WHO WILL BE MANAGER?

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12611, 23 November 1926, Page 7

WHO WILL BE MANAGER?

NEW ZEALAND CRICKET TEAM MUST HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM PRESSURE TO MAKE APPOINTMENT The management committee of the Wellington Cricket Association last night decided to write to the New Zealand Cricket Council pressing for the appointment of manager of the New Zealand circket representative team which is to visit England to be made immediately. The view was expressed that many more supporters would be forthcoming with guarantees when they knew whom the manager would be. The subject was introduced by Mr R. Johnston, who remarked that people nil over the Dominion were anxious to know who the manager of the New Zealand team was going to be, as practically the whole success of the tour, apart froiA the players, would devolve upon, the manager. In order to bring

matters to a head he would move that a letter be written to the New Zealand Council if it was not possible to come to a decision, in regard to the matter. If the appointment was made a lot of people who were holding back in Wellington would immediately make up their minds one way or the other as to whether they would support the tour. Mr W. R. Bock :• Provided it does not interfere with our campaign. Mr Johnston: It will bring matters to a head with regard to the share application. Mr H. J. Buck seconded the motion, and said the position had been quite correctly stated. The matter of honorary members subscriptions had been quite overshadowed by the demand mjrde on account of the cricket team to visit England. He had heard it said many times in different places when asked to subscribe to the New Zealand team: “If you want a subscription, who is going to manage the team?” People were looking at it from the point of view of sport, but they also wanted a good go for their money, and if they were going to put up £25, £SO or £IOO they wanted to know who was going to be at the head of affairs, and that their money would be used to the best advantage, and that the money would be handled by a man in whom they had confidence and trust. He believed if they wrote they would get an answer, and then there would be any amount of support in Wellington, for this was the biggest thing which had taken place in New Zealand cricket.

Air D. McKenzie said one gentleman remarked to him: “I am not going to put anything into it until I know who the manager is, and I am not the only man who is speaking in the same way.” The Wellington association wanted its honorary members subscriptions, but did not want to interfere with the subscriptions to the New Zealand cricket tour. “We want this thing to be closed up, and it won’t be closed up until we know who the manager is.” It was unanimously decided to write to the New Zealand Cricket Council on the lines proposed. TOUR OF BRITAIN POSITION AS MANAGER. , Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, November 22. Regarding a report from Dnnedin with reference to the appointment of the manager of the New Zealand cricket team to England, Mr D. Reese, chairman of the management committee, said to-day that be had not been in Dunedin for several weeks, and stated emphatically that be had never expressed an opinion or recommended any particular individual for the position. The matter was now receiving the earnest consideration of the management committee, and he thought it would be in the best interests of the tour if the newspapers refrained from advocating certain candidates.