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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 167, 5 October 1893, Page 4

The Takapuna Jockey Club, like a good many other clubs, had a deficit to show over the season’s operations at their annual meeting on Wednesday of last week. From the report and balancesheet, appearing in another column, it will be seen that £2lO 5s 4d is the amount of the club’s loss on the season — less than we expected under the circumstances. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, could not help alluding to the fact of the present stake money limit being largely responsible for the loss made by the club during the season, but, bearing in mind no doubt the fact that the Conference of Auckland Country and Suburban Clubs had elected him as their delegate and representative at the next Conference of Metropolitan Clubs, wisely restrained himself, and refrained from talking about those arbitrary acts of the self-constituted Metropolitan Clubs, etc. Even with the stake money left as it is now we believe the T.J.C. would flourish, though of course a less number of meetings would have to be held, but when, as we earnestly hope, the Country and Suburban Clubs gain the concessions they ask for, the Takapuna Jockey Club will sail along merrily with liberal bills of fare, and will be able to show at the end of the year that they have enough in hand for them to effect further improvements to their course, and in every way study the convenience of their patrons.

But the shoe has pinched not only the Country and Suburban Clubs but some of the Metropolitan Clubs, and none more so than the Dunedin Jockey Club, which has for a long time been a staunch opponent of the present stake money limit, and the roll of clubs under whose jurisdiction is indeed a large one. The Dunedin Jockey Club have just brought out their programme for the season, and no less than £770 is the reduction in the four programmes. It is hard indeed to see races like the Otago Cup reduced from 500sovs to 400sovs, the Dunedin Cup from 600sovs to 500sovs, the D.J.C. Handicap from 350sovs to 300sovs, and the Forbury Handicap from 2-50sovs to 200sovs. But this season it is evident that the high-minded sport who loves good racing, and loves it often, will have to take a back seat, and that a lot more of the L.S.D. element will be introduced into the operations of the various clubs.