JOCKEY CLUB.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5492, 25 October 1929, Page 2

JOCKEY CLUB.

o THE OHINEMURI BODY. ANNUAL MEETING. At the annual meeting of the Ohinemuri Jockey Club on Wednesday evening, Mr P. E. Brenan, chairman, presided. Report and Balance-sheet. The annual report and balancesheet were adopted. The annual report read as follows :— “ Your committee begs to submit the statement of accounts for the past racing year, from which it will be noted that the year’s transactions resulted in a very small profit as compared with the previous year. This result was partially due to the fact that the net totalisator returns were £440 less than last year, and the stakes provided £224 greater; and partially also to loss on the nontotalisator meeting held in November. There has also been a steady decline during recent years in gate receipts, which in 1925 and 1926 amounted to £1360, in 1928 to £1022, and last March to £916, thus showing a drop of £444 as compared with 1925 or 1926. This decrease in gate receipts is undoubtedly accounted for by the lavish issue of complimentary tickets, and your committee questions very much whether this indiscriminate broadcasting of free passes is in the best interests of the club. The committee has passed a resolution recommending to this annual meeting of members that the issue of complimentary tickets be reduced to a minimum.

“ The sum of £345 out of £4OO invested by the club in the purchase of the stallions Day Comet and Archiestown has bee n repair ; and it is probable that when the accounts are finally settled the balance, of £55 will also be available.

“Fairly extensive improvements to ttie club’s property are being carried out. A contract at £303 has been completed for grading and levelling in front of the grandstand and stewards’ stand ; and a further contract at £634 has been accepted for providing a suitable wire mesh fence along the front of the two stands and around the birdcage. When completed these works should add considerably to the attractiveness of the club’s property.

“For the four vacant seats on the Committee only the retiring committeemen—Messrs Bush, Clarkin, Fathers, and Flatt—have been nominated, and they therefore will be declared duly elected.” Chairman’s Address. After the reading of the annual report and balance-sheet the chairman remarked that the club’s position was adequately set out in them. The committee was endeavouring to progress along the right lines as far as funds would permit. The policy, as heretofor, was to spend in improvements annually the same amount as was profit in the previous year. Unfortunately, there had been a drop in receipts. This was due to a drop in the totalisatoiand gates, in the latter case due to the lavish issue of complimentary tickets. The country clubs in the Auckland district, with the exception of Te Aroha and Whangarei, were favourable to retrenchment in the matter of complimentary tickets. By curtailment it was hoped to increase finances. The final profits of the totalisator receipts were, according to the club’s rules, set aside as stakes for the succeeding year ; consequently they were of no use for any improvements of property.

The proposal as recommended by the committee was to reduce the entrance money and, with certain exceptions, make everyone pay. Last year on the first day of the meeting 5648 people had passed through the turnstiles, and of these 501 men paid for admission and 98 women. On the second day 3783 had passed through, 268 men paying and 12 women. All the improvement works now in hand would be ready in time for the next meeting in March. Application had been made to hold a meeting in May in aid of the earthquake sufferers in the South Island. The Minister responsible had granted permission, and it now only remained for a date to be decided upon by the N.Z. Racing Conference. It was confidently expected that May 24 would be approved. For the committee for the ensuing year only the same members as had constituted last year’s committee had been nominated. These would therefore be re-elected. They were : Messrs H. R. Bush, J. Clarkin, E. P. Fathers, and F. E. Flatt.

Of the committee Messrs Bush and Clarkin were unavoidably absent from the meeting. Mr Fathers, in thanking the members for his re-election, said he was pleased to get back on the committee : it was one of clean sports and orie of worth. Mr Flatt said it was a compliment to be returned to the committee, and showed - that members placed confidence in it. It was quite likely that they would work hardei’ now. Complimentary Tickets. The secretary, Mr H. Poland, in elaborating upon the question of complimentary tickets, explained that at the annual meeting of country clubs ip the Auckland district strong disapproval had been expressed with the practice of lavish distribution. An executive committee had been appointed to go into the matter and report to a special meeting of country club delegates. The committee in question had reported in favour of abolishing all complimentary tickets except in favour of press representatives, stewards, officials of district clubs, representatives of clubs outside the district when tickets were specially requested, prominent racing men outside the district, others of a prominent position, and a few persons enumerated in the town in which the chib was situated who had rendered some outstanding service to the club. The Te Aroha and Whangarei clubs had not agreed to this, but had intimated that they would reduce the number as they thought fit. Other clubs were prepared to reduce to a

minimum. With Te Aroha and Whangarei dissenting, it was not possible to take united action. Both those clubs maintained that they never had issued complimentary tickets indiscriminately, and had never issued any within 12 miles from the home course. The new proposal was following out the system adopted by. Taranaki clubs since 1922. It had been a complete success there.

Mr T. P. Vuglar, president of the club, said he did not think that Ohinemuri should take the initiative.' It should let others lead. Te Aroha was unlimited in its issue, and had excellent meetings. Without complimentary tickets a good crowd would not attend. Sports would not come without free tickets. He was constantly asked for complimentary tickets, and knew that if they were not issued people would not attend. Ohinemuri had the name of being the tightest club on earth. Last year 3000 complimentary tickets were issued, and he wanted to know why only to outsiders now. The curtailment of the issue of complimentary tickets would be detrimental to the interests of the club. Their distribution should be left to the chairman and secretary. The secretary remarked that Waipa only issued 350 complimentary tickets, yet it had just as good a meeting. In Australia one had to pay 15s to enter a course, and there was no free list there.

Mr Flatt considered that Mr Vuglar’s suggestion to leave the distribution of complimentary tickets to the discretion of a few officials would be leaving the same loophole. People would keep on applying, the evil being that on# man could get a free ticket and one man could not. He personally was in favour of a reduction to a minimum.

Mi* Flatt moved the adoption of the recommendation as embodied in the annual report in regard to the issue of complimentary tickets, and that the committee be instructed to carry out the issue of complimentary tickets on the lines laid down by the conference. Continuing, Mr Flatt said that no tickets should be issued except to those outlined. The position was that no man, however rich, should have any advantage over the poor. The new system would obviate the worry attendant on the issue. It should be given a year’s trial. As already pointed out, money from the totalisator did not go towards ground improvements. Money from increased sale of tickets did, and would be for the good of the course. The proposed charges of 5s for men and 2s 6d for women were not too great, and with them the course would be just as popular. He did not agree that the free issue gave Te Aroha any advantage. A large, number of people went to Te Aroha and waited there for the Ohinemuri meeting. They would not hesitate when it came to a two-days’ meeting for 10s. He remembered one year when free tickets were issued to everybody. The system was being abused, and it was time the club took courage in both hands. He had no hesitation in saying that by so doing it would succeed.

Mr W. Neil stated that the Ohinemuri club was the best one outside Auckland. He was sorry to hear the president say that unless sports were given free tickets they would not come. That was a hard thing to say about them. If they did not come unless they had free tickets they were not sports. He wouldsecond Mr Flatt’s motion. The money should be got in to help put the grounds in order. Mr Vuglar said he considered that while the issue should be somewhat curtailed, the system as a whole should not be adopted.

Mr T. Barrett maintained that if all were cut out there would be no exceptions. If a few were issued, those left out would naturally object. He favoured the resolution. The motion to limit the issue as recommended by the conference was pvt to the meeting and carried