THE TURF

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3178, 31 August 1917, Page 7

THE TURF

. . WELLINGTON RACING CLUB ANNUAL REPORT. The report and balance-shoet to be presented to member at tho annual meeting of the Wellington Racing Olub, to be lield on September 16, states that during the past season the club distributed £28,170 in slakes, and paid £20,047 Is. lOd. in Government taxes; The principal items of receipts were: Totalisator, £48,447 10s. 10d.; gales, £5226 lis. 4d.; railways, £2573 25.; members' subscriptions and entrance feo3, £903 25.; nominations, and .acceptances, £7C4.i. At the request of the military authorities, no liquor has been sold on the racecourse grounds during ,tho year. r ; liis has resulted in a, decrease of.revenue of atfout £1000. A satisfactory exchange of lands has been mado with the Agricultural and Defence Departments, whereby the club obtains tlie'freehold of all that block of land comprising tho four and six-furlong courses,- with adjacent paddock. The land surrendered by the club is situated at the back of the racecojy'se. and has for some time past been used by tho' military authorities. The following office-bearers retire in accordance with the rules, all iieing eligible for re-election President. Mr. .T. B. Harcourt; vice-president. Mr. C. P. Skcrrott.; stewards, Messrs. O. W. Chilman. J. G. Duncan, Eric L. Riddifovd, and Dr. H. A. H; Gilmer. Tho -stewards, in submitting ' tho balance-sheet for tho year ending July 31. 1917, trust that members will be satisfied with the position disclosed. The club is now in jS healthy position financially. but extensive improvements in the existing accommodation will require to be undertaken in the 3ear future. The stands are more or less (.'hsolete. and inadequate to comfortably accommodate the public attending the meetings. No material alterations arc contemplated, however, during the of Hie war. The club's jockeys' and trainers' accommodation houses have, been in use throughout the year by the Medical and Nursing Staff of the Reinforcement Camp at Trentliam, and it'is. a pleasure to the stewards to record the cheerfulness with' which the -visiting jockeys and trainers who usually oocupy these buildings during race meetings have-submitted, -to tho discomfort of tent life.. ' ...... TROTTING, METROPOLITAN CLUB'S NOVEMBER, MEETING. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, August- 30. The Metropolitan Trotting Olub oas do-' cided to bold a three-days' meeting in. November, giving the same stake money as last year (£10,000). It has resolved that the New Zealand Trotting Oup, of 2500 sovs., shall bo open ortly to horeos' that havq records of 4min. S4sec. or better, or have been handicapped to do that time. As matters now stand, the only reduction of racing next November will be the curtailment from seven days to six, rs a result of the Canterbury Jockeyi Olub taking a day off its fixture.