TUAPEKA COUNTY JOCKEY CLUB.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVLL, Issue 4275, 14 September 1895, Page 3

TUAPEKA COUNTY JOCKEY CLUB.

The. annual meeting of the Tuapeka County Jookey Club was held in the Borough Council Chambers, Lawrence, on Thursday evening. There was a large attendance of members, a 'good many of the general public being also present. The President (Mr Hugh Craig) occupied the chair.

LIST OF MEMBERS.

The President said, before the business of the meeting was taken in hand, he would read out the names of the members of the club, and none but these could take part in the proceedings or be present at the meeting.

THE BUSINESS OP THE MEETING.

Mr Laffey asked what the meeting was called for. At the last meeting of the club, office-bearers were appointed for the ensuing year, and all the other business customary on the occasion of an annual meeting was also transacted with the approval of the President, and under such circumstances he could not see what could be the object of calling the present meeting. It seemed to him an extraordinary proceediug.

The President replied that the last meeting was illegal. He had himself, during the proceedings, taken exception to the legality of the last meeting.

Mr Laffey : But you allowed the business to proceed aud confirmed the proceedings. It was your own ruling. What authority is there now to declare the meeting illegal ? The President said he would admit he had got into a trap. He should admit that ; but the fact was they had conducted their business right along from the start in a slipshod mauner, and accordingly the business at the last meeting was not, speaking in the legal sense of the term, conducted as it should have been. It was, therefore, time that a different and a more regular method of conducting the affairs of the club was begun. Unless they did so, something might crop up that would put them in a corner. Their duty should be to get on a sound working basis, and that, too, as soon as possible.

Mr Laffey : Then if you have been carrying on illegally from the outset, there can now, strictly speaking, be no member of any legal standing in the club.

The President said he admitted things were not carried out as they should have been. The fact was they were anxious to get all the money they could. But it was very clear that at the last meeting people voted who were not members ; and even people who paid their subscription on the night of the present meeting would not be allowed to vote. Their meetings should in future be conducted under the rules of the Dunedin Jockey Club. Mr J. T. Nichols said if that were done there could clearly be no meeting held that evening, nor could members be elected. They could only be proposed. If it was intended to commence on a new basis, and work in future under the rules of the Dunedin Jookey Club, all they could do that evening was to propose members and meet and ballot for them on a future evening.

Mr Oudaille thought they should abide by what had been done at the last meeting. He considered it was altogether out of place to ask them to unreservedly accept the Dunedin Jockey Club's rules. Many of those rules did not at all apply to the circumstances of the local club. It was folly for them to attempt to put themselves on 'a "par" witlTth'e* Dunedin club, and that was ■ exactly-what they would be doing by adopting their rules. The drawing up of a code of rulwfor the guidance of their club was a matter that should be left to a committee of members r who were acquainted with the circumstances and the position of the club.

Mr Laffey said it was altogether impracticable to think of conducting a country club under the rules of a metropolitan racing club. In the first place, the membership fee' of the Dunedin club was three guraeas, and it was out of the question to expect such a fee in their club. There was no advantage that he could see to be obtained by re-establishing the club. He recommended as the best course that things should be left as they were at last meeting and a suitable code of rules drawn up for the future conduct of the club's business.

Mr Oudaille thought the Dunedin Jockey Club or any other club had no right whatever to dictate to them as to how they should conduct their meetiugs. If the members of the club were wise, haying never previously worked under any rules, they should agree to the business done at last meeting and leave it to a committee to draw up rules, so that there should be no bother in future. He would move: "That. .this meeting abide by the business transacted at last meeting of the club." Seconded' by Mr Laffey and carried. Mr Gibson then took his seat at the table as secretary.

THE BX-SECBETABY.

The President said he had received a letter from Mr O. Potts, the club's late secretary, in which he stated that he would no longer remain a member of the club.

The letter was received, and on the motion of Mr Robertson, seconded by Mr B. Hart, it was decided that Mr Potts be thanked for his services as secretary to the club.

CODE OP BULES.

Mr Laffey proposedand Mr Nichols seconded: "That a -committee, consisting of Messrs Oudaille, B. Hart, the President, and Secretary, be authorised to draw up a code of rules, and that same be submitted to the club at its next ordinary meeting." — Carried.

THAT GUINEA.

Mr Laffey asked the number of members enrolled at last meeting. The President said he had reoeived from the late secretary four guineas as members' fees taken at last meeting.

Mr Laffey said Mr Potts put down his own fee of a guinea, and so did four other members, so that the President should have received five guineas.

The President: You don't mean to say I stuck to the other guinea ?— (Laughter). Mr Laffey : Oh, not at all ; nothing of the kind. Only I am aware that four of those who paid their subscriptions at the last meeting were members and are here to-night, and I was curious to know what became of Mr Potts' guinea — whether he withdrew it since ?

The President said that all he knew of the matter was that Mr Potts had only given him four guineas.

A member : Evidently Mr Potts' guinea retired along with him.— (A laugh.)

DEFAULTING MEMBEBS.

Mr Laffey moved : " That the Secretary go through the books of the club and prepare for next meeting a list of the names of those members who have been defaulters for the last two or three years." He might say that there was a feeling prevalent both among the members of the club and the general public that there were certain members who had not paid any subscription for years past. If that were true, it was very unfair, and the report he asked for should be brought up. If those members had paid he should be pleased to know it, and if theyiiad net, he hoped means would be taken to compel them to do so. The President said the moment a man ceased to pay he ceased to be a member ; but there was no such thing as being a defaulter. As for himself he had always paid his subscription,

Mr Oudaille said Mr Laffey's intention was quite clear. He wanted to know whether any persons had been acting as members without paying their annual subscription. It was a very proper thing to know ; but as they were going to make a fresh start, he would ask Mr Laffey not to proqeed farther, , Mr Laffey having agreed to withdraw his I motion, the matter was allowed to drop.

IMPBOVING THE GBOTJNDS.

The President stated it would be a great improvement if a dozen seats were erected on the hill for the convenience of the public and also a belt of macraearpa trees planted on the top of the hill against the fence. The effect of the latter would be not only to provide shelter but also to compel people, by shutting

out a view of the racing, to come inside the enclosure.

Mr Oudaille stated he had moved at a recent meeting of the Domain Board that a number of seats be placed on the hill by the Board, and that it was decided to do so. The President stated he had got an intimation that the Domain Board was in future going to charge fivo guineas a year for the racecourse. He merely mentioned the matter to the meeting, and no doubt another opportunity would be taken for discussing the subject. This was all the business.