ASHBURTON RAGING CLUB.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1856, 13 June 1888, Page 2

ASHBURTON RAGING CLUB.

The annual general meeting of the Ashburton Racing O!ab was held at the Club's Room last evening, Mr 0. W. Purnell, Chairman, presiding. BEPORT. The Committee's report was read as follows :— Your Committee congratulate the Club on the Bfitlsfaotory etate of Its fiaances. ' The balanc3 sheet jast read shews that though at the commencement of the acaion there was a considerable balance to the debit side, yet at the end we are able to Bhow a surplus of £167- oath In Bank, and against whloh there are no liabilities. As usual two meetings have been held daring the season, viz, spring and autumn, both of whloh produced satisfactory results. Yonr Committee are of opinion m the present state of sffatrs that encouragement should be given to local owners by having distriot racet, and during their term ol oHoo they have given effect to this m a greater degree than hat hitherto been done. So many race meet* iogn are now held In almost every part of the country, that unless large stakes are offered there is no Inducement for horse owners to travel outside their own distriot j the consequence is that open races as a rule are not well contested. This has a material effeot on horse racing proper, and cmnot tend to improve the breed of horses. The totalleator no doubt to a great extent has brought this about, and by its indiscriminate use has considerably lowered the standard o£' raoe meetings. Without going into the question at length your Committee earnestly hope m the interest of true sport that laws will be made restricting Ita use. Your Committee have had In view many improvements m the raoeooarae, snob, as enlargement of saddling paddock" and lawn, more horse boxes, etc., but thought it prudent to delay the matter. In conclusion they trust -that ; their year .of management meeta with your approval. The Chairman, In moving the adoption of the report and balance-Bheet, referred .to' the very aatlsfaotory position of the Club's finances. It would be seen that jmt of a net Income of £1220, the aunt of £766 103 had been given In stakes, so that horae oirners had no reason to complain of the liberality of the Club. The patronage of the public had not, however, been auoh as the members had a right to expeot. They gave a great deal of time and trouble, * for which they reoelved no pecuniary benefit, and they hadevery right to erpeat better aupport from the sporting public. He entirely agreed with the paragraph m the report In regard to the totaliuator, and he blamed the Government for having done nothing to prevent the abuse of the machine. The Act evidently Intended, by making provision for licenses, to pUoa aome restrictions on its use, but the spirit of the clause was overriden and licenses were given to any body of iqeu who liked to get up a raoe meeting. - ''■ , .Mr Stltt seoonded the adoption of Jtha report, and the motion was unanimously •greed to, OTFIOBRB, ■ The eleotlon of officers was then pro-* ceeded with and resulted as follows :— • Preaident, Mr U. G. Wright} Vioa-Presl. dent, Mr J; Grlgg ; Stewards, Messrs Lyttelton, Denshire, J. 0. N. Qrlgg, Orlap, H. Friedlander/Reld, Df Twe«d j Judge, Mr M. Stltt; Treaanrer, Mr D. Thomas; Clerk of Scales, Mr T, E. Upton ; Handloappers, The Committee f Clerk of the Course, Mr A; Hewson ; Committee, Messrs Purnellj Crisp, H. Friedlander, Denshire, Dr Tweed, M, Scott, J, 0. N. Grigg, r IMPROVEMENTS. . Dr Tweed brought up the question of improvements to the grand stand and saddling paddock. It had been suggested that the saddling paddock might be removed to the other aide of the stand, the present paddock to be added to the lawn. On his motion a Teoonnnenttatlon was made to the Committee to sea what Improvements might be effected. TOTALISATOR, Some discussion took place In regard to the desirableness of restricting the iloe of : the totalUator, but no motion was passed members-being of opinion that the matter was one In which the Metropolitan clubs should take the initiative.