WHAT TOTALISATOR SYSTEM?

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21360, 1 June 1939, Page 14

WHAT TOTALISATOR SYSTEM?

Members Object to Change Over Discussion by Geraldine Club Whether the club should continue its present system of win and place betting or revert to the single pool system was freely debated at the annual meeting of the Geraldine Racing Club on Tuesday night. A motion proposed by Mr A. South was refused by the chairman (Mr D. Macdonald), and a recommendation moved by Messrs C. Stock and A. H. Bates that the club revert to the single pool system was defeated by 28 votes to 27. Mr A. South, who introduced the discussion, said the system of betting had been changed by the committee in a sneaking sort of manner. The club should revert to the single pool method and he thought that it should never have changed to the present system. He would like members to vote on what system should be adopted. He moved that the club revert to the single pool system.

This motion was seconded by Mr W. T. Turner. Mr A. J. Burmester: Mr South has said the committee put the change through in a sneaking sort of manner. That is not true. We can see day by day clubs reverting to the win and place. As far as members are concerned it is opened for discussion. There had been nothing sneaking about it. We have got to think of the public as well.

The chairman said he was surprised at Mr South, as a member of the committee, bringing the matter up. It had been threshed out by the committee, and most of the members were in favour of the change to the win and place system. The last meeting had been a successful one, and the public appeared to appreciate the change. “Not Fair and Square”

Mr South said he maintained the thing had not been put through fair and square. A big change over like that should have been threshed out at an annual meeting. The Foxton Club was up on its totalisator takings on the old system. The bigger clubs, he said, had win and place because it was something new for the town people. Mr Burmester said the win and place system was the best way of keeping the money on the course. Seventy-five percent. of the money on the other system was going through illegal channels. He for one had no objection to a vote being taken on the matter.

Mr J. C. South said he thought they should take a vote on the system. If they did not allow the members a say at the annual meeting, then it was not worth their while coming along. The club had experienced a good year, but it must also be remembered that the previous one had been handicapped by the weather. As one of the committee he thought they should get a guide from the members of the club. Motion Not Accepted In reply to Mr C. Gimson, who asked if the change over had Incurred much expense, the chairman said it had been made at little expense. He would take Mr South’s proposal as a recommendation but not as a motion.

Mr A. South: Where do you get that rule from?

The chairman: Rule 31 says the affairs and general business of the club shall be conducted by the committee. Mr South: Then why do we have an annual meeting. The chairman: To take recommendations. I will take a recommendation but not a motion.

Mr J. C. South: This is not general business.

Mr W. T. Turner said he thought the members certainly should have a say in the matter.

Mr Macdonald said he always gave the members a say. There were only about 60 out of 200 members present, and they did not consist of a majority of the members.

Mr A. South: They represent the club.

The chairman said that they should take a postal vote of all the member on the question. If it had to go to the members then every member should have a say. They should not make a definite decision that night.

Mr John South said it was the annual meeting and the only say they had. The chairman: I will not take it as a motion without every member of the club having a say. Mr A. South: If you don’t like to take my motion you can leave it. You had better leave the chair if you will not take a motion. Mr J. D. McKechnie said that as one who had been in favour of the change he would like to point out that the club had been dragging the chain in the past, and the committee had though' better to adopt the win and place system. It had been a great success. Mr J. C. South said that as a oast president he objected to the remarks that the club had been dragging the chain and drifting. All knew that during the depression the club had kept its stakes up when every other club in the country had brought them down. Mr A. South: The year before we experienced two wretched days, and last year two perfect days. Only £2OOO more had been put through the totalisator last year. The chairman said he would like to hear more discussion from the members. Most of the talk had come from members of the committee. Mr W. C. Crotty asked if a postal vote was taken would they abide by its decision?. The chairman said he did not think it fair to take the proposal of Mr South’s as a motion, when there was not a third of the members present. If Mr South would move as a recommendation then it would be in order. Mr A. South: Where do you get the almighty power from? Are you a Hitler or Mussolini? (Laughter).

Messrs G. Fletcher, W. J. Quirke and J. C. Bisdee said although they did not altogether agree with the present system. they would vote for it for the good of the club.

The recommendation reported at the beginning cf the report was then moved and defeated by one vote.

Before commencing the business of the meeting the chairman referred to the death of Mr A. P. Barklie, who had been legal adviser to the club and also a keen lover of horses. A motion of sympathy with his relatives was carried in silence.

In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Mr Macdonald said the last meeting had been a very successful one. The good finishes and the large acceptances were a tribute to the handicapper. The year had ended with a credit of £415. He had always been a strong believer in a good reserve fund, and the club would never be far wrong in having one. Racing was in the boom at the present but they never knew the day when they would need that reserve. He extended thanks to all who had helped to make the year a successful one. Mr J. D. McKechnie, who seconded the motion, said the club was to be congratulated on the outcome of its work. In spite of the loss in the previous year the club was £692 better off over the two years. He expressed a hope that in the near future that the club would be allowed a further race day at Geraldine.

“Is there nothing in the balancesheet of the Trustees’ Account?” asked Mr A. South. “Is there nothing coming forward?” The secretary (Mr W. F. Evans) said that after the last annual meeting he had communicated with the Minister of Internal Affairs, who had replied that the club was entitled to receive a copy of the balance-sheet. The Minister stated that he had arranged for the president to see one. The chairman: I have seen last year’s one, but not this year’s. Election of Officers Tire election of officers resulted as follows: Patron, Mr B. R. Macdonald; president, Mr D. Macdonald; vice-presi-dents, Messrs G. Fletcher and C. Stock; committee, Messrs J. C. Bisdee, A. J. Burmester, G. C. Chalmers, L. J. Grant, A. G. Macdonald, J. D. McKechnie, W. J. Quirke, J. Reid, A. South and J. C. South; treasurer, Mr J. D. McKechnie, secretary, Mr W. F. Evans; auditor, Mr J. H. Lewis; life members. Messrs B. R. Macdonald, W. Quirke, C. W. Hammond, A. H. Bates, C. E. Shallcrass and W. T. Turner. Mr W. C. Crotty moved as a recommendation to the committee that the fence between the lawn and outside enclosure be removed. He said that it would be more sociable if the racing patrons were all in the one enclosure. The chairman said that the matter was already under consideration, and would be considered at the first meeting of the committee. Messrs H. L. and F. Kettle were elected new members of the club. SCRATCHINGS AUCKLAND. May 31. Sporting Song was scratched in all engagements at Auckland and Bryce Street for the Northern Hurdles at 11.15 a.m. to-day. Erination was making his first appearance since the Auckland summer meeting when he contested the Hamilton Hurdles at Te Rapa. He looked a trifle big in condition, and although he jumped as well as ever, he never looked a possibility. At the Great Northern meeting twelve months ago Erination won the big hurdles with 10.5, and at his next start finished third in the Great Northern Steeplechase. He is top weight with 11.11 and 11.13 respectively in the forthcoming Great Northern Hurdles and Steeplechase, and he will need to show improvement on his form at the Waikato meeting in order to win.

The Methven Trotting Club will run the Highband Handicap in two divisions, provided the scratchings on the day do not render this unnecessary. Each division will be worth £75. The horses have been drawn as follows: First division: Aurie’s Star, Diamond Cluster, Furnace, Grattanita, King Axworthy, Lord Brent, Nelson McFarlane, Rerekohua, Loyal Rufine, Scapa Flow, Straight, Trousseau, Tiny Ax worthy, Wexford. Second division: Brown Tap, Diviner, Ceres, Inquisition, King’s Navy, Mahoe, Raylight, Rosalind Maid, Rouge Flambe, Sterling Pointer, Swift Lady, Torere, True Guide Silk Child.

Bicolour, dam of the Auckland pacer Uenuku, which is the Maori name for “rainbow,” was a piebald mare by Mambrlno Derby and was imported from Australia by the late H. Hendricksen, who sold her to Mr J. A. Mitchell, of Palmerston North, for £lOOO. She won many races, being good in harness and saddle. Her first foal, by a racing colt, is a piebald and is being tried at Hamilton at the pacing gait. After leaving Uenuku, Bicolour died. Uenuku was a weakling when acquired by R. A. McMillan as a yearling, but in two seasons he has won eight races, and has collected just on £2OOO.