DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22325, 27 July 1934, Page 4

DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club was held, in the club rooms last night. The president (Mr A. C. Hanlon) occupied the chair. . CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS. ; The chairman, in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, said that he was sure members would be gratified that the operations of the club during the past, season had shown a little profit, notwithstanding the fact that five of the nine days’ racing allotted to them had turned out wet. He was satisfied they would have shown a much bigger profit had' they had fine weather on Cup Day. They had been set for a good meeting. They had had good entries and good horses, and every prospect of a splendid meeting, but, unfortunately, rain had dashed their hopes. Then, at the winter meeting, they had had two bad days, so that altogether the club had been dogged

by bad luck in connection with its racing during the past season. Nevertheless, they had been able to show a profit. He thought a great deal of their success had been due to the fact that they had conducted the win and place system of betting on the totalisator. He had got their secretary (Mr L. Hill) to take out some figures regarding the system, and he thought they would prove very interesting to members. The average win dividend for the year had been £8 9s and for. a place £3 Is 6d. There were 180 place dividends paid, and of that number 31 were under 30s, 3(5 were between 30s and £2, 38 between £2 and £2 10s, 23 between £2 10s and £3, 26 between £3 and £4, and -26 over £4. They would therefore see that the • club was in all probability very wise in continuing the win and place system of betting. He had noticed that the Wellington Club was sticking to this system, and, although they had had unpropitious weather at the recent meeting there on each day, they had had a quite successful meeting. The chairman said that at the meetings, held at Wingatui during the season the racing throughout had proved very interesting, especially in the classic events, and it would be very gratifying to them to know that the entries for , the new season’s classic events were entirely satisfactory. During the year the rebate of 1 per cent, on totalisator receipts had been reduced to i P fi r cent., and this was unfortunate for the club, as it meant a reduction in their receipts of £sßo—a very considerable loss. Members, said the chairman, would be very pleased to know that during the past year the club had been able to arrange to have the grand stand reroofed, and while they were doing that .they thought it would be wise to place steps in'front of the stand and "make: some other improvements. These improvements, he was sure, would, prove a great, convenience to their patrons. The speaker referred to the extra accommodation which, would be available ■to members of the club and their lady friends, and Said that he did not think members of a, club anywhere in the Dominion could be much better catered for than the members of the Dunedin Jockey Club.' That being so, he did not think it was unreasonable for him to suggest to members the advisability of their trying to induce other people in Dunedin to support their club by also becoming members. • The' club was an institution well worthy of ;: support —it was one of the Dunedin institutions that deserved the assistance of the general public.' He thought every member of their club could present a good case in favour of membership because this was the position. The annuaT subscription was three guineas—there was no entrance fee, arid for this sum members really received in return £6 5s worth or benefits. The speaker enumerated the benefits, and went on to say that members of the club who ..decided to- attend the Melbourne Centenary Cup meeting would also have privileges extended to them. V ' ‘ . . .

■The chairman said he desired to offer the club’s best thanks to the Railways Department at Dunedin and at Wingatui for the assistance given while races were being held. They found that the officials did their level best' to make things run smoothly for their patrons. They should also offer thanks to the press for the publicity given racing matters during the year. The press had given them unlimited ispace for sporting matters. They were grateful for the publicity given them, and he would like to place their appreciation on record. The speaker mentioned the various paid officials of the club and thanked them for their services, and said that in their secretary (Mr Hill) they had a most estimable officer.

In conclusion, Mr Hanlon paid a tribute to the services rendered to the club by the late Mr E. H. Lough. He had been a member of the committee for many years, and the treasurer for some years, and he had always taken the keenest interest in the welfare of the club. He would like to place their appreciation on record.—(Applause.) Mr L. C, Hazlett seconded the motion. He said that the bad weather they had experienced on some of the days on which their meetings had been held had made a great difference in their returns. His own opinion was that had it not been for the support they had received from Southland racing men they might have suffered a heavy loss.. The Southland men turned up irrespective of weather conditions. He thought that the support given to the winter meeting especially by the Southland people and country people generally was due to the fact that they had steeplechase and hurdle events on the programme. That was the great draw. The speaker referred to the shortage or steeplechase horses, and said that now that hunt clubs like South Canterbury and Birchwood seemed'to be‘getting on then feet again they would be able to supply, more steeplechase horses for: the .events at Wingatui and enable them to include more of these races in their winter programmes. During the year the; dub had extended ' the: distance of back # races, ana at the Cup meeting and the winter meeting there were no hack events of 'a - less distance than seven furlongs. He thought this was a very good move. In hie opinion, most of the trouble in races occurred in six-fnrlong events. The horses had to go round the first turn shortly after , the start, and as a consequence a scramble for positions and interference often . occurred. _He thought they would be doing the. right, thing in havin'’ no hack races of less than seven furlongs.— (“Hear, hear.”) With fewer six-furlong races they would have much better riding, and he thought there was a great deal of bad riding. Most of their inquiries were held in connection with six-furlonp; races. Mr Hazlett-said ; that they had about another £4OO. or £SOO to put their, course in order, and'; when) the work proposed to be carried but was completed they would not be faced with further expenditure for some timp to come.—(“Hear, hear.”l He. said be would also like to pay his tribute, to Mr Lough’s worth as a member of the club. He had inaugurated the system of the club selling its own race books, and it had proved very profitable to them.— (Applause.) The motion was then put and carried. OFFICE-BEARERS.

The number nominated for the various offices did not exceed the number required, and the following were therefore elected: President, Mr A. C. Hanlon, K.C.; vice-

president, Mr' L.' C.ffsslett; committee— Messrs J. A. Cook, W. Garrett, Dr F. S. Batchelor, and Dr, K. Ross. ’ Mr G. M. Maclean was re-elected auditor. . , v " ’ ADMISSION CHARGES. Mr T. Hayes raised the question of the admission charges to, the course. ..He that the charge at the October faceting was 6s and that was also the<charge- at the Christmas meeting. At the Cup .meeting and the winter meeting the charg® was, however, 7s 6d. The ,speaker - cbmr pared the. charges with Jhose at the New Zealand. Cup and Grand NatiPnal?,matings and said he thought their, club would be wise to make-a charge of os; for each meeting. Mr Hayes 'said-.that 'he did[ oof» however, desire ■to find : fault with the stewards. He did not think ’they coiild get a better set of stewards than;th6s» of the Dunedin Jockey. Club. / ‘ A general discussion ensued,' pointed out that if members would endeavour to get others to become iP'erabey#. the stewards would' be in\a muclx position to discuss: the question - < f the admission charges. The secretary pointed 'out'. that-during the past two. years the attendance oh'the* outside enclosure . had decreased 'by'l9.oo, while the attendance, oh the inside, closure had increased by,' the same ifigute. ' This went, to prove .that for the inside enclosure had been reddCei patfons of the outside enclosure had bepn encouraged to pay-the extra amount and go to the inside enclosure. : , " ' : ;; The chairman pointed out • thatthe work on the stand had cost them £2BOO. They had managed to do that, and hb hoped that, having got that done; there would be little serious necessity for further expenditure in the meantime. He hoped that they would Be able to Increase stakes shortly. . By that means they would get better entries, and so-on, and generally their meetings would automatically improve. The question o£ the admission charges could ' then no doubt be further considered.' The chairman said he desired turn thanks for his re-election as president. He had been president’ for 15 or 16 years. They had passed through some bad times and had met some entirely l unforeseen misfortunes in the .burning down of- their grandstand and the blowing off of the roof. He,'. however, , thought that the club was now gradually improving its position, and so long as theywera disposed to stick to, him he wae prepared: to stick to, them.—(Applause.) .'They, had every prospect, he .thought, getting hack to real metropolitan, conditions under which Dunedin. Would be one ofsthflfoijT centres ,of racing and: bolding meeting# worthy of a city of 90,000 inhabitants.—fr (Applause.), . / - v Messrs' Haslett, Ross, and Garrett also, returned thanks for their re-election to the committee. On the motion of Mr V. S. Jacobs * vote of thanks to. the committee for it# work during the year was carried by acclamation.