HAWERA TROTTING CLUB

Hawera Star, Volume L, 28 August 1930, Page 3

HAWERA TROTTING CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING HELD. SMALL LOSS ON YEAH,. The annual meeting of the Hawera Trotting Club was held last night, Mr. B. McCarthy .presiding over a failattendance of members. Jn moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet (previously published) the chairman regretted a loss of £ilo 3s Id on the year’s working, which was due to depreciation in revenue from the totalisator, nominations and acceptances, gate receipts and sale of race books,, and to the general depression prevailing. In those respects other clubs had been similarly affected. The accumulated fund now stood at £4119, as against £4234 last year, the difference representino. the loss on the year’s working. Last meeting was the: 25th anniversary of the club and was well supported and passed off very successfully from the point of view of the sport, and the stakes given by the club were of a very generous nature. There was a necessity to economise this year, and, while, he was of the opinion that the stakes should ,be maintained at a fairly high level to preserve the prestige' of the club, certain curtailments in the expenditure would be required, and complimentary tickets and privileges could he reduced. The extra 24 per cent, tax would be felt by all clubs, and, although it was said the impost would affect only the public, .it would liatu-j rally follow that the clubs would be affected. To liis mind the Government would have been better to have reduced its expenditure instead of imposing the additional tax and further burdening an already overtaxed public-; Tire report and ’balance-sheet- were adopted.

HISTORY OF THE CLUB. In traversing the history of the club since its inception 25 years ago, Mr. McCarthy .said that it had been known as the Waimate Plains Trotting Club, the inaugural meeting having been held on Mr. J. D. Mitchell’s property, Manaia, on August 29, 1906. The first president was Mr. D. Carroll and the secretary Mr. R. YV. J. McNeil. There had been seven events for stakes totalling £l2-0. From 1900 to 1910 meetings had been held at Manaia, ami from 1911 to date on the Hawera racecourse. The first totalisator meeting had been held in 1915, the investments for the day totalling £4353 10s, while on the first two-day meeting in. 1925 the investments had been £36,765. The stakes for the 1930 meeting were £4OIO, including Mr. J. R.. Corrigan's gold cup, and the investments £36,252.

The only official who had been continuously associated with the club since its inception was Mr. W. J. Bradford, whose efforts on behalf of the club had been untiring, and in recognition of the value of his services and the club’s appreciation, Mr. McCarthy moved that Mr. Bradford be elected a life member. Endorsement of the president’s remarks was made by Mr. E. A. Washer, who said that the honour was well deserved. The motion was carried with acclamation. Replying, Mr. Bradford said that the club had had many ups and downs during the 25 years, and sometimes they could make ends meet and sometimes that was not possible. On one occasion a meeting had to be held up because the club was in debt and six members had had to pub in £ls each to clear the debts. It had been a. pride and a pleasure to him to watch the progress of the club from the first meeting to its present proud position. The chib had the confidence of trotting owners and the public, and the only thing to do in the future was to keep up the club’s reputation, which was held in such high esteem. He valued very much the honour that had been conferred upon him. '

GENERAL. As the nominations for officers for the ensuing year were not in excess of the vacancies, no election was necessary. The nominations were; President, Mr. B. McCarthy; vicepresident, Dir E. A. Washer; honorary treasurer. Dir. W. B. Fea.ron; commitlee, Messrs C. Arden, DT. Barraclougb, W. J. Bradford, J. S. Barrow, J. N. Crocker. J. Dl. Deegan, B. C. Gibson, A. J. Hopcroi't, H. L. Kasper, J. Dlalone, J. S. T. Short; stewards, Messrs C. Arden, J. S. Barrow, W. J. Bradford, .1. N. Crocker, J. M. Deegan, B. C. Gibson, A. J. Hopcroft, A. C. Johnstone, H. L. Kasper, J. Dlalone, J. S. T. Short. Mr. H. A. Lennon was reappointed auditor. A vote of thanks was accorded tire Racing Club for valuable assistance rendered during the year.