CRICKET

Southland Times, Issue 24243, 28 September 1940, Page 11

CRICKET

SUCCESSFUL SEASON OF OTAUTAU CLUB

OFFICERS ELECTED AT ANNUAL MEETING

The club had had a successful season, being runner-up to Limehills in the district competition stated the annual report of the Otautau Cricket Club presented at the annual meeting. Congratulations were extended to Limehills on its win. The weather generally during the season was against first-class play, some games being interrupted and abandoned. The balancesheet showed a loss on the season’s working, but the club was well supplied with material. Some of last year’s members had joined the fighting services, the report stated, F. M. Laing being in Egypt, and W. Campbell with the 3rd Echelon. A. S. H. Cutler was to go into camp with the 4th Reinforcements. The club offered these members its congratulations and wished them a safe return, the report concluded.

The chairman (Mr E. Matheson) said he regretted the club was not in a better financial position. A donation of £3/3/- had been received from Mr J. H. Smith. It was difficult to say what was going to happen about the Central-Western competition, as many of the clubs in the district had been harder hit than Otautau in regard to enlistments. He hoped, however, that they would be able to carry on, he said. He offered his congratulations to those members who had enlisted. The following officers were elected: Patron, Mr J. G. C. Baker; president, Mr E. Matheson; vice-presidents, Messrs J. H. Smith, G. H. Hodges, H. Smyth, N. G. Trotter and John Fisher; secretary and treasurer, Mr S. M. Millar; auditor, Mr A. A. Fisher; captain, Mr C. Nicholson; practice captain, Mr K. McDonald; committee, the above officials, Messrs A. Chisholm, W. G. Melton, R. Laing and W. Owen; selectors, Messrs C. Nicholson, W. G. Melton and A. Chisholm; delegates to Central-Western Association, Messrs K. McDonald, C. Nicholson, A. Fisher and A. Chisholm; official umpires, Messrs H. Smyth and T. Daly; official scorer, Mr G. H. Stevens. The subscription was fixed at the same as last year.

RIVERTON CLUB’S ATTITUDE Mr Baker said that the petrol restrictions was the excuse offered by the Riverton club for not taking part in the district competition. This, however, was not the case, as the fuel controller afforded reasonable. facilities for sporting bodies to fulfil their fixtures. Even if the club had to combine with Thombury it should be asked to play in the Central-Western competition. Mr. Fisher said that last year Riverton had been granted the right by the sub-association to play in Invercargill. With a possible shortage of teams this year he thought the sub-associa-tion should ask Riverton to play in the district competition. It was decided that it be a recommendation to the Central-Western Sub-association that application be made to the fuel controller for petrol

to allow the competition to be finalized; failing this, the Otautau club to make application on its own behalf. Mr Cutler said he had offered last year to donate £l/1/- for a trophy for a competition, but the weather had been broken.. He was prepared to r&iew the offer for this year. The donation was accepted with thanks, and it was decided to award a trophy for fielding, the winner to be decided by popular vote of the members.