WELLINGTON RACING CLUB

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 3, 28 September 1918, Page 9

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB

ANNUAL MEETING

REVIEW OP YEAR'S WORK

The annual meeting of the Wellington Eacing Club wan held yesterday. Mr. J. B. Barcourt presided. There wore nineteen members present. Tho annual report and balancc-shoc.t were, adopted, on the motion of the president, seconded by Mr. O. 8. Watkins.

.Before movnc tiie adoption of the report anil .balance-snoot, the president called attention to some of the items of receipts and expenditure. "Owinu to tho reduction .in the days of racing," lio aaid, "tho roturns must of a necessity show a conaideiablo falliug-off, compared with laat, year's, but, ncverthciass, the club's financial position is improved, and tho result ol the year is a credit balance of £3725 19a. 9d„ as comparod with £5261 7s. Id. in 1917. In comparing the balanco-skeet of 1918 with 1917, it will bo noticed that sundry creditors aro> only £61 Is., as against £630 63. 9d. On the asset 6ido the buildings and property aro reduced by £505 10s., and sundry debtors and mortgages now stand at £BISS 7s. 3d., an increase of £5947 10s. lid.; the bank -balance is reduced from £5060 ,365. 7d. to £750 9s. Bd. ' In tho revenue account there arc , heavy reductions' in expenditure, under-nearly all headings. I'ho -stakes paid ivera £17,151 Bs.. against £23,178. Government taxation was. £13,630 13s. <!d„ .last year it ivas.-£20,047 Is. lOd. The principal reductions .under the other headings are: Salaries, £'£!& 65.; rent, rates, etc., £493 10s. U.; attendance. £297- 143. Cd.; mußic, £112.158,; N.Z. Hacinr Conference, £253 ss. 2d. The credit balance is £3726 19s. 9d.; last year it was £5861 7s. ld.-a, reduction of £1534 7s. 4d. Tho increases under the heading are: Maintenance, £502 14s'.;' horso feed. £233 18s. 9d.; other .items remain very much the same. The receipts also show large reductions. The tot«lis;itor income was £33,032 -16s. 10d„ compared with £48,447 Us. ltld., or a reduction of £15,414 14s. Gate money was. £5317 14s. lid., as compared with £5226 Us. 4d„ a reduction of £1903 16s. Ed., but this is largely owing, to no charge being made for admission to the .paddock.since railway accommodation has been out off. Nominations and aoop'tanc'es are less by '£2416; privileges, race-books, etc., £996 Us. Id., as compared with £1457 10s.— a reduction of £502 19s. 7d. 'In 1917 £29/3 2s. was received from railways, iaßt year no re.oeipts were shown. The general result is that the total receipts for 1918 are £43,718 19s. 7d., as compared with £66,442 16s. 10(1.— a. reduction of £22,725175. 3d.

■•j.uu nui uu-w u ii.a i-tipurt that reioreuco is niauo ,to vuo iac* 01 acuniuiuuauon .it tno course. Ula members v.jU remember tuut \<u.un wo movuu 10 lieuUittni mo eiuo was .aoboiuwiy with-jut 'funds, tne vfjiole scheme was on (jutuunuius, any tne builuiuffs uuit we were able to erect, wnuit ines were large enough at the time, nave ione suico outgrown tneir uselumess. ' We nau a very ncavy deot to wipe on',, ana tne general policy oi .ttto stewards hu,s been, Mat, to wipe off ■ tins aebl,. and • >sewmu, 10 conserve tno lunds no tliut, the -ciub may be in a position to givo the puulic roasunablo acooriunoaauon.. Tno present siamis arc obsolete and are rapidly wearing. out. UeyoiMl Keeping them Kilo bo iar as. human life is obneernuu. no money haß been Bpent on them; they have not been .painted since they wore erected in 1906. This point is ciupflasKed, as an erroneous opinion seems to be abroad that racing oiuos exist for proiit-niakmg. This, of course, is not so. Tho whole' of tho revenue of the club is returned 1 to the public, 'eithor by way of stases or in proviumg. suitable accommodation. The surplus that tho olub ias in hand for the latter purpose has been accumulated purely and simply at the exponso of the horsu owner. This is a metropolitan olub, and it ha» metropolitan responsibilities, but it docs not give metropolitan staKes, stakes which horse owners have a right to expect, and which, tho sporting public appear to bo porfeotly willing to provide.

; "The property, at Trchtliam lias now become a very valuable asset, ami while it is nominally tho property of tho Wellington Eaoing Club, in elfcot it really belongs to tlio Wellington general public. The race track itself .is now udniitteu to bo one'of tho finest in Australasia. In addition, there is, for training purposes, a sand, gallop, a tan gallop, and nix grass gallops, each 20 feet wide, and the various other facilities aro gradually heing made as perfect as possible. . "I -will conclude," said Mr. Harcourt, "with an expression of appreciation of the services rendered by tho staff of the club Especially is tho club indebted to the secretary .(Mr. A. E. Whyte) for tho ability .shown in the, management of tho cliib's affairs."

The following offlce-boarcrs v woro re-electcd:-Preßidcnt, Mr. J. B.' Harcourt; vice-president, Mr. W. H.'S. Moorhouso; stewards, Messrs. J. W. Abbott, W. G. Johnston, O. W. Tringiam. and. O. S. Watklns. ' .'.'''

Messra. E. Bucholz and A. S. MacShane irere rc-eleoted auditors.