WILL CARRY ON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16870, 27 October 1925, Page 11

WILL CARRY ON.

P.B. TROTTING CLUB. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. The Poverty Bay Trotting Club, at last night's general meeting, decided to persevere with the effort to establish the sport strongly in the Bay, and to continue its efforts to secure a two-day permit, which would represent a big stride towards that aim. Pending the authorisation of a two-day meeting annually, the club will include two or more Hat races in its programme, and endeavor by this means, to advance the sport in the public interest. The meeting was well attended, Mr F. Tolerton, president, occupying the chair. From the tone of the discussion. it was evident that the reverse suffered by the club in connection with its last meeting, which early-morning 'rain did much to injure, had not developed pessimism among the members. The outstanding items among the receipts for the year, as shown in the statement of accounts submitted were: Balance from last season £34 16s Id, nominations £227 15s, subscriptions £176 IBs, totalisator £1265 3s 6d. stands and gates £287 Bs, privileges £52 10s, and donations £192 10s. The total receipts were £2265 16s 7d. Against this were payments which left a balance of £202 13s lOd, the principal amounts paid out being: Stakes £1125, taxes (totalisator £229 16s, dividends £413 13s) £745 6s lid, secretary £25, handicapper £lO 10s, expenses of meeting £95 ss, Trotting Conference levies £l9 ss, advertising, printing, and stationery £53 9s Bd, and general expenses £27 4s lid.

. The balance-sheet showed accumulated funds £3Ol 4s Id, and smaller liabilities aggregating £9 ss. Tho assets wore: Cash in bank and on deposit £202 13s 10d, Gisborne Racing Club £75 4s 3d, sundry debtors £5; and plant £27 11s.

“In presenting to you the annual report and balance-sheet there is not much comment necessary,” stated the president. “We certainly have to congratulate ourselves on our present financial position, not from the success of our recent meet ins. but from the generosity of some of our members, chiefly our vice-president, Mr Fisken, who donated the whole of his stakes at the meeting, amounting to £192 lCs, to the club’s funds. Special mention should also be made to the assistance renderod to the club by Mr F. floodman, who donated a valuable gold cup, competed for at the last- meeting. Your committee unanimously elected both these gentlemen life members of the club, and we trust that our action meets with the general approval of members. We should also like to mention the services of Mr H. Greaves, who ably filled the position of • honorary starter, also those of our secretary, Mr H. F. Dodd, who offered his services free, if the race meeting was not financial. A small bonus was voted to Mr Dodd, which, however, was not in keeping with the services rendered. ' The : Gisborne Racing Club also came to our help with a handsome rebate of portion of the rent. We also extend our thanks to all stewards and members who worked towards the success of the meeting. Representations have been made in the right quarter to get an extra day’s permit, but so far without success. Opportunity will be given members to discuss fully our future position. As you will see from the profit and loss figures, without the stakes which were handed hack to the club we made a loss of £79 7s 7d for the year.”

The chairman concluded with the remark that lie thought the position justified the club in endeavoring to carry on. A member asked what resources the duh had to draw upon.

The chairman replied that tliev had £277 either in the bank or upon deposit with the Gisborne Racing Club. The secretary gave additional details showing that the cash resources of the club amounted to about £3OO.

Mr Lawless suggested'that a comparison of the totalisator figures of the past two years would give an idea of the trend of the club’s affairs.

Mr Dodd stated that the totalisator receipts would be a more accurate basis of estimation. The receipts from the totalisator in 1924 were £1324, as against £1265 in 1925. The club had been unfortunate in having such a had morning on (lie occasion of their last meeting. The matter of the future activity of the dub was held over until later, the balance-sheet being adopted unanimously. The election of officers was proceeded with. Sir .Ins, Carroll. M.L.0.. and Messrs D. J. Barry, W. D. Lvsnar. M.P., K. S. Williams, M.P., A. B. Williams, H. B. Williams, J. 11Murphy, C. Neenaii,>.r. W. Nolan. G. W. Primrose, Clias. Seymour, and F. W. Goodman were elected patrons of the dub

Mr Tolorlon was proposed'for re-elec-tion as president, the nominator commenting upon the manner iit which lie had stepped into the breach when the office was tendered vacant, and his good work since that date. The nomination was unopposed, and Mr Tolorlon was re-elected unanimously. Mr It. C. Fisken was rc-deetrd vice president. The president stated that they all knew in what relation Mr Fisken had stood to the dub, not only during the past year, hut in other years. If it were not for their vicepresident’s generosity they frould hardly have been able to hojd a meeting.

The committee were elected as follows: Messrs H. Greaves, H. Jacobi, E. McDowell, L. F{ Richardson, W. H. [Smith, and A. 1). Tarr. The outgoing officers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks, on the motion of Mr Lawless, who remarked that they had pursued their duties in a thorough manner and in the right sporting spirit. The secretary, Mr Dodd, was included in the scope of the resolution, the mover remarking that, his work had been practically honorary, and highly deserving of the thanks of the club. (Applause). CLUB’S FUTURE. The chairman invited the meeting to bring forward any suggestions for the future conduct of the club’s affairs, 'lliey had made an application in the right quarters for a two-day permit, and had been promised consideration, but could not yet get anything definite. One point was in their favor, and that was that they could put a couple of flat races in the programme, and this innovation would certainly prove exceedingly helpful. It would draw many people to the ground who might not otherwise go. A member endorsed the proposal to put the Hat races on the programme, as they were not likely to get the outside trotting horses for a one-day meeting, and the Hat races would be an additional attraction for the public. In reply to a question, the president said that the inclusion of the gallops on a trotting programme was an innovation, although trots had been placed on racing programmes for a long time hack. The last Trotting Conference had agreed to allow the innovation, so long as the .Racing Conference raised no objection. The proposal was discussed with enthusiasm, Mr J. McDonald emphasising the educative value of getting racing enthusiasts to the trotting meetings, so that when eventually they secured the two-day permit they would have the public already thoroughly interested and ready to support them. Mr McDonald also suggested that this was the proper time to try for the; extra permit, and that they should “shake the tar but of the heads” to see they got it. (Laughter).

Mr Greaves thought the meeting should give the committee an indication of its sentiment regarding the most suitable date for the meeting. He understood that last year’s date had been accepted because it was tip; only one available. The secretary stated that that was so. The date provisionally applied for this year was February 12. between the two race. days.

The subsequent discussion hinged upon the possibility of fitting in tile local trotting meeting with the movements of horses between Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, and Wanganui. A recommendation to the executive was eventually made to the effect that a date be secured if possible iu January to meet the Hawke’s Bay and Wanganui meetings. There was a feeling abroad, one speaker remarked. that the three days’ racing and trottinpr was too much of a strain on the public.

Mr Greaves was jiccorded a very hearty vote of thanks for undertaking and carrying out so satisfactorily, to the club and the public, the duties of honorary starter at the recent meeting. The customary vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the business.