Feilding Jockey Club.

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 27, 31 July 1897, Page 2

Feilding Jockey Club.

The eighteenth annual general meeting of members ef the Feilding Jockey Club was held in the Denbigh Hotel, Feilding, last evening. Present — Messrs F. Y. Lethbridge M.H.B. (president, in the chair), W. A. Sandilands, 0. A. J. Levett, W. A. L. Bailey, 0. (I Cooper, B. L. Sherwill, J. Saunders, W. Light, A. R. Curtis, J. Smith, M. O'Reilly, E. Jacknian, W. Summers, E. F. Blundell, B. Gosling, W. Dickson, H. W. Davy, and tho secretary (Mr E. Goodbehere. j The minute; of the previous annual meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary read the report and balauce sheet, to tbe following effect:— Report.— Your Committee have again to present their annual report and statement of accounts for the year ending 30th July, 1897. The season was commenced with a credit balance of £632 11s od, and closed with a balance of £13 16s sd, tbe sum of £726 having been paid on account of purchase money of the racecourse. The actual profits on tbe year only amounted to a little over £100. which is much smaller than the annual profit made for some years, and which was entirely owing to the Easter floods, in consequence of which the races bad to be postponed for a month, and be* sides loss of revenue entailed heavy extra expenses. During the year your Club bas been registered under " The Unclassified Societies Registration Act, 1895," which disposes of the necessity of having tbe Club's property Tested in Trustees ; and which also enables the Club to sne, if necessary at any time so to d«, for outstanding subscriptions and other debts. The registration of the Club under this Act bas rendered it necessary to provide rules for its working, which have since been drawn op and printed. As members are doubtless aware it devolved upon this Club to take the initiative in regard to ascertaining the position of racing clubs generally with reference to the bookmaking f»ternity, which resulted in a decision being given which enables racing clubs to regulate the admission of all clasßea of persons to their racecourses. These proceedings have entailed a bability on this Club of tbe sum of £185 3s Bd, which it is hoped that all racing clubs throughout the colony will assist to liquidate, In accordance with your recommendation your Committee have completed tbe purchase of the racecourse property consisting of 67 acres 3 roods 2 perches, from Mr S. B. Turner, for tbe sum of £1626 6s, of which £726 6s bas been paid, and £900 left on mortgage for the term of five years at 5 per cent, interest, with the option of paying off any sum of L2OO and npwards at any of tbe half-yearly payments of interest. A custodian has now been appointed at a salary of L 55 per annum, part of whose duties will be to lay down proper and suitable training tracks, including a sand track for winter work, and your Committee recommend the building of a residence for the custodian. The laying down of tbe training tracks will be of very great benefit to horse owners, and will also enable tbe Club to derive a revenue from persons using them for training purposes. Messrs Lethbridge and Wm L. Bailey, your president and vice-president, and Messrs Sandilands, W .A. L. Bailey, and Curtis, Committeemen, retire from their respective offices in accordance with rules; but having been nominated again are eligible for re-election. Tbe balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been :— Balance June 80, 1896, £632 11s sd ; privileges spring meeting, £269 19s 6d ; totalisator receipts spring meeting, £715 8s; privileges Easter meeting, £223 6s 6d ; totalisator receipts Easter meeting, £555 Ids 6d ; members subscriptions, £64 Is ; nomination and acceptance fees, £671 10s; transfer from fixed deposits, £600; sundry receipts, £15 ss; total, £3T47 9s Ud. Expenditure—Stakes paid, £1619 15s ; Government tax on totalisator, £208 1b 4d ; fixed deposit Bank of New Zealand, £600 ; payment od account of purchase of racecourse property, £726 6s; incidental expenses, £589 10s 8d ; balance in band, £13 16s sd. Assets—Bacecourse property, land, £1626 6s ; value of permanent improvements, £900; amounts due to club, £80 10s ; oaah in hand, £13 16s sd ; total, £2570 12s sd. Liabilities — Mortgage os racecourse, £900; costs in action re bookmakers, £185 Ss 3d ; balance, £1485 9s 2d ; total, £2570 12s sd. In speaking to the motion for tbe adoption of the report and balance-sheet, Mr W. A. L. Bailey considered this olub hsd been treated very hardly by tbe Conference in not voting anything or nuking a levy on racing clubs in the colony for the purpose of assisting to defray the legal expenses in connection with the cases against the bookmakers. He was very much surprised at this action seeing that this club was the first in the colony to more in the matter of asserting the rights of Jockey Clubs. Captain Russell exs plained his action in opposing assistance by ssying that this clnb bad not consul* ted other clubs before going on with the setion, but this bad bsea done btfore the case went to the Appeal Court. Neither did our Metropolitsn Clnb trea{ this olub in tbe way it should hays. Mr Smith thought this club bad' aoted wrong in the way they had and he thought the bookmakers should have been disqualified in place of an action having been tsken in Court against them. Mr Sandilands supported tbe steps taken as being tbe only way in which to, protest their own revenue, as every pound taken t>y a bpokmakermeaat a loss of ga to the club, and the only way to assert the position of the club was to lay an information. He pointed out the esses were not disminsed on their merits, but on technicalities in laying the informations. It appeared from the remarks of tbe Chief Justice that they were justified in keeping persons off tbe conrse. A case was brought by Pollock against the club, claiming £50 damages for ordering him off. In this action a case was stated for the Appeal Court, and beptf this was done a circular was sent to ill the racing clubs in the colony, with a view to asking if they would contribute to tbe cost in view of the case going to tbe Appeal Court, which was really the cheapest way, besides haying the advantage of settling the question once for all. The costs of the action in which they hacj failed were about £30, the remainder of the expense being incurred in defending the action brought by Pollock. Mr Sandilands said the olub was now in a better financial position than it had ever been, and the work of tbe committee had been heavier last year than in any previous year. l Mr Gqodbeheye pointed out, in reply VO Itfr Smith, that U a man was disqualified ba could still bring an action against the club and they would not be \n a better position. Although Captain Russell opposed the assistance at the Conference yet he was willing to use his influence in endeavoring to indooe tbo club to which he belonged to vote a sum toiraitlD tho costs of the actions. Mr Sauuders felt sure the Metrooolitan Clubs would assist this club in" the matter. The motion for the adoption of the report and balance sheet was carried. The following officers were re elected unopposed s— President, Mr F. Y. Latj;. bridge ; vice president, M.r Wm; L'< Bailey; committee,' Messrs W. A. L.' Bailey, W. k'. Saudilands, A. R. Curtis.'; stewards, Messrs W. A. Saodilauds, ft, W.Davy, W. A, L. Bajloy, B, Qoalin", H; Ll mll \ C - A- J. Levett, C. H, Buruett, W. G. Haybitlle, J. Sauuders j tmnver,Mr £, f. Cluiideil; clwtoi

v scales, Mr 0. C, Cooper ; auditors, Messrs H. L. Sherwill and W. G. Haybittla ; handicapper, Mr J. JS. Henry ; judge, Mr W. H. Hartgill. Mr Cooper asked that an assistant Clerk to the Scales be appointed, and it was decided to leave the appointment . to the committee ; the appointment of a Starter was also left to the committee. ... Resolved, That the judge's travelling expenses be paid in the future It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Saudilands and seconded by Mr Bailey, That the committee be authorised to expend what sum may be necessary to erect a caretaker's house, fencing off the course, and paintiug the fence§ ; and to make whatever financial arrangements are necessary. In speaking to tbe motion Mr Saudilands said the caretaker's house was estimated to cost .£122 and the fence would cost about £40, making a total estimated cost of £160 to 1 170. The fence was required to enable them to have proper training tracks (including a sand track.) An offer from Messrs Naylor and Spnggins to work the totalisator was referred to the committee. The meeting then adjourned.