Sporting.

Otago Witness, Issue 1230, 17 July 1875, Page 16

Sporting.

DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB.

The annual general meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club was held at the Empire Hotel last Monday. Mr James Marshall was called to the chair. There were 14 gentlemen present. THE ANNUAL REPOUT. The annual report of the Committee and the balance-sheet were read by the Sec beta ky (Mr Sydney James). The report was as follows :—: — V our Committee report that three race meetings, under the auspices of the Ounediu Jockey Club, have beeu held during their term of otn\>-. The total receipts, including' the balance from last year, bciiitj £3842 10s, ami the expenditure £3420 13s <sd, leaving a cish balance to the credit of the Club of £415 16s Sd. Your Committee must congratulate the members upon the Miceess which ha» attended the race for the Dunedin Cup, instituted by their predecessors, and run for the second time at the annual meelinjf in March. This event nas brought together larger fields of horses than iinj other race meeting' in New Zealand ; the interest felt b}- the general public seems also on the iucreo.se, the number of Grangers from the country and from other Provinces that were present on "The Cup Day "was over 3000— indeed, the Uun> edin Cup m;iy now he looked upon as the race of the year in New Zealand.— (Hear, hear.) The sum of £05 w.is subscribed at the annual meeting for the " Benevolent Scurry." This «urn (free of all deductions) was handed over to tne Benevolent Institution. Your Committee recommend this tace to their successors as a. means of benefiting a most worthy institution.

Ymir Committee camint but feel that the accomniO' datiun for the public in the sluue of a Grand Stand is not fitted for the requirements of theCitib; as, however, they have only held the racecourse from the Forbury Park Company on :i ye.iriy tenure, they have not fflt justified in xoing to aoy jrreat expense, nor instituting a Derby or Lei;er. Should their successors be enabled to secure a lease of the Park for racing purposes for a lengthened period, a new Grand Stand and the institution of the two races alluded to should command immediate Attention.

Your Committee have pleasure in stating that the number of members qualified to vote is on the increase, beinij over 100. Your Committee have caused a new code oi rules for the Club to be compiled, which they arc of opinion will be found an improvement, and recommend the same for adoption by the momhent of the Club. In conclusion, your « omrnittee have to conj,Tatulate the members upon their present success and iKscuniary position, the assets, as will be seen by the balancesheet annexed, being £865 10s Bd, and the lmbilities nil 'The annual statement of receipts and expenditure to July 12th, 1875, was as follows : — KEOEIPTS. Balance from July, 1874 £111 4 8 BFRXB MKKTINO. Nominations, Entries, (juahficatiou Fees, &c. .. £IGO 0 0 Privileges of Kate Course .. 23(5 0 0 446 • 0 AKKVAIi MEBTINO. Nominations, Entries, (Juaiifi* tionFecs, tw 1207 2 0 Privileges of Kaco Course .. 1347 0 0 Subscriptions 8:85 13 6 2940 15 6 TRADESMEN'S .MBBTIXG. Nominations, Entries, (jualifition fees, &c 154 10 0 Privileges of Kace Course .. 190 0 0 — — «• 344 10 0 £3842 10 2 FXPENDITURE. SFfttXQ MEBTI&G. Stakes £209 12 0 Expenses 88 15 0 £358 7 0 AKN't'Ab MEKTrNO. Stakes £2004 0 0 New Fences and Plant . . 1)1 13 11 Forbury Park Co.— for use of Kace Course .. .. 300 0 0 General Expenses of the year 326 4 7 £27-21 18 6 .tradesmen's meetixo. Stakes £202 15 0 Expenses 93 13 0 — — £346 8 0 Balance in Colonial Bank . . 415 le 8 £3842 1«~2 Statement of Liabilities aud Aaiets t — MABTt.ITIES. Nil. ASSEFS. Grand Stand, Saddling 'Paddock, and'various Racing Appliances, insured for £800 .. ... .. £450 0 0 Cash in Colonial Bank . . 415 16 S ■ .6865 1« 8 Sybxrv Jambs, Secretary. Frascis Meb.van. Auditor. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. Mr James mentioned that, since the report had been approved of by the Committee, he had received a letter from the Forbury Park' Company, in which they had granted the use of the park for the coming year on the same conditions as last year ; and the subject of letting the park to the Jockey Club for a definite period was to be held over till the annual meeting of the Forbury Park Company in October. KEW RULES. The new rules of the Club were brought up for adoption. Mr jAMEti mentioned that the out-going Committee had gone very carefully through the new rules, and recommended them for I adoption by the Club. The CHAtBJfAX remarked that the rules were framed with a great deal of care, and I had been under consideration for some mouths. One of the alterations in the rules which would bear on the business of the evening was that the general meeting had' the power of electing the President, Vice-President, and Committee. Formerly the geueral meeting had only the election of the Committee, and the Committee elected the President and Vice-President, but, if the new rules were adopted, it would be for that meeting to elect the President and Vice* President. The rules were adopted. ELECTION' OF OFFICERS.

Mr John Stevenson was elected. President, and Mr George Dowse Vice-President, each without opposition. For the Committee fourteen candidates were proposed ; eleven had to be elected, and the gentlemen elected were as follow : — Messrs F. Meenan, G. Moore, J. Marshall, M'Neil, Taggart, Gourley, A. Smith, Reany, Davidson, Dodsoß, and S. G. Smith. Messrs F. Meenan and S. G. Smith were elected auditors. WANT Oi' INTEREST. On the names of some candidates, who were not present, being proposed, The Chawman' expressed the opinion that those who do not think it worth while to attend the annual meeting should not be elected, and regretted that so little interest was taken. I/ATE COMERS.. When the business of the meeting was nearly over, and more than an hour after the advertised time, a number of gentlemen put in an appearance. VOTE OV THANKS. Mr R. Wilson proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring Committee, and hoped the next committee would leave as good a balance sheet to the credit of the Club as the retiring Com* mittee had. The motion was agreed to. The Chaibmait returned thanks on behalf of the retiring Committee. He w« qujt# certain

that-the-Bame amount of energy and^attentionto business that had been displayed in the past would be shown in tKe future, aud that at file end of the year the Club would be in quite as prosperous if not in a better position. He had a proposition to make, and it was on behalf of the members of the Club to move a vote of thanks to Itheir Secretary. He did not know that there was one member of the Club, or even persons outside the Club, who would not say that one of the mainstays of the Club was Sydney James. He (the Chairman) spoke from experience. x\lr James was a man of ability and experience, who knew every detail of the business and rules of the Club, and besides his qualifications as Secretary, was a lover of field sports. He did not know a man who took a deeper interest m sporting matters than their Secretary did. He did not know a man in this community who could fill the office of Secretary so well as Mr James. The Chairman's proposal was carried by acclamation. J The customary compliment to the Chairman concluded the proceedings.