WELLINGTON RACING CLUB.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 916, 20 September 1889, Page 12

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB.

The adjourned annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Club was held at the Club Hotel on September 13th. There was a good attendance, and Mr J. S. M. Thompson occupied the chair. The annual report, which was read by the Secretary, was as follows :—The Stewards beg to submit their annual report, accompanied by the statement of receipts and expenditure for the past year, and in doing so regret that they have not to record a more successful term of operations financially, although, from a racing point of view, the season just closed must he considered satisfactory. At a conference of delegates from all the Metropolitan. Clubs in New Zealand, which' was lately held in Wellington, the rules of racing were thoroughly revised, and several muchneeded additions and amendments introduced, which will tend to put l’Acing generally on a more satisfactory footing and assist toward putting down what are known as proprietory clubs, and, consequently, restrict the use of the totalisator to legitimate race meetings. Had the Metropolitan Club undertaken the task

of trying to reduce the number of meetings, no doubt the question would have been taken up by the Legislature, in which case the totalisator wonld probably have been abolished. The question of the erection of a new Grand Stand is one that has engaged the attention of the Stewards for some time past, and plans were prepared at their request by Mr W. C. Cliatfield, architect, and a scheme was devised for raising the necessary funds for the erection of the building. The proposal was that present members of the Club and others should be invited to become life and ten-years’ members, the former on payment of L2O and the latter on payment of LlO 10s. The rules of the Club were amended to allow of this being done, and all moneys raised from these sources were to be devoted to the building fund. The scheme met with considerable encouragement from the Stewards and members of the Club, and the Stewards are confident that, if the matter is taken up heartily by their successors, the new Grand Stand may be commenced at an early date. The Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which has recently been formed under the most favourable auspices, have been granted the use of the Hutt Park Racecourse, and will hold their first grand sho w there in November next, on the same week as the Club’s Spring Meeting. This arrangement the Stewards anticipate will be mutually advantageous to the Association and the Racing Club. The Stewards take this opportunity of placing on record their sense of the great loss which the Racing Club and the community generally have sustained by the death of Mr J. R. George, who for many years took an active inteiest in sporting, and at various periods held important offices in the management of the Club. The Stewards desire to acknowledge the obligations under which the Club rests for the valuable honorary services rendered by Mr W. Grace (as starter), Mr J. Saunders (as clerk of the course), Mr P. Noble Campbell (as auctioneer), and Mr D. T. Stuart (as auditor), and recommended that special votes of thanks be accorded to those gentlemen for the very able and satisfactory manner in which they have performed their duties. The vacancy in the Treasurersliip of the Club, caused by the resignation ©f Mr J. McDowell, was filled by tbe appointment of Mr F. Moeller to that office, and tbe vacancy in the number of Stewards by the election of Dr Newman, M.H.R. The retirement of Mr McDowell from the list of office-bearer, is a matter which calls for special remark, as that gentleman has been intimately connected with the active n anagement of the Club for nearly 20 years, and ever took a lively interest in its welfare, and the Stewards accorded him a special vote of thanks for his many valuable services in the past with an expression of their sincere regret at his withdrawal. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts amounted t0L3497 9s, the principal items being totalisators, L 1799 9s ; entries, L 902 9s ; privileges, etc., L 462 9s. The principal items of expenditure were—Stakes, L 2769 os ; renc of Island Bay Racecourse,' Ll5O. The balance at the bank was L 7 6s 9d, and the cash in hand 9s 6d. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, expressed his gratification at the attendance of members, which he said was larger than it had been for some years past, and it seemed to him that more interest was going to be taken in racing than in the past. The great drawback had Deen that there was not suitable accommodation at the Hutfc for the reception of visitors, and as a matter of fact they had not had the attendance that they should have had. He thought that there was every probability that during the ensuing year more enjoyable meetings would be held if they could manage to get the stand erected, as they wished, entirely free of cost. Their idea was to create a number of life and 10 years members as explained in the report, and thus be enabled to put up the stand, to make the necessary alterations to the ground, and to make the course more attractive. It had been a matter of congratulation for the Stewards that bis Excellency the Governor took considerable interest in racing matters, aiid they might, he thought, count upon his Excellency’s patronage and attendance at tlieir meetings. Referring to the recent conference of delegates, he said that the rules had been so amended as to benefit racing in every way, and he expressed the opinion that if the matter of properly restricting the use of the totalisator had not been properly taken up it was almost certain that the Legislature would have stepped in and stopped the use of the machine altogether. The adoption of these rules, he thought, would generally tend to elevate racing as a sport, and not for mere gain, as it had been carried on by gome clubs. Referring to the balancesheet, he said the receipts and expenditure were as nearly as possible about the same as last year, and he expressed a hope that an improvement would be shown in the receipts next year. Mr Duthie, in seconding the motion, for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, deprecated the disparaging allusion to the finances in the report, and said he did not think the result of the year’s work justified that statement. The state of their finances was fairly satisfactory. Mr J. Maginnity said he was aware that a sub-committee was appointed iu connection with the proposal to erect

grand stand, and he wished to know if the statement in the report would bind them to one architect. Mr Lingard asked for how long the Club had leased the Island Bay ground. The Chairman said for twelve months, and it was not intended to re-lease the ground. ! Mr Kane asked if it was proposed to hold a two days’ meeting in the spring. He would prefer to see only one day’s racing held, with increased stakes. The Chairman said he agreed with Mr Duthie’s remarks with regard to the statement of the finances, and as a matter of fact they were in a better position than they -were last year. With regard to the question raised by Mr Maginnity, he stated that two or three plans were put before the Committee, and they decided upon one, which was placed before the Stewards and accepted. With regard to the question asked by Mr Kane, he explained chat the Stewards were committed to hold a two days’ meeting during the week the Pastoral and Agricultural Association held their show, and the Stewards believed this would be the means of bringing a large number of people to town. Mr Maginnity said the Chairman’s explanation was not satisfactory, inasmuch as the Chairman had intimated something which had not come to his (Mr Maginnity’s) knowledge as a Steward. Tie had no recollection of any plans being submitted for the approval of the Stewards. He explained that he had put before the Stewards an offer by a firm of architects to prepare the plans for nothing, provided they were made members of the Club. The minutes of the meeting at which the plans were submitted were here looked up, and it appeared that Mr Maginnity had not attended. The Chairman, rather warmly, said he did not think it was right for any member who had not attended the meeting to come there and haul them over the coals for what they had done.

Mr Maginnity said there had been a lot of “ hole and corner business about these plans.” There appeared to be a desire on the part of the Stewards that one architect should be appointed and no other. On the suggestion of Mr Dutbie the remarks in the annual report with regard to the finances were altered to the effect that the Club was to be congratulated on the improved condition of its finances. The election of officers resulted as follows :—Vice-Presidents, Messrs H. D. Bell and J. S. M. Thompson ; Stewards, Messrs Duthie, Maginnity, Saunders, Macarthy, Franklyn, Ames, and Dr Newman ; Judge, Mr E. Pearce ; Clerk of Scales, Mr J. Wilkin ; Starter, Mr N. Grace ; Timekeeper. Mr G. H. Scales ; Treasurer, Mr F. Moeller. Votes of thanks were awarded to several of the officers and Mr Campbell, auctioneer, as recommended in the annual report. Mr Duthie moved that a hearty vote of thanks be awarded to Mr H. M. Lyon for his valuable services in conducting the affairs of the Club, and in doing so he referred in eulogistic terms to that officer. The whole burden of the working of the Club fell upon Mr Lyon, and the salary he received was a mere honorarium, seeing the enormous amount of time and energy he devoted to his duties. Mr J. Ames seconded the motion. The Chairman entirely agreed with what Mr Duthie had said as to Mr Lyon’s services, and no one better than he knew what he had done for the Club. He also agreed that the salary he received was not at all enough. The motion was then put and carried. Mr Duthie hoped that next year they would be able to give Mr Lyon more adequate remuneration for his services. Mr Lyon briefly returned thanks. A vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the meeting to a close.