SPORTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1925, Page 6

SPORTING

GREYMOUTH JOCKEY QLUB.

Members of the Greymoutli Jockey Club held their annual meeting yesterday, ai’id an optimistic tone pervaded the proceedings, inspired, firstly, by the improvement in the financial position of the Club, and, secondly, by the announcement that the Prime Minister (Hon. J. C. Coates) and the Minister of Internal Affairs (HonR. F. Bollard) had promised a reduction in taxation.

Prior to the annual meeting, a special meeting was held for the purpose of bringing the rules of the Club up-to-date. The President . (Mr. T. E. Coates) moved that the old rules be rescinded, and the resolution was carried. ’The proposed new rules, which had been eirculated ■ amongst members, were then adopted, with slight amendments, on the motion of Mr. H- Bignell, seconded by Mr. AV. R. Kettle. Those present at the annual meeting were: Messrs T. E. Coates (chairman), W. 11. Parfitt, W. R. Kettle, F. Ives B. Tate, A. Beban, T. Robinson, G. Perotti, H. Bignell, H. F. Doogan, F. R. Moss, E. JlcDonnell, W. E. Reynolds, and J. W. Hannan. Apologies for absence were made by MrBeban on behalf of Messrs Kim Williams and J. D. Wingham, and an apology was also received from Mr. H. G. Carter. The Chairman moved that the bala.nceTsheet and annual report (as previously published in the “Star”) be taken as read, and received. In doin g so, he stated that the Club had improved its position by £BOO to £9OO during the year. It was not so good as they woiild like to see it, _ but it might be worse. ' A hopeful sign for the coining year was that the P 1 ’ I ™® Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs had definitely promised that racing clubs would be given some relief from taxation., That was a silver lining to the cloud. 1 If the Club was not faced with extraordinary loss or expenditure, and if it had reasonable luck, it should be out of debt in three years. If they were, they could congratulate themselves. The racing (hiring the year had been quite good- The Club had secured !the services of an excellent starter, who bad the confidence of the owners, the jockeys, and the public —that combination went a very long way' towards making good racing . So far as the sport itself was concerned, the ' Club’s racing compared favourably with any in New Zealand. The reports of the Stipendiary Stewards and the racecourse detectives . were very satisfactory, and on that score the Club had nothing to wish for. The Committee deserved thanks for their work during the year; they had been very good to him qs President, and the improved position of the Club was laigely due to their good work and co-operation. The resolution, that the report and balance-sheet be received, was seconded by Mr. Kettle and carried. Mr. Beban moved that they be adopted. In seconding this resolution, Mr. Reynolds described the report' as extremely satisfactory. The resolution was carried. The Secretary (Mr. M. J. Fogarty) reported that only the necessary numbei 1 of nominations had been recrived for the various offices. “I do not know whether that is a good or a bad sign,” said the Chairman. However, he thought it could be regarded as encouraging. If members had not been satisfied with the officials there would have been more nominations forthcoming. He thought they could be conceited enough to take it that way. All the officials were then declared re-elected-A hearty, vote of thanks was moved tn the treasurer (Mr. Kettle) and the secretary, by the Chairman, who said that much depended upon those two officials—they' were “king pins.’’ The Club was particularly lucky in its treasurer. Whenever they wanted anything, they could “always strike Lira for a hundred or so.” Their secretary was a man who knew his work and did not spa're himself in its execution. The amount of work .Mr. Fogarty did was, perhaps, not always realised by ordinary members of the Club, but the officials knew all about it. He was a most (excellent secretary, and was, to a great extent, responsible for the Club’s present satisfactory position. After returning thanks, Mr. Kettle said that the Chairman had been very modest, and did not take any credit t-> himself. He was the right man in the right place. Mr. Kettle moved a special vote of thanks to Mr. Coates for his excellent work during the year. Mr. Fogarty also returned thanks, and said that he agreed with Mr. Kettle regarding the President’s modesty. To-liini, very largely, was due the success of the Club. Nir. Coates put in quite as much time on its affairs as did the speaker, particularly in con- . nection with the farming operations at Omoto- During, the past two years these had been very successful, and. had produced enough profit to pay the caretaker’s salary. They promised t? be' just as profitable during the . coming year. As for himself, Nir. Fogarty said that he loved, his work as secretary, and! would continue to take a great deal of interest in it. Brief thanks were returned by Mr. Coates. He referred to the Greymouth Municipal Band, and said that the Club had not. been able to give them very big fees foi’ their attendance at. the race meetings. As a token of appreciation, he moved that the committee make a donation of £2 2s to the Band’s funds.

'The resolution was seconded by Mr. Kettle, who said that he would like to have scan a larger donation. However, the Club might be able to be more liberal in the future. The resolution was carried.. Mr. McDonnell asked whether there was any likelihood of the Government making a reduction in racing taxation this session. “I understand so,” replied the Chairman. ‘‘We have a definite promise.” Regretful reference was made to the fad.t that Death had made vacant the chair of the ‘‘father” of the Club, the late Mr. John Walton, since the last annual meeting. The late Mr. Walton Had attended no fewer than fiftyseven annual meetings of the ClubA cheerful note was struck by Mr. Kettle who promised that, when the Club was free of debt, the champagne would be on him. NEWS AND NOTES. (By ‘‘Outsider”). A Christchurch telegram records the death of Airs Edward Cutts. who had managed the domestic side of Chokebore Lodge for over 50 years. The deceased leaves two sons, private trainers to Sir George Clifford, and one daughter, Mrs A. Dickson, wife of tne well-known sporting writer and trotting judge. A Greymouth sport who spent race week at Christchurch had the good fortune to strike two doubles— one worth £2OO, and the other £lOO. The wool-brokers themselves are fleeced, sometimes. The Trentham-trained Gold Dollar has been purchased by a South Canterbury sportsman. While G. H. Pauli war, at Trentham with Muzzle, he purchased the seven-year-old San Fran mare, GpFd Dollar; from J, Hose, Tier , public

form is very poor, but she may do all right next winter as a hunter. According to reports from Riccarton, Centrepiece is to j'epresent Sir George Clifford in the Wanganui Guineas. So far lie has shown nothing exceptional, but h e is such a sluggish worker that no idea, can he gained of his possibilities. These are the sort who usually race well.

Several New Zealand owners won substantial sums in stake money m Australia last season, among them being G. D. Greenwood, £9853; J. M. Cameron, 9675; W. G. Stead,; £3360 ; M. H-Timms, £2816; T. H. Lowry, £2519; H. A. Knight, £1431. Apparently Nigger Minstrel is satisfying F. Davis, as he claims engagements at the Wanganui Jockey Club s spring meeting. If the four-year-old brother to Desert Gold has recovered from the ailment which caused his retirement last spring. he will make matters very interesting in some of the big races later in the season. The Eclipse Stakes, the weight-for-ago event on the second day of the Wanganui meeting, should be a great race. Some of the best horses in the country are engaged, with a good sprinkling of three-year-olds. Mr W. T. Hazlett has three horses in the race, Gold Light, Beacon Light, and Father O’Flynn. Rapine is a noteworthy entrant. According to exchanges, the financial affairs of the Ashburton Racing Club are such that application has been made- to the of Internal Affairs and. to the C.J.C. to hold its spring meeting at Riccarton, and that prospects are favourable to the proposal. The Oamaru Jockey Club, Oamaru Trotting Club, Kurow Jockey Club, and other sports clubs in the North Otago district have received permission from the Minister of Internal Affairs to run an art union with the ob ject of assisting their financial strength. This doesnot appear to be a very dignified method of keeping afloat (says a Wellington writer). .Some clubs in the North Island that one could name have had considerable difficulty in making ends meet, but they have not so far considered the question of art unions, of which the public must be heartily sick. Is there a,ny sound reason why Oamaru and Kurow should not .amalgamate and try to make a success of one meeting ? The pacing mare Pearlie Chimes has shaped so badly in her recent races jthat Mr G. Barton sold her in Duntedin for £l5O. •

The Forbury, ‘Hark Trotting Club will lose about £450 over the complimentary meeting tendered to the section of the American Fleet which visited Dunedin.