CRICKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 291, 12 May 1914, Page 7

CRICKET.

THE NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. By Tel?jraph—Press Association. Chrißtchurch, Sunday. The quarterly general meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Council was held on Saturday night. The Southland Association was given permission to engage in the Plunkct Shield 1 matches.

The management committee submitted the following report:—"Since last quarterly meeting, the tour of the New Zealand team in Australia has been completed. The balance-sheet shows a loss on the tour of about £4OO, £l3O of which was iborne by the Council, £6B 10s by the Wellington, Otago and Auckland Associations, and £B7 odd by the Canterbury Association. Certain associations had written to the committee, complaining of certain items in the bal-ance-sheet, and your committee thought it desirable that these letters fchould be placed before the Council. The tour was, on. the whole, successful from the players' point of view, but the team was unfortunate in failing to extend the New South Wales and Victorian matches to beyond the second day, thus impairing the financial result of the tour. The visit of a fine combination of Australian players secured by Mr. Arthur Sims was the means of creating considerable enthusiasm in the game. Most of the associations cleared expenses, but, unfortunately, the Council lost £147 14s 2d on the two test matches. However, owing to the heavy cost of getting the New Zealand teams together, the committee was always faced.with the prospect of almost certain loss in these matches, 'but there can be no doubt that it is in the interests of the game that they should be played, and that the money so spent waß well spent.' The committee is now in negotiation with the South Australian Association, with a view of arranging a.tour in New Zealand next season lor a team from that State." The secretary also read communications from Queensland and Fiji, consideration of which had been held over pending a reply from South Australia. Mr. S. A. Orchard, the manager, read a lengthy report on the New Zealand team's tour in Australia.—The report was adopted. 'j The secretary read the balance-sheet of the tour, and also correspondence from some of the associations. •

Mr. Wilson (Wellington) proposed that the letters from the four associations be referred back to the management committee to answer.

Mr. Fanning (Wellington) seconded. After discussion, Mr. Ridley (Auckland) proposed an amendment that the balance-sheet as produced by the management committee be approved.—Mr. Lebutt (Hawke's Bay) seconded. The amendment was. temporarily with, drawn, and the motion to. The' amendment was then put and carried as an independent motion.

Mr. Jjebutt brought up the resolution of the Ilawke's Bay Association relative to the selection of New Zealand teams,', and asking that consideration should be given to players outside the four centres.'? The secretary said that the committee had Teplied.to the Hawke's Bay Association. Mr. Franciß pointed out that there was no rule preventing the selectors from selecting any players in Sew Zealand.

The secretary submitted the balancesheet of the two test matches played against the Australians. In the Dunedin match, the expenditure was £4ll 10s 7d, and the receipts £359 ss; leaving a loss of £52 lis Id. In the Auckland match, the expenditure was £392 18s 7d, and the receipts €297 15s Od, the loss being £95 3s Id. A refund of '.£29 lis fid was anticipated in connection, with the Auckland match.