GOOD PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 August 1938, Page 5

GOOD PROGRESS

MASTERTON RACING CLUB’S ANNUAL MEETING MOST SUCCESSFUL YEAR RECORDED. REVIEW BY THE PRESIDENT. The annual meeting of the Masterton Racing Club was held last evening in the A. and P. Association’s Rooms, the president, Mr J. M. James being in the chair. There was a fair attendance of members. The successful year experienced by the club was a matter of general satisfaction. Moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet, Mr James said he was a little disappointed that there was not a bigger attendance of the public. “I congratulate the club on the very successful meeting it held last October and the very successful year it experienced,” said Mr James. "Oui- meeting last October was a success from every point of view. Blessed with fine weather, we had a wonderful crowd including quite a large number of visitors whom we were very pleased to welcome, and I think all enjoyed the meeting. The profit for the year, after providing for depreciation, is £436 19s 9d. You will note there is not any depreciation allowed on the buildings. They stand at £4157 4s 2d and are insured for £5500, and are worth considerably more than the sum insured. Last year the profit was £284, but it must be remembered that this included £3OO from the Queen Carnival and otherwise a slight loss would have been recorded. Our expenses this year were considerably heavier. Our stakes were increased by £245 and this was appreciated. Some of the increases compared with the previous year are as follow: —General items, £156 (1937), £258 (1938), increase £102; repairs to tractor, £39, £52, increase £l3; printing and advertising £l3O, £l7O, increase £4O; salaries and wages, £425, £5Ol, increase £76; totalisator tax, £162, £228, increase £66; increase in stakes £245; total increase, £542. On the receipts side our revenue shows increases as follow:—Gates, £6O; totalisator, £715; nominations and acceptances, £150; total, £925. REPAIRS TO BUILDINGS. “After the last October meeting,” said Mr James, “your stewards recognised that this was the opportune time to go into the question of doing much needed repairs and maintenance work, and accordingly met on the course and decided on the most important to be put in hand. This included painting and repairs to the caretaker’s dwelling and boarding house, and also some extra conveniences that were urgently needed. Electric light was installed and some repairs to looseboxes, etc., carried out. Repair work has been done under the grandstand and to some conveniences there. The picket fence at the stand was repaired and painted and- a new range installed. The total cost of this work was £449 5s lOd which, after allowing for contingent liabilities to improvements on the course, leaves a balance of £303 to carry on with. As to the bank guarantee suspense account of £l3OO, your stewards have not lost sight of this, and hope that in the near future something will be done to recompense those gentlemen who came to the assistance of the club’s finances at a critical time. I regret to say there is £35 unpaid in members’ subscriptions and this on top of a prosperous year. Generally today, shall I say, the world is in a very unsettled state, and we must look to the future and take heed. Our markets are also on the decline, especially for the sheep farmer. Wool prices are down. Beef and mutton are at the lowest prices at this time of the year for many years, while costs are higher. The markets today are a fair barometer of the new season’s prices to be expected. I feel sure the stewards will take this into consideration, along with other matters, when budgeting for the coming year. If finances allow there is still some urgent repair work and maintenance such as painting the grandstand, etc., to be considered. FINE APPOINTMENTS. “We have set up a special committee,” saiod Mr James, “to go into the question of handling the public at the entrance gate, as we want to avoid any unnecessary delay there, and I am pleased to say alterations are well on the way in this direction. -Your stewards,. applied for an extra day, but with 14 other clubs applying we were not successful. However, we are hoping that in the future we may be rewarded. The prospects for our October meeting look bright, especially more so as we have at present 20 horses being trained on the course. Our course is in good order. In conclusion I sometimes wonder if all the members and the public fully realise the fine grounds, race track, equipment, loose boxes to accommodate 80 horses, also accommodation house with 80 beds and dining room accommodation for 100 guests that the club possesses, and with your help we could make our course one of the beauty places of the district, if it was planted with flowers. I make this appeal to the public to come along and help by joining up as members, and show their appreciation to the 350 members who are doing their best to try to benefit our club. On behalf of the club I wish to thank all members, stewards and others, who have helped in many ways, also those who so kindly put at the club’s disposal loose boxes, etc., to help to accommodate the extra horses at our last meeting. I should also like to thank kindred sports clubs for their assistance last year in not clashing with our race dates. The club appreciated their assistance very much. I also wish to thank the secretary and caretaker for their very good work during the year, and also Mrs Gibbs, who has charge of the boarding house and who fills that position with credit both to herself and the club. The ground and special committee deserve our thanks for the time they have put in in their tasks.” MORE MEMBERS WANTED. Seconding the motion, Mr Walter Cameron expressed the view that all stewards and members who took a real interest in the club would endeavour to get more members, as it was the only way in which the club could get substantial funds behind it that could be counted upon. Speaking as one outside the committee of the club, Mr Laing congratulated those responsible for the excellent balance sheet and report for the past year. Such a result, he said, could be achieved only by a great deal of thought, care and work by all those concerned in the management of the club. The balance sheet .reflected the

improved position of the club. He expressed the hope that the coming race meeting in October would be equally if not more successful than the one twelve months ago and that as the result the club would be able to proceed with the painting of the grandstands and totalisator without having to unduly strain the finances of the club. Mr J. A. Betts said it was very pleasing to see some one come along and pat them on the back. It was some satisfaction to those running the club, who appreciated it very much. Officers were elected as follow: — Patron, Mr J. lorns; president, Mr J. M. James; vice-presidents, Messrs C. J. Bennett and S. J. W. Gill; stewards, Messrs R. Buick, Walter Cameron, A. Corskie, E. C. Fowler, H. P. Hugo, J. Jameson and J. H. Payton. A postal ballot was held to elect the stewards, nine nominations having been received for the seven vacancies. Appreciation of the services rendered on the committee for some years past by Mr I. D. Cameron was recorded on the minutes. Messrs Sellar and Sellar were appointed auditors. On the motion of Mr J. H. Payton it was decided that the stakes for the coming year should not exceed £2OOO. Several members expressed themselves as well satisfied, with the amount of stakes provided last year. Notice of motion was given by Mr Betts that the rules regarding the election of stewards should be amended so that seven names must be left on the ballot paper instead of four as at present. Mr Laing suggested that the club should still keep in mind the question of racing on two Saturdays some time apart. Mr Betts said the stewards were somewhat divided on the question. One of the things that favoured the spring meeting was that it fell just before Wellington and a number of trainers took advantage of the good course in the spring to race at Opaki and with a two-day meeting in October they could run their horses here by making one trip. If they had two single day meetings they would have to make a separate trip each time. Personally, he was easy-minded about the matter.

Mr James said that members could rest assured that the stewards would keep the matter in view and continue applying for two Saturdays.