FEES REDUCED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 26, 23 September 1931, Page 4

FEES REDUCED

CRICKET ASSOCIATION REDUCES AFFILIATION LEVIES. At Monday night's meeting of the Rotorua Cricket Sub-Association, some discussion centred round a notice of motion from the Mamaku Club proposing that the club affiliation fees be reduced from three guineas to two guineas. After a close division, the motion in favour of the reduction was carried. In bringing forward the proposal on behalf of the Mamaku Club, Mr. F. G. Reed said he did so because of the prevailing financial stringency, wliich was being especially felt by country clubs. Many country players were unemployed and were finding it very hard to pay their subseriptions. The management committee had always treated the country ciubs very well, but he felt that a reduction in the amount of the afiiliation would assist them materially. However, he could assure them that if the motion was rejected, Mamaku would do its best to fulfil its obligations. The motion was seconded by Mr. W. Pitts (Ngongotaha) , who briefly supported Mr. Reed's views. In reply to a question, the ehairman (Mr. H. L. Musgrave) said that tho proposed reduction might mean a decrease of six guineas in the Association's income. Mr. R. G. Webb pointed out that the Association was now liable for a payment of 7s 6d per club to the new Bay of Plenty Association; this was a liability which had never previously fallen upori the Association. He thought that the proposed reduction would present a very difficult position to the ineoming committee, as a new mat had to be purchased in addition to the extra outlay already mentioned. He thought that the Association should try to balance its budget as it went along and if the income was reduced there was a prospect that they would run into debt. It might even be necessary to levy the 7s 6 d payment to the Bay of Plenty Association from individual playing members. Mr. Musgrave said that while he was anxious to assist country clubs in every way and appreciated the difficulties they were encountering, he hardly thought the time was ripe to decrease the afiiliation. At the same time he could assure them that if any club was experiencing difficulty in meeting its liabilities, it would receive sympathetic consideration from the committee. This had always been the case in the past and he knew it would continue. After some further discussion, the Mamaku motion was put to the meeting and carried on a show of hands.