HUNT CLUB

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 22, 11 April 1938, Page 1

HUNT CLUB

THE ANNUAL REPORT i . The retiring president, Mi* N. V. Hodgson, presented the following report at the annual meeting of the Opotiki Tin lit' Club on Thursday night: I have much pleasure in presenting the annual report for our second year of operations. We have the following. financial members : -31 men and 3 lady, following members, 9 youth members, 20 children and 26 honorary members, a total decrease over all classes of 30. The number of unfinancial members is considerably larger than we anticipated. It- is highly desirable that the membership of all classes should be increased and the. committee urges all of the club at heart to do their best to secure new members.

We commenced the season’s operations with a total of £3-5 in hand. We made a profit on the ball of £6 12s lOd ; £8 18s 3d on the gymkhana, and from dances £39. We ended the year with a deficiency of £5 at the bank after having used £SO of the amount donated to the club by the "Opotiki Jockey Club, so that the total deficiency on the year’s working amounted to approximately £BO. Your committee was obliged to raise the huntsman’s salary at the commencement of the year from £lot to £ls6 —an increase of £52. A trailer for the transport of the hounds was purchased during the season for £9 9s 6d.

During the season the club received from the Opotiki Jockey Club, which, due to the loss of the racecourse, has been obliged to cease activities, a donation of £6OO with the information that it had arranged that the Bay of Plenty. Racing Club should pay us a further ’£loo per annum for ten years. The Jockey Club expressed the hope that the Hunt Club would to. some extent at any rate take its place in fastening the sport of rneuig m the district and we must in the near future give serious thought to the running or a point to point meeting. There are no technical objections in the way of our running a point to point, as. during the year we obtained our affiliation with the Hunts Assn, and registration with the New Zealand .Racing Conference'.

It is quite clear, that’ if the subscriptions are not to he increased, practically the whole of the £IOO a year we will receive from the .B'ay of Plenty Racing Club will he absorbed in running expenses. This, will mean that we will not he able, unless we reduce expenses or increase subscriptions. to realise our early hopes of setting aside £SO a. year as a sinking fund to freehold the section or build a cottage. The club’s thanks are due to the Jockey Club and the members of its committee who has the welfare of the Hunt Club at heart in arranging this most generous and welcome

assistance. Approximately the same number of hunts were held in the 0potiki district this season as in the previous one while the hunts held at Waimann were more largely attended than previously due to the cheaper sind more adequate transport facilities available. The committee again wishes to express its thanks to the property owners for the use of their country, and again impresses on members the necessity of doing as little damage to tile pastures and iciices, •and disturbing the stock as possible We have been at pains to repair any damage promptly, and have not had any complaints during the season irom any property owner. We must at all times tlo cur Dost to maintain the present happy relations existing between the chib and the property owners. The- dub is again indebted to the Ladies Committee for their good work in connection with the ball and also the refreshments at the meets. Our special thanks are due to Mrs Alex Snell and her committe of ladies for the. imining of two highly successful dances at Waiotahi at the latter of which the cups won at the gymkhana were presented. To the donors of these cups the Club’s thanks are also due. We have now 23 hounds in the

pack. This number is not as high as we would like but we are expecting several couples promised by other clubs. Seven of the pups reared since the inception of the club will be limited this season. The committee regretfully records the loss of one of its number, M‘r 16. Sargent, who met with an accident in the hunting field which proved fatal early in the season. in conclusion I wish to congratulate the club ou its successful season’s operations and to express tbe hope that the coming season will be even more successful.