President Reports To Annual Meeting Of Racing Club

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 90, 1 September 1950, Page 5

President Reports To Annual Meeting Of Racing Club

Reporting to the annual meeting of the Whakatane Racing Club on Wednesday night, Mr D. Radcliffe said:—

“Your committee met as required through the year and have carried out their work with credit. It was with some diffidence that we decided to reduce the nomination and acceptance fees and to increase the stakes to £310; it is felt that this decision gave satisfaction both to the owners and the public generally. This decision encouraged the owners to bring more and better horses and from the public point of view, much better racing.

>*.. The race meeting was held on March v 25. The early morning was not favourable to the club and gave your committee some concern; however their decision to continue with the meeting as arranged was fully justified by the results. Owing to the weather the nett receipts from booth.-It is felt that the method of down. Your committee are concerned about the nett profit from the both. It is felt that the method pi drawing of. the horses and sweepstakes was fully approved by the public as the nett., profit from this source* was £164 8s 3d. The raffle for the canteen of cutlery was also a success, bringing in £129 12s 6d. Disappointment was felt at the small attendance at the spring working bee but the one in the autumn was carried out expeditiously and with credit to those who attended. The club’s thanks are due to one and all who attended these working bees. Your committee decided to have hurdles made and lavatories built during the year. These have been included in the assets and have been substantially written down. Your committee felt that we will have to expand still further this coming year (e.g. the birdcage will have to be enlarged and made of permanent materials, particularly to keep out unauthorised persons, also it may be desirable to lay water on).

Under the articles of the club, the president, vice-presidents and Messrs Otley, Lodge and Moody retired. These were all returned unopposed, excepting Mr J. Moody who did not seek re-election. Mr Tatt Anderson was returned to fill the vacancy. We all extend our personal thanks for continued confidence. Our thanks are due to Mr Moody for his sound advice and able assistance.

The question of finance will come up later at the meeting but I would mention here that no business can stand still and be successful—we must progress or go down. I would be neglecting my duty if I did not mention in particular the names of our secretary and auditor, Mr Perkins and Mr Morgan. They have both done a grand job of work. In conclusion my.thanks are due to my executive for their advice and willingness to assist at all times, to the ladies who sold raffle tickets and to the members of the club, the public, the owners, the trainers and the jockeys who assisted in making this the second successful year for the club.

We look forward with confidence to the future of racing in this district especially for the Whakatane Racing Club.