ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1280, 8 November 1911, Page 5

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

1 CRICKET. THE FIASCO ON SATURDAY, THAT WEIRD NOTICE.

The unnecessary postponement of cricket matohes last. Saturday and the bungl« which resulted in many cricketers being robbed of tlioir weekly afternoon of sport were the subject of some free comment at the meeting of tho Management Committee of the Cricket Association last evening. Mr. Hickey, who raised the question, said ho would like to know what the feoling of the committee was in regard to tho matter. Unprecedented Interference, ' The chairman (Mr. M. Luckie) stated that an absolutely unprecedented course had been followed on this occasion by tho City Council. Ho understood that the person responsible was Mr. Glen, Superintendent of Reserves. Since it was moro in tho interest of the Cricket Association than of tho City Council to keep tho gronnd in good order, it had always hitherto been left to tho former body to say whether matches should bo postponed or not. In practico it was impossible to stiy whether matches should bo put off until 2 p.m., and the association had never beforo been interfered with by the council or its officials in the matter. It had always been rooognised that tho council had a right to say whether matches should be played on grounds which were kept in order by its own employees, but tho Basin Reserve was kept in order by tho association, and the council had never hitherto interfered with its control. It was quite clear that a blunder had been made. Mr. Crombie proposed that the deputation which was to wait on tho Refcerves Committee of tho Council on Thursday evening' should ask that the practice followed in the > past of allowing the association to say whether or not matches should bo played on the Basin should be adhered to. ' Mr. M'Kenzie said he wanted to know who had put up tho notice saying that matches were postponed. The association became aware of this at 12.30 p.m. on Saturday. Why had not an emergency meeting of tho Management Committee been called to consider the position? Had the players been present at tho Basin Reserve the matohes could have been played. Mr. M'Kenzie declared himself by no means' satisfied, and declared that tho Basin Reserve had been under the control of cricketers for tho last 50 years. Mr. Luckie interpolated that the control by the association dated back only to ISSi. , "Too Much Afraid of City Council." Mr. M'Kenzie added that another thing which he wanted to know was who employed Saunders. ; The chairman :• This association. 1 Mr. M'Kenzie said that Saunders had been told by the custodian of the Basin Reserve: "sfou have got to knock off work on that ground. My boss says that you must not work." Saunders did not know where he was. The Championship Committee said that the matches were to go on, and tho City Council people said they were to bo postponed. The Championship Committee should not have accepted the word of the Superintendent of Reserves. The chairman said that all these matters could be .raised by the deputation to the Reserves Committee.- Too much had been said about the matter. Mr. M'Kenzie rejoined that so long as he was a member of tho committee lie would insist-upon his right to speak with freedom, despite tho chairman. The association, in his opinion, took things too much for granted, and was too much afraid of tho City Council. The chairman said it would have been impossible to call an emergency ing of the association ot -12.30 p.m. on Saturday. Mr. Hickey remarked that if the association wero not going to do 'that the same thing might happen again. Mr. M'Kenzie agreed, and said that the next thing would be that the progress of a representative match would be interrupted. The chairman: Oh, you aro not going to have it again! There is no need for all this. 1 Air. Hickey hero sought to make a statement about what had happened to his club (Wellington East) on the previous Saturday,' but tho chairman ruled that the statement was irrelevant to. tho motion before the meeting. Mr. Hickey could make it afterwards. Answering a question, Mr. Luckie stated that the agreement under which the Cricket Association held the Basin lteservo from the City Council was terminable at the will of the latter body. Mr. Crombie's motion was agreed to on the voices. What Happened to East. Mr. Hickey then made his statement about what had happened to the East Club on the previous Saturday. He stated, in explanation of the fact that only six senior players went out on its behalf to Fetone, that its members had vainly tried to get into communication with the officers of the association. They were informed that the council would not allow any cricket on the Basin Reservo and assumed that the suburban matches would also be postponed. Tho Ground Committee, ho thought, should have done something definite and clcar in regard to-the •mixed-up position which had arisen 011 Saturday. He suggested that the matches played should be disregarded so far as the championships were concerned. Tho chairman said that, in any event, this could only be done with the full and free consent of all the clubs concerned. - Mr. Burbidge supported what Mr. Hickev had said, and remarked that ho thought it unfair to the Hast Club that the matches played on Saturday should stand. He moved that theso matches bo not counted in tho championship series. The motion, he was intended to cover all matches played last Saturday under tho control of the association. Mr. Hickey supported the proposal. His club had on previous occasions declined opportunities of winning matches by default, and no advantage should be taken by other clubs of the misunderstanding that had arisen on this occasion. , Mr. Crombie said ho had told players who had rung him up on Saturday morning that there would be no postponement so far as the association was concerned. Cricketers should understand that it would not be in accordance with the laws of cricket to postpone a match on Saturday morning save under very exceptional circumstances. Mr. .M'Kenzie contended that tho East Club had put itself out of court. Moro than half tho team had gone out, someone acted as captain for East, and tho match proceeded. That settled the matter. In this the chairfnan concurred. Tho motion was lost by 5 votes to 3. It was agreed that the matches which should havo beon played last Saturday should commence on Saturday next. The matches commenced at Hutt and Petone Jast Saturday will be concluded next Saturday. THE MANAGEMENT. A special meeting of tho Management Committee of the Wellington Cricket Association was held last evening, Mr. M. Luckie presiding. Mr. Willis urgtd that the committee should proceed forthwith to appoint a Selection Committee. This was opposed by tho chairman. - Mr. D. M'Kenzie moived that tho Selection Committee to bo appointed should consist entirely of non-players. Mr. Burbidge supported tho proposal, ne had heard that 0110 of the selectors appointed last year had hardly seen any matches played. The chairman opined that it would be unwise for the association to tie itself as suggested. Mr. Willis said tho best men should be chosen wherever they were. Ultimately it was agreed that a Selection Committee should bo appointed at next meeting. The Town Clerk forwarded an account for .£7 19s. for repairs to the horse lawn-mower at the Basin Reservo during last cricket season. The account was passed, but the secretary was instructed to suggest to tho council that the association should in future be consulted beforo repairs wero ordered to council machinery used by the association. The Town Clerk notified that tho Reserves Committee of the City Council would receive a deputation from tho association and New Zealand Amateur

Athletic Association on Thursday next, ut 8 p.m., in tho Town Hall. The chairman said this was tho outcome of the conference at which representatives of tho association had mot representatives of tho Athletic Centre in regard to tho use of tho Basin Reserve, l-'ne Athletic Association desired to liavo the Reservo on December IG, January 27, ono day in February, and March 23. The latter dato was required for tho Victoria Collrgo sports, at which it was not proposed to make any charge for admission. He. had suggested that tho Victoria College sports should be held on another ground, and that the dato in February should be granted, subject to its not clashing with any representative cricket fixture. Mr. M'Kenzio said it should be nude clear to the Athletic Association that if any of tho days granted to them should prove wet they should not ask for other days. . . Other members concurred in tins view. It was decided to agree to the Athletic Association having the use of tho Reservo on three days, subject to the reservation stated by Mr. M'Kenzie. The secretary was instructed to suggest to the Athletic Association that it should carry out its promise, mado two years ago, to contribute to tho cost of raising the fence round the Basin Reserve. SOUTH AUSTRALIA V. VICTORIA. Dy Telegraph—Press Association— CopyrieM Adelaide, November 7. South Australia, 'in its second innings against Victoria made 296. Crawford played a fine innings of 126. Hill mado 33," and Wright 31. Armstrong took four wickets for 16, Laver two for 78, Macrow one for 25, and Kyle ono for 50. Victoria, in its second innings, has lost no wickets for' 37.

LAWN TENNIS.

THE AfATCHES FOR SATURDAY. Tho following are the drawings for next Saturday's inter-club matches: — Men's Competition. Shield: Wellington A v. Wellington B, at Wellington; Brougham Hill v. Victoria College, at Brougham Hill; Newtown, a bye. Cup: Victoria College A v. Brougham Hill A, at Day's Bay; Petone v. Trinity Church, at Day's Bay; Brougham Hill B v. Wellington, at Day'# Bay; Victoria College B v. Newtown, at Victoria College. Pennant: Petone B v. Johnsonville, at Fetone; Khandallah v. Kilbirnie, at Kitbirnie; Trinity Church v. St. John's, at Trinity Church; Petone A v. Bidwill Street', at Day's Bay; Oriental v. Victoria College, at Victoria College. Racket: Oriental v. Wellington Collegi; B, at Day's Bay; Victoria College A v. brougham Hill, at Day's Bay; Trinity Church, a bye. Ladies' Competition. Shield: Wellington A v.-Wellington B, at Wellington; Brougham Hill v. Victoria College, at Brougham Hill; Newtown v. Thorndon, at Thorndon. Cup: Victoria College v. Brougham Hill, at Day's Bay; Petone v. Trinity Church, at Day's Bay; Khandallah v. Wellington, at Khandallah; Oriental v. Newtown, at Oriental. Pennant: Kilbirnie v. Johnsonville, at Johnsonville; Pet'one v. Brougham Hill, at Day's Bay; Newtown v. St. John's, at Newtown; Trinity Church, a bye.

ROWING.

Several heats in tho Star Boating Club's junior fours and novice pairs wero decided on Monday evening. The results aro as follow:— Senior—Alexander (str.), Turnbull (3), Abercrombie (2), Robertson (bow), defeated 11.. M. Brewer (str.), Craig (3), Bedford (2), Wilkinson (bow). Junior fours—First heat: Newbold (str.), Young (3), Radcliffe (2), Jones (bow), defeateS Riulcliffo (str.), Smyth (3), ICirker (2), A. Mack (.bow). Second heat: Hackworth 1 (str.), M'Mastcr (3), Wallace (2), Carr (bow), defeated Robinson (str.), Tomlinson (3), Forbes (2), I'. Craig (bow). Novice pairs—First heat: Wilson (str.), Pollock (bow), defeated Gibbons (str.), Mitchell _ (bow). Second beat: Halso (str.), Whiteambe (bow), defeated Lawson (str.), M'lCay (bow). The following races of the Wellington Rowing Club ioires were decided First heat: S. Standen (str.), Long (3), Lacey (2),-Kerr (bow), defeated W. Hincbclifie (str.), Hoaro (3), Archer (2), Pearce (bow).

SWIMMING.

WELLINGTON CENTRE. BATH CHARGES. A meeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association was held last night, Mr. G. S. Hill yresiding. Mr. T. Hall, of ICaraka Bay, was an. thoriscd to supervise swimming for pro ficiency certificates at Worser Bay. A letter from tho Sydney Swimming Club stated that it was proposed to send a team of eight men to visit New Zealand during tho coming season It was suggested that two carnivals be arranged for the visitors at Wellington and one at Auckland, and the Wellington Centre would be asked to contribute X-10 to tho cost of the trip.—On the motion of Mr. T. Shields tho letter was referred to a sub-committee for report, the sub-com-mittee to consist of the chairman, secretary, treasurer, and Messrs. E, Healy and F. Wilton. It was decided to open the season on November 18. A programme of three events will be decided at To Aro Baths on that occasion. The annual meeting of the centro was fixed for Thursday, November 15. Mr. T. Shields brought up the question of the increased charges for tho city baths, recently adopted by the City Council- He referred to the necessity of every man, woman, and child learning the art of swimming, and expressed tho opinion that every encouragement should be given them by this council. lie suggested that a strong deputation of swimmers from all over Wellington should wait on tho City Council and urge upon them the advisability of.reverting to the old charges. The Botanical Gardens and Newtown Park yielded no revenue, and yet hundreds of pounds were spent on them annually. Ho moved that a deputation wait on the City Council in reference to the matter. The chairman considered that a small loss in a population ol nearly 80,00(1 was a more detail unworthy of consideration. In Great Britain the public baths wero considered a necessity whether they paid or not. Mr. Kirkv:ood: Thoy keep people out of the hospitals. - Mr. Bliek and Mr. Morpeth also spoke in favour of the deputation. Tho chairman jaid tho council were taking too mucti of a business view of tho baths in treating them as a revenue-earn-ing proposition.

BOXING.

Eliott, the champion boxer from Australia, arrived by last night's Main Trunk express, and was met on arrival by the secretary of tho local association. He was accompanicd by Jack Howard, tho middle-weight, who was recently defeated by D. 'Smith. Eliott reports himself in oxullent form, and will put tho finishing touches on his preparation at Tracy's. He considers Russell,.'Fitzjohn, and himself much in tho same class—anyone might win. He has met Fitzjohn on five occasions, and each has two wins to his credit, while one contest resulted in a draw. On each occasion the full 20 rounds were contested. Tho present holder of the fcatber-woight titlo is Russell, who got a decision over Eliott recently. Fitzjohn is to arrive this morning, having come over in the direct bout from Sydney, and will probably go across to Day's Bay to finish his training.