ANNUAL MEETINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 113, 22 September 1892, Page 8

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

Takapuna Jockey Club.

The full text of the Committee’s report, balance-sheet, and chairman’s statement submitted at the annual meeting of the members (of which only a precis appeared in last week’s Sporting Review) are appended. The Committee’s report read : — In submitting the annual balance-sheet for the year ending July 31st, 1892, your Committee regret they cannot congratulate you on so successful a season as the one previous. During the past season three meetings have been held, making five days’ racing. The Summer Meeting was extended to three days. Your Committee are pleased to record the increasing popularity of your Club, as shown by the receipts being £3,639 2s. Bd., as against £3,122 18s. lod. for the previous year, being an increase of £516 4s. Bd. Although an increase in the business of the Club has been made, they regret to state that the expenditure has exceeded the receipts, and a loss of £136 17s. 6d. in the year’s operations has resulted, owing to the increase of stakes made from £1,605 5 s. to £2,113 15s. and the deduction of the Government tax of ij per cent, from 10 percent. Your Committee had intended to move in the direction of erecting better accommodation, but owing to an unsuccessful season they did not proceed with the improvement as expected. The saddling paddock has, however, been enlarged, and the extension has proved to be most convenient. Your course is now in excellent condition, having been carefully improved and looked after during the winter. It has also been well top-dressed, and there is at present an excellent sward of grass. The want of a training track is much felt by trainers in your district, and your Committee recommend that as the track laid down some time ago is sufficiently hardened to Work—upon that it be put into proper order as soonasthe weather is suitable, and that a fee for using same be charged to all horse owners, to assist in paying cost of maintenance. The balance-sheet read thus: — Dr.—Sundry creditors, £7,695 iss ; Takapuna Stakes, 1893, £2l ; bank overdraft, £3B 18s lod ; balance, £1,533 is 4d ; total, £9,288 15s 2d. Cr. —Racecourse property, buildings, etc., £8,664 ios 3d; office furniture, £24 ios 6d ; sundry debtors, £399 15s gd; cash in hand, £ 199 18s 6d ; total, £9,288 15s 2d. Profit and Loss Account. —Expenditure: Stakes, £2,113 *S S 5 rents and interest, £476 ; printing and advertising, £125 ss; totalisator tax, £278 15s 4-d; salaries and wages, £315 16s; sundries, £"329 iis 4d. Total, £3,639 2s Bd. Receipts: Totalisator, £1,670 7s 8d ; nominations and acceptances, £833 ios; gates, booths, cards, etc., £Bl2 15s 6d ; sale of horses, members’ subscriptions, etc., £lB5 12s; balance, £136 17s 6d. Total, £3,639 2s Bd. The chairman (Mr. E. W. Alison), in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, said :— It is cause for regret that the financial position of the club has not been improved by the past season’s operations. Three meetings were held, at which, according to the Rules, an average of £4OO per diem was given as added money. The last day’s racing at the Club’s Summer Meeting was unsuccessful, owing to the action of the Metropolitan Club holding an extra race meeting on the following Saturday. The A.R.C. had, as usual, issued its programme for 1891-99, shortly after their annual meeting, in which programme five meetings were published, and the days on which they were to be held. It is expressly stipulated in the rules of racing that “no club shall hold more than 5 race meetings in any season,” so that our Club could not anticipate, nor could it be expected, that the A.R.C. would deliberately infringe so positive and important a rule. The rule admits of no doubtful interpretation, and that it was infringed is admitted by the A.R.C. in its annual report, which says, “during the past racing season six meetings were held.” The Metropolitan Club should be an example to minor clubs, and should be consistent and praiseworthy in its actions. However, the Metropolitan Club have decided that the Rides of Racing are only intended to apply to minor clubs—that it is not bound or governed by its own rules. It was urged at the annual meeting that the extra meeting was a special one in honour of the departure of Lord Onslow —this year an excuse may be found to enable the club to hold a sixth meeting, in contravention to the Rules, that when Earl Glasgow visits Auckland a race meeting be held to welcome his arrival; and next year possibly some other excuse may be found. At any rate, through the inconsistent action of the A.R.C. the Takapuna Club made a serious loss on the Summer Meeting—the extra meeting was held so soon after, and horse owners could not race with advantage at both places. I regret to see a desire on the part of the Metropolitan Clubs to “ wipe out ’ ’ as many of the subordinate clubs as they can. The recent decisions of the Conference at Wellington—at which it was decided that clubs holding one day’s racing should give £l5O, two meetings £3OO, and three meetings £SOO in stakes

per diem—is clear evidence of the desire of the big’ clubs to quelch lesser ones. Now it is, and generally admitted that it is, necessary to curtail the number of race meetings- that is desirable in the interests of all connected with racing and of the public. It is not desirable, either, that a people should indulge too freely in sports and pastimes ; nevertheless it is necessary there should be a certain number of legitimate suburban and country meetings. A majority of the horses which run at Ellerslie do not win a race, but the same horses are successful at minor meetings. A limited number of legitimate, well-conducted suburban and country meetings should be fostered and encouraged, as such are really feeders, and tend to maintain the Metropolitan Club. That being so, is it not better to the interest of all concerned that these approved, well-regulated subordinate clubs should be able to conduct their meetings with financial success ? If successful, these clubs expend their profits on improvements on their courses and surroundings - which secures, consequently, mutual advantages to horse-owners and the racing public. If unsuccessful, these conveniences and advantages cannot be provided, and higher charges will be imposed where practicable. For instance, is it not better for all if the T.J.C. meetings are a financial success? Our course, a most costly oue to make, is now in splendid order and a credit to Auckland —that could not have been done if the Club had not been financially successful. Your committee recognised the necessity for erecting a new grandstand and conveniences at an estimated cost of £ISOO. But in the face of an unsuccessful season last year, combined with being compelled to give an additional £lO 0 a day in stakes and to pay a State tax of 1J per cent., it seemed to be quite impossible to provide such improvements as the Club are most anxious the public should have. As far as the T.J.C. is concerned, the public show their appreciation of the Club’s management by attending in such large numbers. There are hundreds of persons who attend our meetings who attend no other, and the meetings are undoubtedly the most popular around Auckland. The public enjoy the short sea trip, and appreciate the liberality of our Club in providing a good day’s sport, properly conducted, at a low cost—such as arranging a through ticket, including return fare and admission to course at one shilling, and deducting only 10 per cent, from the totalisator. Would it not be far better that the Metropolitan Club should decide exactly how many meetings should be held during a racing season, and only pass the programmes which they approved, the amount to be given in stakes to be dependent upon the number of meetings held by a club, the added money not to exceed an amount the club could profitably afford, and to insist that such profits should be expended on improvements on courses and surroundings ? The plea urged by the Auckland Racing Club that they wish to limit racing is not borne out —v by that Club, as during the past two years they •added an extra meeting in the spring and an extra day in the winter. That does not seem as if there was a desire to restrict the number of race meetings. The Metropolitan Clubs take a one-sided view of matters, viz., how will it suit ourselves ? and so it will continue to be unless suburban and country clubs obtain some representation at conferences where-ra.cing m.les are considered. Through their arbitrary action the A.R.C. have established a pony and trotting Metropolitan Club over which they have no control, and the probabilities are the recent arbitrary decisions re added money will tend to further establish trotting and pony racing. The incoming committee will doubtless endeavour to hold three race meetings this season, but the public cannot expect that improvements can be made to a large extent, and will be good enough to remember, I trust, that the Club is not in fault, as it would be generally conceded to be most injudicious to h; mper the Club with a big indebtedness without the prospect of being able to pay off the liability. Still I would strongly advocate and recommend the incoming committee to make all the provision that can advisably be made in respect of improved stand accommodation. With these remarks I have much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report and balancesheet.