WAIRIO JOCKEY CLUB

Southland Times, Issue 23648, 25 October 1938, Page 11

WAIRIO JOCKEY CLUB

INCREASE IN STAKES SYSTEM OF TOTALIZATOR WORK DISCUSSED The annual meeting of the Wairio Jockey Club was held in the Wairio Public Hall. Mr T. Todd presided. The annual balance-sheet was adopted. ( The committee was congratulated on the collection of outstanding fees, some of which had been owing for nearly 10 years, it was stated. The following officers were elected: President, Mr T. Todd (re-elected); vice-presidents, Mr C. Keen (re-elect-ed); treasurer, Mr J. A. Steans; committee, Messrs J. Egan, A. G. Brown and A. Ballagh, sen. It was decided to elect Mr M. Egan a life member of the club and to send him a letter of appreciation.. Mr Egan had retired from racing after being a member of the club for 36 years. The election of stewards for the season resulted as follows:—Messrs J. A. Flynn, J. Hogan, J. A. Beck, R. Kirkpatrick, J. Blackwell, J. O’Brien, S. J.x Collie, M. O’Brien, J. Duncan, B. Rushton, jun., M. Egan, T. Duncan, P.. Stevenson, J. A. Forde and A. Valli. It was decided to recommend the committee to adopt again the present system and organization of the totalizator.

At a meeting of the committee it was decided to increase the stakes to £lOOO, including trophies for all events in the meeting.

Officials were appointed as follows:— Handicapper, Mr C. E. Hassell; starter, Mr C. Geiseler; judge, Mr W. Forde. The distance of the steeplechase event is to be reduced from about two and aquarter miles to about two miles. SOCIAL EVENING A social evening was well attended. Mr J. A. Beck proposed the toast of “Kindred Racing Clubs.” Replying on behalf of the Wairio Trotting Club, Mr M. Gardiner said he hoped the membership of the jockey and trotting clubs might be combined. Mr C. Keen responded on behalf cf the Birchwood Hunt Club, which had been founded in 1886, he said. Mr R.

Brown replied for the Otautau Racing Club.

Mr A. J. Brown proposed the toast of “The Wairio Jockey Club.” During its 53 years existence the club had built up a reputation of which to be proud, he said. In 13 years it had paid £10,009 in stake money, £lO,OOO in taxes and £lOOO in wages. He complimented the officials and committees, past and present, upon their work, which had made the jockey club meeting equal, if not superior, to any one-day hack meeting in the Dominion.

The president replied. Mr A. Ellis proposed the toast of “Owners and Trainers.” Mr B. Rushton, sen. and Mr M. O’Brien replied on behalf of the owners, and Mr P. J. Creegan on behalf of trainers. The president proposed the toast of the “Farming Community.” Messrs D. McLean, J. Walsh and W. McColl replied. The toast of “The Coal Industry” was proposed by Mr A. Ballagh, sen. Messrs R. Murray, J. Duncan and J. McKenzie replied. Mr W. A. Saunders proposed the toast of “The Press.” Messrs H. Sherman and J. Thomson replied. The toast of “The Secretary” was proposed by Mr M. O’Brien. Mr Saunders replied. The toast of “The President of the Club” was proposed by Mr W. A. Saunders, who spoke of the debt, after 36 years of service, which the club owed Mr Todd. Mr Todd replied. Musical items were presented by Messrs A. Raffles, M. Gardiner, J. Hogan and T. Todd. Community singing was enjoyed.