CRICKET AND FOOTBALL.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 519, 13 May 1880, Page 2

CRICKET AND FOOTBALL.

Sir, —From the report, of the CUckct Club meeting bekl recently, it would appear that the feelings of some of the members of that body have'been wrought upon to an alarming extent, through the Carlyle Football Club playing over the ground turfed for a pitch; otherwise-tlie violent outburst of indignation'which came from one of their number would probably not have found space iu the columns of a newspaper. The football players are accused of having “jumped ” the ground in defiance of the trustees, and also of .having acted iu a very nugentlemanly maimer throughout. Now, sir, what are the real facts of the case ? The trustees have been treated with every consideration. They have been applied to year after, year for the use of the ground, and only on one occasion (last year) did - they have the courtesy to take notice of any of the communications sent them Last year the G.F.C. did get ; permission to play on the ground, couched iu the following terms: “ You may play on the ground until such times'as the cricketers commence to tmf the piece of .ground they have selected to turf for a pitch, after which you can use the ground loss the pitch.” Now} this meant, practically, “ You musflimit your boundaries to a Held not sufficiently large for the purposes of the game, or go elsewhere.” The ground having in the first case been set - apait for “a cricket and athletic sports ground.” This conditional reply, to many members of the club, looked like a violation of their public rights, and an unwarrantable action on the part of the gentlemen appointed to administer the trust for the benefit and use of the community at large; and, therefore, we considered wo were quite justified in adopting t’ue course we did. At the meeting before-mentioned, - . one of the members characterised the conduct of our club as ungcntlcinan’y, and, in doing so, had the exceedingly bad taste, not only to accuse the captain of trying to incite the members of the club to play over the ground, but to refer to another of our number in an objectionable manner. This part of his deliverance was,not reported, but judging from what did appear, I should say the speaker in question would show to greater ah vantage A, a.. .voniu remember the saUitary advice so often tendered to'occupants'of vitreous'tenements—never to indulge in stone throwing.—l am, &c. FAIR PLAY.