MILITARY SHIRKERS AND CRICKET

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 63, 8 December 1920, Page 6

MILITARY SHIRKERS AND CRICKET

$ ACTION BY CRICKET ASSOCIATION.. At the meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association lasj evening the question of allowing military shirkers to take part in cricket matches enme up for discussion. The secretary stated that he had b«en approached by several returned soldiers, who objected vb a man who had been a military deserter, and bad been eourtmartialled. playing club cricket. Mr. H. .1. Buck said that the committee had to face the question. There was no rule. al»ut ;'he matter, and the committee could not take constitutional action. The matter was one for the clubs themselves to deal with. Ho believed there was a good deal of feeling iu respect to (he shirkers. In his club, which had teams entered in every grade, about CO per cent, of the players were returned men. and some of them carried wounds. If a man did not think it good enough to go to the front he should not be considered good enough Jo play cricket with men who had done their duty to the country. After a desultory discussion it was resolved that the various clubs be notified that the as-socia'rton considers it undesirable that, military defaulters who had been deprived of their civil rights shpAild be allowed to play cricket under 'the jurisdiction of tho Wellington Cricket Association.