SPORTING NOTES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 59, Issue 4219, 4 December 1939, Page 5

SPORTING NOTES

ALEXANDRA CLUB’S EXPERIENCES. AS REVEALED IN THE MINUTE BOOK. Recently we were able to publish - some extracts from the minutes of the old-established Alexandra Racing ’ ’ Club, covering the period front October, 1900, to the end of 1906. Keen interest has been manifest, and several requests for more info motion have come to hand. 'The reference, etc., to the election of Mr W>. Chap* -- pell as the club’s first life member was questioned, and inspection-of the ”. minute book perhaps confirms the suggestion thaj: there were some members so honoured earlier than Mr Chappell. In a fly-leaf of the book is written: “List of Life Members: Worthington, G. Miles, A. Ormsby, W. Chappell, W. Searancke, W. G. Moon, G. Hodgson, Sir F. W. Lang.” but there is no date given, and the entry is obviously- in three different handwritings. Mr T. Seecombe presided at the annual meeting held on 10th August, 1907, when the balance-sheet showeu ' a credit of £29 15s lOd. Mr Skuse was promoted to president, and Messrs Lang and Greenslade became joint patrons, with Messrs W. H. Grant, E. 1. Miller, and A. Higgins as vice-presidents. The following committee was appointed: Messrs John Closey, W. G. Macky, A. Rennie, J. A. Ormsby, T. Corcoran, F. Turner, T. Steel, Sidney Ormsby, W. Armstrong, C. Reynolds, J. Hodgson, Jos. - Hodgson, McAuliffe, W.. McConnachie, L. Macky, R. Hall, J. Randall, and W. Bell. In July, 1907, it was decided to convene a special general meeting re a notice to abandon that year’s race meeting owing to lack of interest, the funds in hand to be given to the Waikato Hospital. However, a pro- ■ ’ gramme was prepared, offering £37 for six events. The special meeting on 14th September unanimously rejected the motion to abandon the race meeting. It was agreed that all the horses competing in the Ladies Bracelet be ridden by gentleman riders, and the Maiden Hurdles was inserted in the programme in place of the Forced Handicap. There must have been a keener interest displayed, for the total stake offering was increased to £54. Further, the usual fee for the publican’s booth was £5, but this time an offer of £lO was made and accepted. At the February meeting the committee instructed the secretary to write to the Domain Board re the club’s right to the racecourse. It was decided to introduce -a Sires’ Produce Stakes event for the meeting in 1919, for all foals bred in the counties of Waipa, Kawhia, Waikato, Raglan, Waitomo, and Awakino; the race to be run under the forfeit system of 5s per year, w-ith subscriptions from nominated sire owners and £lO donation by the club. The balance-sheet presented at the annual general meeting on sth August, 1908, showed a credit of £54 12s Bd. Practically all the old officers were re-ejected, but there was a keen contest for the committee and stewards. It was decided to erect a judge's box and a stewards’ stand at the course.

The annual meeting for 1909 approved a programme providing folfl? for seven events, and decided that bookmakers must pay a fee of Tiot" ' less than £2O for the right to operate on the course. • Members for the season 1909-1910 . were shown as: T. Brown, C. Rey-,,.. _ nolds, J. Le Seuer, Empson, R. T. Seccqmbe, J. Middlebrook, G. M. A. Ahier, M. S. Laurie, R. Brown, Abbott, Baker, J. Jackson, J. Bathurst, C. T. Rickit, J. Kay, C. Beere, Aubin Ahier, J. K. Sutherland, W. Robinson, D. Bruce, Wi. G. Mackv, T. Steel, W. Bell, W. Beet, E. Beet, James, W. Lorenz, F. Dood, Sid Ormsby, J. Riley, Snr., H. Riley, Hinton, J. Riley, Jnr.. J. Prince, A. L. Higgins, A. H. Knight, R. P. Ryder. A. Ormsby, D. Turnwald, Mexted, C. E. Grace, W. Sim, W. Scott,. F. Ryburn, C. Munro, Geo. Clark and Sons, W,. Simpson, E. McAuliffe, Bert Beere, C. Finch, W. Tamaki, H. Death, H. Turner, Geo. Williams, T. C. Grace, J. Alleh, A. Higgins, A. Knight. The annual meeting of 1912, held. on November 3rd, was presided over by Mr J. K. Sutherland, and also present were Messrs T. Brown, W. Robinson, W. Sim, C. C. Berry and. . T. Seecombe —a small attendance for an annual meeting. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £l46—very satisfactory. It was decided to hold no race meeting for 1912. The next entry in the minute-book is July 26th, 1913, the annual meeting, when there were present Messrs Sutherland, E. Beet, T. Seecombe, T. Brown, C. Reynolds, H. Reilly, J. Reilly, W. G. Sim and A. W. Jones. It was decided to hold a Boxing Day race meeting, and Mr Sim was elec- ’ ted secretary. Mr E. I. Miller was elected president, and the vice-presi dents were Messrs C. Alexander, F. Quin, T. McGovern, J. Hodgson, W. McCarthy, H. 0. Death and F. Potts.' - The starter -was Mi- E. B. Walker, Mr- - Hodgson judge, Mr J. Reilly clerk of shales, and the following committee:. , Messrs J. Reilly, Brown, C. Grace, A. W. Jones, Seecombe, Reynolds, Whitten and Sim; stewards, Messrs Lin. M?,eky, W. Searancke, C. C. Berry, ;. W. Chappell, D. Bruce, A. W. Jones, H. Corcoran, J. Reilly, J. Kay and W. G. Moon. It was at this meeting that Mr Tom Brown was appointed gatekeeper, a position he held for many years, in recognition of which the an-, nual meeting of 1939 made him a life member.