WAIRIO JOCKEY CLUB.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 34, 5 November 1920, Page 5

WAIRIO JOCKEY CLUB.

ANNUAL GENKRAL MEETING. STAKES INCREASED TO £1200. The annual general meeting of * members of the Wairio Jockey Club was held in Ba-in's Hall, Wairio, on Saturday evening, when Mr Thomas Todd,. pr,esident, in the chair presided over an attendance of about seventy members. In moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet the chairman congratulated the members on the sound financial position the club had now attained, and the very successful season they had just closed. The racing had besn good, and the course had pleased all the visdting owners. Taxation had been very heavy, but it was characteristic of sportsmen that they wero always willing to pay for their pastime, and no other section of the eommunity contributed . as much to the coffers of the country as racing men. Mr M. Gaines seconded the motion, which was carried. without further discussion. In vacating the chair in favour of Mr J. P. Forde, who had been elected unopposed for the position of president, Mr Todd . referred to the pleasant relations that had always existed in the management of, the club during his seven years of office. During the lean years of war they had not always been able to rau their race-meetings at a profit, but the members of the committee had stood together and personally guaranteed the account. Now, thanks to a couple of good seasons, he was able to hand ' over to his successor with a good margin of- profit. He congratulated the members on their selection of Mr J. P. Forde as their president. He (the speaker) had worked on the executive of the club for 15 years with Mr Forde and had every opportunity of estimating his work. His father, the late John Forde, liad been one of the founders of the club, and always one of the keen workers in its interests, and it was another case of "like father like son." He (the speaker) wa-s now living in the backblocks, and therefore could not give the affairs of the club the time a-nd atteniion they demanded so did not seek reelection. He thanked the members of committee for the assistance they had always given him, and paid a special tribute to the work of .the secretary. Mr J. P. Forde, qk tak'ing the chair, thanked Mr Todd for his kind references, and the members for their endorsement of same, and the honour they had done him in electing him their president. He was not going into the position with his eyes shut. He had a very fair idea of the duties of president of a country racing club, and he hoped to be able to carry out the duties. In following a president like Mr Todd he realised the standard set him . for few realised the work Mr Todd liad taken upon his shoulders and successfully carried out, particularly in the ppeparation of the course prior to race time. His first duty as chairman was a pleasant one, and he welcomed Mr Todd as a vice-pre-sident, and asked the members to add to minute recording bis election to tbat position, a verj hearty vote of thanks for his past services to the club. — Seconded by Mr M. Gaines and carried. For the four vacancies on the committee Messrs G. C. Bain, Martin Forde and John Hogan wero elected for two years, and Mr Chas. Keen for one year. Messrs G. C. Bain, John Brazier, Thos. Duncan, J. P. Egan, W. F. Egan, Martin Forde, M. J. Forde, M. Hammill, John. Hegan,, Chas. Keen, R. Kirkpatrick, Duncan Mcgregor, M. O'Brien, B. Rushton, and Thos. Todd were elected st-ewards, ' Mr M. Gaines re- elected hon. treasurer, and Mr A. C. Mills auditor. A notice of motion by Mr M. Gaines to increase the annual subscription to £1 per annum wa-s defeated by an amendment by Messrs Magee and Junker to make it 12s 6d. It was decided to make the following reoommendations to the committee: (a) That the club's financial year close on July 31st each year, and the annual general meeting be held in September; (b) that one of the trotting races on the programnie be a two miles race; (c) that the place. money be increased to 20 per cent. for second horse and 10 per cent for third. Donations of £2 2s to the jumping prize fund of the Otautau Show, £3 3s to the Birchwood Hunt, £2 2s towards purchas-

ing Christmas gifts for the children in Lorne Farm, and the same for the children in the Riverton Hospital at Christmas time, were made. It was decided to have the plough track put in order again immediately, and give it another year's trial. Votes of thanks were accorded the retiring members of commitee, Messrs T. Moncrieff, and John Walsh, and the meeting adjourned with a vote of thanks to the chair. At a subsequent meeting of the committee it was decided to increase the stakes to £1200, and adopt the same programme as last year," adding the extra £200 to be divided equally amongst the unplaced horses competing at the meeting as a set-off against the heavy expenses ;n,owadays incurred attending country meetings. Mr W. Norman was re-eleeted. starter, and Mr A. Jones handicapper. Mr G. Bain was thanked for his donation of £5 5s towards the cost of maintenanCe of the plough track, and accounts amounting to £8 10s were passed for payment.