FOXTON RACING CLUB.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1083, 15 August 1912, Page 2

FOXTON RACING CLUB.

ANNUAL REPORT

The following report on the year’s working will be presented at the annual general meeting of the Club to be held on Tuesday evening next: —

j “ The Committee have again the pleasure of presenting the Annual Statement ol Accounts for the j year ending July 31st, 1912, for the consideration of members, and have' again to record a very sue--1 cessful year, in fact, a record year. 1 The receipts from all sources, excluding the balance of ,£902 ns > 3d, carried forward from last year, ' amount to ,£3,248 xßs nd as 1 against ,£2,746 19s 6d for 1911, au increase of ,£5Ol 19s 3d. The prmcipal increases being in the ■ following items : Nominations ,£32 10s, subscriptions ,£l3 13s

6d, totalisator ,£9Ol 143 4c!, gates The hearty thanks of the Committee and members of the Club are due to the trustees of the course, for a donation of towards the building of the tea kiosk, and more especially to Mr F. S. Fasten, for his generosity in laying the foundation and floor ol the tea kiosk also. The fixed deposit of ,£7OO placed in the Bank of New Zealand, matured in February and the Club benefited to the extent of in interest on this item. During the year great improvements and additions have been done on the course, the sum of ,£169 5 s 3 d being spent on

training track, railing round the course, and shifting the stables to a more convenient position to enlarge the enclosure for the public ; all the buildings were painted at a cost of ,£lO2 16s 3d ; the tea kiosk is almost finished, costing ,£l3O 19s 2d outside Mr Easton’s donation ; to finish same some ventilators have to be put in, a cast iron boiler and chimney for boiling the water, and some tanks erected to catch the rain water. When this is cone the Committee consider that the Club has a tea

kiosk second to none. Alterations and additions were made to the Tote House to receive the new silent totalisator ; a new double gents lavatory was erected, with water service and septic tank, for the lawn and outside patrons ; the dining-room under the stand was enlarged to the full length of the stand, by removing the lady’s cloak room to a more convenient position at the back of the grandstand, the cost of these alterations and additions being ,£452 os Sd. A silent totalisator was installed at a cost of £336 2s 6d, and a tax

of 17s was paid to to the Government, being an increase of is on last year. Several other improvements are required, such as a galvanised iron fence to the saddling paddock, which is now under tlie trees on the western side ot the course, and the fencing generally on the course wants seeing to; several parts of the course proper, notably the straight in trout of the stand, will require topdressing and sowing with grass-seed. The committee considered that the old method ol paying a caretaker per annum, and extra for anything that had to be done, was uot satisfactory, aud fresh applications were called for a caretaker to put iu the whole of his time ou the course at a salary of per annum and house free; the successful applicant being Mr Louis Procter, who relieved Mr Shadbolt, the late caretaker, for three mouths during his illness. In conclusion, the committee have to i thank all officials for their efforts ; iu bringing the Club to its present 1 healthy condition.”