ANNUAL MEETINGS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 270, 26 September 1895, Page 10

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB. The annual meeting of the above Club was held at Devonport on Monday afternoon, Mr E. W. Alison in the chair. The report and balancesheet were as follows :— Annual Report. In presenting the annual report and balancesheet for year ending 31st July, 1895, your committee have much pleasure in reporting that the Club has had a mgst successful season, for after providing six of Gray’s patent starting machines, telegraph house, and appliances, and also the laying on of a water supply, the net profit for the year is £428 12s 2d. During the year the Club held two meetings, two days at each meeting, each of which was most successful in every respect. The receipts for the year amounted to £3OBB 19s 7d, and the expenditure to £2660 7s sd. Your course is at present in splendid condition, but the grandstand and appointments are quite unequal to meet the wants of the public and horseowners. The existing term of lease will shortly expire, and it will be the duty of the incoming committee to so arrange that necessary improvements may be provided, and thus ensure an increase not only of accommodation but of revenue. The attendance of the public at each race meeting has been large, which goes to show that the liberal policy pursued by the club meets with public appreciation and support. Balance-sheet, 31st July, 1895. Dr.—Sundry creditors, £7773 7s; balance 31st July, 1894, £1655 18s 6d ; profit and loss account, 31st July, 1895, £428 12s 2d—£2084 10s 8d ; total, £9857 17s Bd. Cr. -— Racecourse, buildings, and sundries, £9476 7s lid ; Members’ subscriptions outstanding, £39; office furniture, £24 10s 6d; cash in bank, £244 10s 9d; cash in hand, £73 8s 6d — £317 19s 3d ; total, £9857 17s Bd. Profit and Loss, 31st July, 1895. Dr. —Stakes, £1520 ; rents and interest, £476 ; salaries and wages, £164 2s ; printing and advertising, £69 10s 6d ; refreshments and luncheons, £57 19s ; gatemen, £4l 13s 9d ; timber, etc., £8 10s ; handicapper, £25 4s; rates, £l5 16s 3d ; carting, etc., £29 16s 6d; band, £24; police, £l7 5d ; petty cash, £l5 ; clerk of course, £8 8s ; clerk of scales, £8 8s ; clerk of totalisator, £8 8s ; starter, £8 8s; delegate’s expenses, £6 ; grass seed, £4 0s sd; sundries, £l5l 185—£2660 7s 5d ; balance, £428 12s 2d ; total, £3OBB 19s 7d. Or. —Totalisator, £1640 19s 6d ; less Government tax, £282 12s 2d—£1358 7s 4d ; gates and booths, £BO4 10s 3d; nominations and acceptances, £647 10s ; rents, £25 ; fees and subscriptions, £253 12s ; total, £3OBB 19s 7d. Audited and found correct, Fredk. B. Bushill, 20th September, 1894. In moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet the Chairman said :—Gentlemen. — You will all be pleased to know that your Club has had a most successful racing season, and that the financial results are eminently satisfactory. As you will observe from the report and balancesheet just read to you the business of the Club shows a net profit of £428 12s 2d. The Club also continues to increase in popularity, the large attendance of the public at each meeting being unmistakable proof of this. On Anniversary Day the attendance was estimated at over 6000. But this increase in popularity will not be maintained unless the Club provides suitable accommodation for its patrons. The present stand and appointments are quite unequal to the patronage bestowed upon the Club by the public and horse-owners. It will therefore devolve upon the incoming committee, with your approval, to effect such improvements and alterations as will enable both the public and horse owners to obtain that comfort and convenience which their patronage and support entitles them. The cost of making suitable accommodation as indicated, will amount to a considerable sum, but-the returns will be more than proportionately increased. The course is in splendid order, and if the improvements I have referred to arc carried out judiciously, Takapuna

will, as a Suburban Club, stand unrivalled in the colony. These improvements should be undertaken as speedily as possible. As you will observe in the report, the Club adopted Gray’s patent starting machines, which have proved a decided success. This new system of starting obviates the annoyance and irritation of long delays at the post, and ensures to all horses equal opportunities for a fair start. The year 1894-95 has been an important one in the history of New Zealand racing, chiefly because of the limitation by Act of Parliament as to the number of race meetings to be held during each jear. The Act passed is considered by many to be too restrictive, and in some districts minimises the number of meetings beyond that which is in the best interests of racing; still, as a whole, the reduction of meetings meets with general favour, as it overcomes the objections that too many race meetings existed, or were being created. Last year for the Auckland province 35 totalisator permits were granted for horse race meetings, this year the number is reduced to 23. There will now be barely sufficient local meetings to support horseowners, for, outside the Metropolitan club, there will be only eight meetings held within a 70 mile radius of Auckland, in which are included South Auckland and Thames. As you are all doubtless aware, the last racing conference was a most important one, being the first held at which country clubs were represented. I had the honour of being elected the representative of country clubs for Auckland district, and succeeded in carrying six out of .nine motions of which I had given notice, among the most important being those pertaining to the Jockeys and Trainers Provident Funds, w’hich were carried as follows : —“ That all moneys received by clubs for penalties and fines imposed upon jockeys, and jockeys’ registration fees, shall be placed to the credit of a Jockeys’ Provident Fund.” Carried. “ That all moneys received by Metropolitan Clubs for trainers’ licenses shall be placed to the credit of a Trainers’ Provident Fund.” Carried. “ That all moneys placed to the credit of a Jockeys’ Provident Fund or a Trainers’ Provident Fund shall be annually accounted for by the Metropolitan Clubs, and a printed statement showing the receipts and expenditure and investments of all moneys shall be submitted at the annual meetings of such clubs.” Carried. “ That all penalties and fines inflicted on jockeys and trainers by country clubs shall be forthwith remitted to the treasurer of the Metropolitan Club, and shall, together with the funds derived from similar penalties and trainers’ and jockeys’ registration fees by the Metropolitan Club of the district, be then available for cases in which relief is decided to be given by Metropolitan Clubs.” Probably through some oversight these resolutions were not given effect to by the Auckland Racing Club, but I understand will be adjusted and carried out in the future. Metropolitan clubs should be most careful not to ignore the decisions of the Conference. The vexed question of added money was dealt with by the Conference, and a reduction made, with a provision that this rule should only apply to holding meetings distant at least 20 miles from a metropolitan district. This is a provision which presses heavily on some suburban clubs, and is quite unnecessary, now the number of meetings is fixed by Act of Parliament. By the existing regulations, as to added money, the majority of suburban clubs require everything in their favour to be financially successful. If the weather is unpropitious, or from other unforseen circumstances, the meeting is not completely successful, then a loss is incurred, and the club has difficulty in meeting its liabilities, and is precluded from making such improvements as are really necessary. For many reasons, the rule passed should have a general application, and I intend to move to that effect at the forthcoming conference. It is now generally admitted that it was a wise action on the part of metropolitan clubs to allow country clubs to be represented on racing conferences, and will produce a feeling of confidence which will tend to ensure co-operation and harmonious working. An important proposal, which will be considered at the next conference, to be held in November, is for the conference to annually appoint a committee of seven, to act as a court of appeal during the recess ; also, that a destrict racing committee of seven be appointed, four to be elected by the metropolitan clubs, and three by the country clubs. Such committees to exercise all the functions at present devolving upon the metropolitan clubs, under the rules of racing. These proposals have a most important bearing, but are not approved by some metropolitan clubs. I favour the proposals, because a court of appeal would prevent the imposition of any unjust decision, and country clubs would have a voice in respect of all important matters affecting their clubs and racing business generally. I fear I am trespassing on your time in respect to conference matters, so will pass on to another important question —that is, the retention of the totalisator. It is most amusing to listen to a certain section of the community who denounce gambling and condemn an investment on the totalisator ; and yet these persons gamble on the mining exchange to an enormous amount. They somehow persuade themselves into the belief that they are not gambling, they are merely investing; but I have no hesitation in saying that the mining exchange is a far greater gamble than the totalisator. Further, if the totalisator were abolished, then the bookmaker would take its place, and the gambling results would be far more injurious to the community. Strange to say, in Victoria there has been a strong clamour for the introduction of the tolalisator, whilst here there has been a clamour for its abolition. There can be no doubt of this, the totalisator goes a long way to ensure honest racing, and that feature exists throughout New Zealand, which in this respect will compare favourably with any part of Australasia. The Club is authorised by the Racing Conference to hold three meetings annually, and it will, therefore, be the duty of the incoming committee to issue the season’s programme with as little delay as possible. I should mention that the establishment of telegraphic communication on to the

course has proved a great convenience to the public and to the press, and so also has the laying on of a water supply. In conclusion, I feel it my duty to say a few words respecting the Club’s chief officials, who have each performed their duties in a capable and complimentary manner, and to whom the best thanks of the Club are due. With these remarks I have much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr J. Mays seconded the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, which were adopted. The following gentlemen were elected as members of the committee for the ensuing year:— Messrs E. W. Alison, A. Alison, R. H. Duder, F. Wells, W. Adams, J. Mays, W. Avenall, Geo. Lankham, W. J. Ralph. Votes of thanks to the outgoing committee, officers, and to the chairman for presiding, concluded the meeting.