jockey Club run theirs. The discussion then lapsed. GENERAL. The New Zealand Institute for the Blind wrote asking for a subscription.— It was decided to give £2 2s. One new member was elected. The balance sheet of the club’s summer meeting was presented, a satisfactory balance being recorded. Accounts totalling £3BO 17s lid were passed for payment.