CRICKET.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 90, 14 September 1874, Page 2

CRICKET.

UNITED CANTERBURY CRICKET CLUB. The annual general meeting of this club was held at Warner's Hotel on Saturday evening. Mr C. C. Corfe was voted to the chair. The minutes of the last general meeting were read and confirmed. The secretary (Mr A. M. Ollivier) read the following report:— Report of the United Canterbury Cricket Club, 1873-4. " The expense of keeping the ground in order during the past season has been the same as that for the previous year, namely, £6O. The work has been done by Mr A. Stewart, who has for some years had the management of this department. The committee regret that they were unable to make arrangements for the employment of a bowler as in previous seasons, as they feel sure that the extra cost would have been nearly, if not quite, recovered by the immense saving to the property of the club. The committee, however, have every reason to believe that an arrangement can be made for the ensuing season with a man who will keep the ground, and bowl to members of the club every evening throughout the season, and they are of opinion that if such a course is pursued the club will be amply repaid for the expense incurred.

"The committee regret that there has been less cricket than usual during the past season, and attribute it in a great measure to the want of a bowler and the inability of members generally to attend practice. " With reference to the new ground, the committee observe that the Park and Domain Board have planted the two chain reserve, which had been cancelled upon application from the committee, before forming the ground, thus making it too small for cricketing purposes. A sub-committee has been appointed to arrange the matter with the Government.

" By means of ladies' subscription cards, a sum of £l7 was collected on account of the new ground, and the committee have reason to hope that a further sum will be received. ." An amateur theatrical performance was given at the theatre, and the net pruceeds, £2O, were handed to the club, to assist in defraying the expense of forming the new ground. " The club has sustained a great loss in the departure of Mr A. J. Cotterill, who for several years held the office of Secretary, and was a very active member of the club." The Treasurer (Mr Coudell) read the abstract of accounts for the past year, showing as follows :—Receipts—Balance from last

season, £7O 4s 7d; member's subscriptions, fees, &c, for 72-73, and 73-74, £157 2s Id. Payments, £lsl 12s 6d. Balance in bank, and in hand, £5 9s 7d. Liabilities, £79 3s. Assets (including balance in hand and subscriptions due), £29 18s 7d. Mr Reade moved the adoption of the report and balance-sheet. Mr E. C. J. Stevens said that before the report and balance sheet were adopted, he should like to say a few words. The report regretted that the committee were unable to obtain the services of a professional bowler for last season, as it would have resulted in a large saving to the property of the club. He would like to know what property had been damaged that would not have been if a professional bowler had been engaged.

Mr Ollivier, in answer to the question, said that a number of balls had been stolen from the pavilion, the lockers broken open, acd a number of pads, bats, gloves, and stumps had been taken out of them. There had also been many things left undone that a man might have attended to ; and the loss of material to the club and members must have reached £2O.

Mr Stevens was very sorry to hear this, and trusted that measures would be taken this season to prevent a recurrence. There was another portion of the report he wished to refer to. It stated that the Government had taken the two-chain reserve for planting purposes. From personal observation, he saw that the reserve had only been taken from two sides of their ground, to the extent of only a chain and a quarter, and not the whole of the reserve; and as that was a document which would go before the public, he felt it should be correct. Mr Ollivier stated that two rows of trees had been planted, and the Government would expect a space left from the trees which would take up the whole of the reserve. Mr Stevens, referring to the balance-sheet, regretted that the Woolston Club had been allowed to run in debt to the extent of £5 5s in the face of a resolution passed by the club that all those fees should be paid beforehand ; and with reference to the report before them, there was a resolution in existence that the committee should meet once a month. Had this been done, and the ground inspected during the winter, the piece of land would not have been taken from the club, as a word from the committee would no doubt have prevented it. Those portions of the ground injured by the grub, if attended to, would now be covered with grass. He also noticed in the statement the loss of the horse belonging to the club that had been sold for poundage fees, which was not mentioned in the report; nor was anything said about the restoration of the hose which had been referred to in the previous report of the club. If those two additions were made to the report he should be happy to support its adoption. The report as amended and the balance sheet were then adopted. The following officers were then elected : President, his Honor the Superintendent j vice-president, Mr C. C. Corlo ; hon secretary, Mr E. C. J. Stevens ; hon treasurer, Mr E. Parkerson; committee, Messrs A. M. Ollivier, Condell, Wilson, T. R. Moore, Wood, Fuller, and Dickenson. Mr Stevens desired to call the attention of the meeting to a matter of importance, viz : the question of second-eleven matches. Those matches, as applied to this place, were, he considered, very injurious ; they had been carried on for several years here, and the results had always been unsatisfactory, and had only given discouragement to young players, through the difficulty experienced in getting up strong competition. He had never known second-eleven players here come into the first eleven, and a reference to past years would show that these matches did not tend to improve cricket. In England these matches were arranged with a regard to strength, and according to merit, which gave encouragement to young players. He would move " That the practice of playing second eleven matches be discontinued." Mr T. R. Moore seconded the motion.

Mr Webb mentioned that they adopted the principle in Otago of re-arranging the elevens every year, which brought out young players admirably. [Hear, hear.] Mr Ollivier spoke of the difficulty he had experienced last year in getting members to play in pecond eleven matches. He believed the competition would be made stronger if matches were arranged with up country clubs.

Mr Parkerson, as one who had played last year in second-eleven matches, and nothing else [laughter,] could bear testimony to the unsatisfactory results of those matcheß. The motion was then put and carried. Air Parkerson considered that something should be done to protect the materials of the club, and would move—" That this meeting pledges itself to expose any one found to have used the material of other members without leave, or to have damaged the lockers of the club, and that this resolution be forwarded to other clubs inviting their assistance to carry it out." Mr Ollivier seconded the motion. Last year he purchased a new ball, and bought an expensive lock, as he thought other members might have keys to fit it, but he only had it for two days, as at the end of that time both the ball and some gloves he had in the locker were taken.

Mr Read said he had lost a pet bat last season with his name legibly written on it. On making a search he found it in another locker with the name carefully scratched out.

Mr Wilson believed it was the boys who gained admission to the pavilion who took this property. Mr Ollivier said that some members might be under the impression that it was the College boys who were guilty of this conduct, but Mr Stewart had found some town boys in the pavilion last season on a Sunday, who had burst open several lockers.

Mr Reade considered that many of the up-country persons when playing matches on the ground made rather free use of the club material.

The resolution was put and agreed to. Mr Stevens asked whether the late committee had any man in view to look after the ground.

Mr Ollivier replied that he had seen Mr Souter, who had told him that he would be willing to take the management of*the ground at once, until next September, do everything that was necessary, and bowl to members from four o'clock till seven, during the season, for £BO. The club had paid £73 last year for this work. He had told Mr Souter that he was not to bowl to anyone but the members of their club.

This concluded the business, and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting broke up.