DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 51

DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. Tho annual meeting of members of the Dunedin Jockey Club was held in the club’s rooms on Monday night. The president (Sir Goo. M'Lean) occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. The President, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, said it was a very great pleasure for him to see so many members nresent. It was a very healthy sign to see such interest taken in the club. He desired to heartily congratulate the members on the position of the club. During the last year they had erected a new stand for outside enclosure patrons at a cost of £3145, and he was sure they appreciated it, particularly on the opening day of the winter meeting, which was a very cold day. The attendance on that day had been disappointing, because they had expected a bumper attendance. However, they had not done badly. The sum of £547 had been spent during the year on other improvements, and the club had subscribed to hunt clubs and agricultural societies to the extent of £129 to keep them goino- and in order that they might teach horses to jump that would eventually be seen racing nt the club’s meetings. The club was glad to give these societies support, and he hoped their numbers would be increased. — (“ Hoar, hear.”) During the year the club had given away in stakes £12,365, which was an increase of £1075 on the amount given in former years. He had no doubt that the stakes would, be fairly well increased this year. —(“ Hear, hear.”) The Dunedin Jockey Club was now the fourth largest club in the dominion, coming after Canterbury, Wellington, and Auckland, all of which were great racing centres, which Dunedin was not. People were, however, being gradually attracted to the club’s meetings, and 'they apparently appreciated the enjoyment they trot there, and which they did not get very often in other places. The investments on the totalisator had been well kept up, and had advanced a great deal. A good deal had, however, been said about the amounts that were rung up after the totalisator was closed, but ne assured the meeting that there was nothing irregular in this practice. He was satisfied that the sums which had increased the totalisator returns were these which had formerly gone to the bookmakers. “If the powers that he,” ho continued, “would only give ns a double totalisator, that would do away with the bookmakers altogether, as I am certain that it is only doubles they are thriving on now.” Continuing, he said they wore going to put in a new machine which would do away with the present eystem of ringing up money after the machine had closed down. The Auckland Club had tried this now machine. and the club - would soon hoar what it thought of .t. It could not be bought, and they would have to pay a royalty for it. It would save a good deal in the way of assistants for the club. “ It is a machine invented by a son of Bishop Julius,” said Sir George, “ and it must bo good.”—(Laughter.) Continuing, he said that now they had the double line he predicted that their patrons could rely upon getting home from the races in good time. The trains would in future get away from tho course every eiwhA "dilutes, and

people ■would get home comfortably. Thu' system was worked at Trentham, and had proved quite satisfactory, and he did not see why it should not do so here. They had carried this year nearly 2000 more people than the previous vear, and had it not been for the wretched weather on the opening day of the winter meeting the number would have been considerably more. The list of members bad been increased by 44, but it should have been 144.—(“ Hear, hear.”) He hoped that the splendid grand stand that had been erected for members would be fully occupied. If members would only bring in other members this stand would soon bo filled. He was sure they could not get a better view of the races than was available from this stand. Ho had been on most of the racecourses in England—ho did not mean the smaller ones, —and he assured the meeting that the patrons of the turf there were not catered for as they were by the Dunedin Jockey Club. Whore in England had they a stand in the outside enclosure for the people to shelter under on a cold day as they had here? He considered that racing was conducted better in New Zea■aiiu aiiiu it was m any 'part of the world. They would never hear much wrong about the conduct of the racing here. It was very pleasing to see so many competing for the vacancies on the committee. They were all good men, and it was a pity there were not places for them all. He asked the members, however, to relieve any of the candidates of promises they had made in order that they might take their places as committeemen free to enter into any discussions o-pen minded. They had never had any party system in the committee, and they did not want it —the day it made its appearance the success of the club would be in jeopardy. So far as he was concerned, he had endeavoured to make things work as smoothly as possible, and if there had been any great determination shown why anything should not be done it had not been done. Their decisions had been unanimous, and many clubs did not carry on in the samf? way. Mr Myers seconded the motion, and in doing so advocated the cause of the hunt clubs, which, ha said, gave great assistance to the racing clubs, from which came a large of the steeplechase horses.' The motion was carried. ELECTION OE OEFICEES. The following officers were elected President, Sir George MT.ean (re-elected); vice-president, Mr P. Miller; auditor, Mr G. M‘Lean. There was a ballot for the committee, resulting as follows;—Messrs James Smith 143, A. C. Hanlon 124, E. H. Lough 95, W. J. Goughian 83, W. H. L. Christie 72, R. Hudson 70, W. Gordon 64, W. Charters 57, W. Sligo 57. Only three informal votes wore recorded. The first four gentlemen were elected. If the usual practice of the committee is followed Mr Christie, who Headed the list of defeated candidates, will be elected to the vacancy on the committee caused by the elevation of Mr Miller to the vice-presi-dency. After each of the successful candidates had returned thanks for his election, and several of the defeated candidates had addressed tbs meeting, a vote of thanks was passed to the chairman, and the meeting closed/'