RACING CLUB OFFICIALS

Northern Advocate, 9 July 1925, Page 2

RACING CLUB OFFICIALS

MR HOSKING EE-ELECTED PRESIDENT. | KEEN INTEREST DISPLAYED. Great enthusiasm was sliown at the largely attended annual meeting of the Whangarei Racing Club in tlie Britannia Theatre last night in the election of officers for the ensuing year. With the exception of the re-election of the patron, Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P., everv 'appointment made was the outcome of a, ballot. The reappointment of the patron was the result of nomination by the president, seconded by the vice-president, Mr M. Mclnnes, and it was carried unanimously and applauded. Prior to the calling of nominations for the presidency, Mr A. C. McCardle pointed out that none but financial members should be allowed to vote, and the president's straight-out question whether there were any unfinancial members present created laughter, whereupon he declared tha.t in any case they would have to be treated as sportsmen.

When the secretary took the chair to call for nominations, and it had been moved that Messrs F. L. Gunn and H. S. Mackenzie be appointed scrutineers, Mr T. A. Williams moved, seconded by Mr W. H. M. Yarrow, that the numbers in all voting contests be recorded on the blackboard, and that the ballot papers be counted in accordance with "the numbers in the room eligible to vote. The acting chairman ruled, however, that there was a motion before the meeting to appoint the scrutineers, and when it was carried he called for nominations for the post of president. Mr M. Mclnnes, when moving that Mr Hosking be re-elected for the ensuing twelve months, said that the retiring.president had devoted a considerable amount of time in the' interests of the club, and the speaker did not think that any one else had done so much for it. Jokingly, Mr Mclnnes added that Mr Hosking was evidently a man of leisure.

When seconding the motion, Colonel J. N. McCarroll referred to the advance the club had made during the past few years since Mr Hosking had been president. He quoted figures in support of his contention. Receipts in 1914 were £5985; in 1920, £21,000; in 1921 the meeting was held at Avondale: in 192:2, £34,299; 1923, £33,500'; and last year, for two days only, £38,500. Gate receipts in the corresponding years, excluding the meeting at Avon dale, were —£245, £450, £770, £730, £929, and £9.14 for two days last year. Stakes in 1918' were £550 and in 1919, £1500. Following the Avon dale meeting year the stakes had been £2900, £2300, £2300 and last year £2500 for two days and £1300 at the one-day winter meeting. The club was j making rapid progress and Mr Hosking had done a deal of work towards it. Colonel McCarroll thought the club could not'do better than put him in the.post of president again.

Mr .W. Tucker nominated Mr D. A. McLean, and the motion was seconded by Mr Yarrow. Messrs Gunn and W. L. Hopewell were appointed scrutineers. . The difficulty concerning the right to vote was met- by Mr Hosking moving j that every man who was not a financial member be placed on his honour j not to accept a voting paper. Mr Mc*. Lean seconded the motion, which was", carried, and the ballot was then proceeded with. When the scrutineers had counted the papers, which was done in view of those present, the result was put on the board, and there was loud anplause as the figures showed that Mr Hosking had been re-elected. The two candidates immediately approached one another on the floor of the auditorium and shook hands cordially, after which Mr McLean declared j that he thought the members had I chosen wisely and well. He congratulated Mr Hosking upon the confidence

he had retained as president of the | club and the speaker hoped that he would have a further prosperous term of office. He did not regret the contest, which had. been a friendly one, while the good feeling displayed at the meeting and the large attendance showed that it had not 'done the Racing Club any harm. "I wish you the best of luck and my best congratulations," he concluded. The president was warmly applauded when he rose to speak. He prefaced his remarks by expressing his sincere thanks for the honour conferred upon him and said thnt it was one of tho«e fruits of labour and expressions of j confidence of his fellow-men which he . highly appreciate.!. He would leave no | stone unturned to retain the confidence reposed in him, and thanked all. assuring them that their confidence i.iiinwould net be misplaced. It had ber-'i a thoroughly cloan contest, especially between the two principals. His opponent had told him why he w;>s eon- | testing the position and he did not j blame him for sticking; to those who j had been his friends and supporters hi j the past. |

The president then called for noniin- ] ations for tlie post of vice-president. Mr H. Hutchinson was nominated by Mr J. D. Horn, seconded by Mr 11. Peters, and Mr Mclnnes by Mr A. Owen, seconded by Mr J. J. Fraser. WitTi a view to avoiding a ballot it was suggested that a vote bo taken on •t show of hands. The candidates agreed, but Mr .T. A. S. Mackay objected, maintaining that the usual course should be adopted, as election by a show of hands had never been done before. Messrs Coburn ci'd Stout moved and seconded that the ballot be. waived, but as the result was not unanimously in favour, the president decided | a ballot must take place. The result of ttie ballot was the diction of Mr Hutchinson. The successful candidate expressed thanks for the confidence repose*.? in him and declared that he would do his best for the club, in the welfare of which he had always taken a keen interest, and with Mr Hosking a.s pTe^ 1 - dent and his experience he believed that the club would never look back. Tribute was paid to the good work done f»>r the club by Mr Mclnnes, who had always done his best in its Interests Mr Mclnnes congratulated the vh'tv president and declared that he was a very good man for the position. The speaker had sat with him at meetings of the club for many years and had always found thiit he had done goo* 1 Work.

Prior to ea'l'ng for nominations "■t t':e six vacancies on the committee, the president expressed a hope that members would vote for six and would refrain from "plumping.'' There were 37 members nominated and the following were elected by ballot: —Messrs D. A. McLean, L. W. Nelson, K. G. M. Kelly, M. Mcln-ns, T. Linn ell and E. A. Simmons. The final ballot was to fill three vacancies for members' stewards. By that time many had left the hall, but the result was the election, out of_ seven nominees,, of Messrs J. R. S. Hichardson, A. J. Mackay and A. Pollock. The Nazol Habit" is~a pleasant one find worth having, because it protects the membranes of the mouth, throat and nose with Nazol against the infeclions germs of Colds, Catarrh and Influenza.