AUCKLAND TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 51

AUCKLAND TOPICS.

»t Taisoa.

Ati gust 6. Little business has been done during the past week on the Christchurch National double. Quotations have not undergone much change. Some sound judges in Canterbury who have aeen Ciuragno at work give the Auckland horse a. good chance m the Hurdle Race.

Strangles have made their appearance at training headquarters again, and two or three of the youngsters attacked are seriously affected.

The Middy, half-brother to Bluejacket, is on the training track again regularly, and there seems a fair chance of his standing enother preparation.

Owners are reminded that yearling entries for the Great Northern Foal Stakes and Thirteenth Royal Stakes close with the secretary of the Auckland Racing Club on Friday n-ext.

At the last moment the Auckland trainer J. Thorpe decided to abandon his trip to Sydney with the two colts he proposed taking across to race al Randwick. The injuries to the Soult — Hotcherina colt proved to be more serious than was at first anticipated, and the colt had to be eased in his work. The Cyreiian — Mies Annie colt ia tleo on the sick list with a baJ cold. This is bad luck for Thorpe, as both youngsters were well forward, and he had great hopes of landing a stake with them on the other side.

The annual meeting oi members of the Auckland Racing Club was held this afternoon. The Hon Mitcheleon. prepidenit. in the chair. TH-e report of the committee stated that the profit of -the four race meetings — viz., spring, suniTneT. and winter — after deducting all expenses of every character, totalled £4286 16s lid, which, after writing off the whole of the defalcation accotfot (£2412 2b 4d> 10 per cent, depreciation (i 959 17s lid), and providing a reserve fund against doubtful accounts (£150), left a balance of £764 16s 8d to be carried to capital account, a result which should be gratifying to the members. During the year the committee purchased the old show grounds at the corner of Green lane and adjoining the racecourse, an area of 17 acres, for the sum of £4150, a very valuable acquisition to the club's property, and also purchased an allotment and building at the top of Shortland street for

£1900, and had in contemplation an early removal of the dub's offices to this site. The balance sheet showed the total receipts for the year to be £9252 2s 9d, and the expenditure £8487 6s Id, leaving a credit balance of £764 16s Bd, which was carried to lie capital account, which now stands at £27,097 3s 4d. The principal receipts consisted of members subs. £1925 ; fees, etc., £377 15s, and the profits from the various meetings as follows: — Spring meeting £353 7s sd, summer meeting £3635 6s 6d, autumn meeting £1226 2e Sd, and -winter meeting £2399 lls 2d. The total assets ore £34.882 8s 4d, and the liabilities (wnich include forfeits for the various classical events) £7765 5s The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and accounts, said that extensive improvements were to be carried out at the course, m»inly in the direction of added comfort and convenience for patrons, including the adoption of the- system in v>gue in France of telephones from the Hill to the totalisator boxes to enable the public tising that portion of the course to invest their money without taking a long walk to the back of the stand. He also stated that the committee would consider the question of the club running the totes themselves, he being in favour of this course. The Teport and, accounts were then adopted.