A meeting of shareholders in the Racket Club was held on the 30th January. Pre-ut—Mesers, B.S. Gundry (Chairman), Caldbeck, Carter, Cooper, Cumine, Dal-fieers, Hippesley, Jones, Jaliay and liesh, Dent, Duval, Grant, Hyslop,
Wheelock.
The notice calling the meeting was read, and the minutes of the last half-yearly meeting were read atrd confirmed.
The Cuareaax then called attention to the Report and accounts, which had been some time in the hands of members, Precis or Rerorr.
The Accounts show a profit of Tls. 566.52 on the half-year ended lst December, of which Tls. 430 had been expended in repairs, The Balance Sheet shows a deposit in the Hongkong Shanghai Bank of Is. 530.00 AtCredit of Current Account 244.51 In Treasurer's hands. 136.27 In course of Collection. 330.01
Tls. 1,240.79
The building being now in good repair, and no other extraordinary outlay being in prospect, the Committee recommend that the jeers of the Courts be laid with cement.
Tu accordance with a resolution passed at the last General Meeting, certain questions of play then raised were submitted to the "Field," which replied in each instance in accordance with the opinion expressed by the meeting. a Batasce Suxer as ar dist Decesnen 1875, To Cepital Account—Paid up, 80 Shares at is, 120. vy" Cash in Treasurer's Hands 3 Sandry Members' Accounts in course of Collection.
Stock of Balls, Cost Pri 380 be" dd Balls, valued at 103.97 mom Winey ete, in Bar vay Bats, Coat 63.00 Coat 70.09 728.97
Ta... 13,987.
It would be seen that the position of the Club was thoroughly satisfactory. The half-yearly receipts seldom varied greatly—this time they happened to be rather in excess of the corresponding six months of 1872—and they had more than sufficed to cover the extensive repairs which had been sanctioned at the last meeting. The building being now in good repair, and no other extraordinary outlay in prospect, the Committee strongly recommended that the floors of the Courts be relaid. They had failed to obtain any useful opinion from England regarding the best material to be used; a tember of the Club, who had undertaken to enquire into the matter, having disappointed them. They had been in correspondence regarding the Foochow Courts; and were informed that these were floored with chun am at a cost of about $200 a Court. But it wes very doubtful whether chun am of an equally good kind, or workmen capable of laying it properly, could be got in Shanghai, From local enquiries they inclined to think hydraulic lime or Portland cement would in the end be the best material. No formal estimates had been obtained, pending the sanction of the shareholders to rooeeding with the work; but a Chinaman ha offered to lay a floor of Portland cement for Tls. 350 a Court, and this sum had been considered excessive by a professional gen tleman to whom he had named it; still it would perhaps serve as a rough guide to the probable cost. In any case he thought they might rely that the cash in hand and the profits of the ensuing year would cover the outlay, without touching the Reserve. The Committee recommended this matter to the consideration of the members; and in the meantime he would propose—That the Report and accounts as printed be passed.
Seconded by Mr, Cuminz and carried.
Mr, 'TorwBOLL suggested getting chun am from Foochow, and a man to superintend, the laying, as' the cheapest way of doing the foots.' The chun am seemed to have answered very well in the Foochow Courts, Mr. Grant feared they would have to import 40 or 50 labourers also; it was fine work, and required men who were accustomed to it.
Mr. Hystor remarked, then, that it would cost as much to import men and material from Foochow as to lay cement, Mr. Waretock considered moreover that this was hardly a question for economy the thing had better be done with the best possible material while they were about it, After some further conversation, Mr, Denr proposed—That the Committee be authorised to spend. wuch sums as may be required to improve the floors of the Courts in such manner as may be thought best by them; the expenditure for the purpose not to exceed Tls. 750 without further reference to the shareholders.
Seconded by Mr. Hzanw and carried Enquiry was made how long: the work was likely to take; but the Committee were not in a position to say; they thought it better to defer it till the hot weather, when there was little or no Mr. Dent urged that it should be cor menced at once, if it would not take more than a month. The Cramaax pointed out that it might take the Committee a month to decide exactly what should be done; and the month beyond that would be just the one in which most play would be going on, as meu would be working up for the handicap.
An expression of opinion was invited from the members, as to whether the work should be done at once, but failed to elicit a very decisive vote; and several members considered that it should be left to the Committee.
Some conversation ensued about the advisability of painting the floors, but it was thought hardly worth while to entertain the idea, as there was every prospect that a plan for relaying them would soon be adopted.
Mr. Daraumsn proposed' and Mr. Coorzs seconded—That the Committee be requested to arrange for a Spring Handicap to be played ax us Carried with one dissentient.
The Cuarmman said the next business was to elect a Committee for the coming year.
Mr. Dexr suggested the advisability of electing a portion of the Committee for a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.