The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 791, 24 October 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1878.

Tmc Committee of the Oamaru Cricket Club the other day blackballed a respectable and promising young cricketer, although he was proposed as a member of the Club by its President. But few of the public know this at all, and those know not why it was done. Perhaps it may be considered presumptuous by the gentlemen who, in the interests of their noule selves, felt it necessary to adopt such a course towards a fellow-cricketer, even at the expense of the noble game, that we should offer any remarks upon their conduct. Even at this risk we pronounce their rejection of Mr. Snow to be an insult to the person who aspired to membership, to the President, and to the public. If such men as Mr. Snow are unfit to be members of the Oamaru Cricket Club, who are there that can claim fitness? \\ hat 1b the qualification necessary to act as a passport into the polite and august society of the gentlemen that vetoed Mr. Snow's application for membership'! True, he is only a clerk—not even a banl?clerk ; but until now ■we were unaware that that was any disgrace ; nor does there exist, so far as we know, in his case any social barrier to warrant his rejection as a member of the Club. Ilaß he been guilty of any serious misdemeanor ? if so, we have Mr. Snow's permission to challenge the gentlemen who objected to his membership to state what it is. So far as we can see, Mr. Snow displays as many outward proofs of gentlemanliness as his judges ; and even if he did not, so long as he is a respectable citizen why offer the insult of rejection. The arts and sciences level all classes. Rich and poor meet upon one .common platform for the advancement of knowledge. Until now we were simple enough to think that the same liberality «xisted amongst the votaries of our noble national pastimes. Wo were not wronp so far as the 'Old Country is concerned. That we know for a certainty. Have not some of the most able cricketers that the world haß ever known been men who have emanated from the ranks of working

men, and is it not the same now? The patrician has as often been compelled to play second fiddle to the plebeian in the cricket field as he has in social excellence. We admit there is a difference between a " gentleman " and a common man. In nine cases out of ten we would prefer the man. A real gentleman is never puffed up with conceit. He never vaunts his social superiority over commonalty; but stoops from the lofty position which he very properly occupies through his many virtues to mix with the world to endeavor to make it better. Such a course tends to brighten his intellect, benefit those with whom he comes into contact, and enhance his enjoyment. Those who barricade themselves within all sorts of absurd scruples act selfishly. If people are so good why be so greedy as to keep all their goodness to themselves ? They could disseminate it, not only without robbing themselves, if it is genuine, but to the advantage of others. If it willnot stand such a test, but suffers from contact with the world, it is tinsel. But to return to the Club is it the committee's intention to wind it up ? It has lost some of its members who may not have been gentlemen in the estimation of some people, but who nevertheless could play cricket, and we question whether they could now raise an eleven to beat the Grammar .School boys. e do not wish to disparage the whole of the members of the club. There are some good fellows, in every sense of the word, in it ; uor do we wish to discourage those members, who, although not very successful, always do their best. But let the Club make the only qualification necessary for admission into their ranks respectability, and they will secure as members men who will teach them how to play the aristocratic game of cricket without corrupting their manners or lowering their social status, if these attributes are anything more than superficial. We have 110 objection to embryo bankers ; they may be as good as anybody else for ought we know ; but if the Club is to be misruled by such a class —if a few Committeemen stultify the progressive tendencies of their fellow Committeemen —let them alter its title to something more characteristic. As matters stand at present, " The Oamaru Cricket Club" is a misnomer. We object to the impression getting abroad that it is the best Club that can be raised in Oamaru, and, if a section of its Committeemen persist in their exclusiveness, we would strongly advocate the establishment of a Club that would be an Oamaru Club in fact as well as in name. In snch a case there might be some trouble in securing another suitable piece of ground upon which to play ; but as the public subscribed at the solicitation of the Oamaru Club to enable the present cricket ground to be procured, the public have a right to demand that it shall not be used by i an institution that has degenerated from • being a cricket club into a "gentlemen's" club. In fact, we imagine that those who are such admirers of exclusiveness as to ! sacrifice their favorite game at its shrine — who are afraid of being polluted by contact i with the world —would scorn to accept pubr lie money and to use it for their exclusive r benefit. Their duty as gentlemen is to give ; back the ground that was procured partly ! through the liberality of the public in order i that it may be devoted to its legitimate use —-a cricket ground for an Oamaru club. This is what they, being gentlemen, will, of course, do. If they should resolve to act in a more rational manner, and east aside their ■ meaningless and childish exclusiveness, that will be an acknowledgment that they have acted wrongly in the past ; and their . bounden duty, as gentlemen, will be to apologise to Mr. Snow (who was rejected), and Mr. Cookk (who only passed the fiery ordeal of election as a member of the Club by one vote). It is scarcely possible at any price now to win Mr. SNOW-as a member of the Club ; nor do we think it probable that Mr. Cooke will accept the honor of member- ; ship now that he has been made aware of how narrowly he escaped Mr. Snow's fate. But it is their duty nevertheless to apologise- ________