NEW ZEALAND CRICKET COUNCIL.

Tlie fourth annual meeting of the New -ealand Cricket Council was held «tte jlarendon Hotel on Saturday night. r*R* c-!*—Messrs F. Wilding (in the chair), .'- ---! »" Harman and H. D. Carter (CanterbuiTi, U. Collins and C. Treeweek (Wellington), \ Fairbairu and F. C. Raphael (Otago), J. IL Wood (Nelson). J. Fowko (Auckland. W/H. Wanklyn (Taranaki), G. A. L. rapier (Southland) hon. secretary, and W. «• i'arkins (Westland). , An apology was received for *heabsen_2 :f ilr W. D. Meares The Committee in its annual report congratulated the members on the success oi the _89/-98 season. The financial positiou af the Council was sound, the credit balaii-e oeing £140 2s lOd. As .there was no visit from any foreign team, interprovincial matches were more numerous than heretofore. The principal and only work of the Council had been in arranging for a*to_r of* a representative team to New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Satisfactory offers had been received, and it was decided to send a team early in February, 1899. As this would be the first representative New Zealanu cricket team leaving this colony no effort would be spared in getting the very best men available. T he Committee recorded with regret the death of Mr A. M. Ollivier, whose loss was keenly felt, not only by tne Council, but by all cricketers throughout New Zealand. The excellent Secretary of the Council, Mr C. R. Smith, was obliged to resign his position owing to his removal to Dunedin. Thi_e who had watched the advancement of lhe Council irom its initiation would know it was mainly, and perhaps entirely, through Mr Smith's efforts that the Council had done such good woi_, and was in. sucn v flourishing condition. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been £45 7s 9d, and the expenditure £5 4s lld, leaving a credit balance of .-Q'TO 2s lOd. The assets were £140 2s lOd, and the liabilities nil.

Tlie report and balance-sheet were adopted

The election of officers resulted as under: —President, Mr A. C. Hanlon (Otag.l; vice-presidents (who had Deen nominated !.y the respective clubs), Messrs A. K. Whittaker (Auckland), F. Wilding (Canterbury), E. H. Williams (Hawke's Bay), Dr. H. _*eerless (Nelson), A. Cross (Southland), H. D. Bell (Wellington), W. H. Perkins (Westland) ; hon. sec., Mr G. A. U. Tapper; hon. treasurer, Mr T. D. Harman.

The following programme was recommended for the season: —Auckland v Wellington, _t Wellington ; Auckland, v Hawke's Bay, at Napier; Taranaki v Nelson, at Hawera; Taranaki v Hawke's Bay, at Hawera; Hawke's Bay v Auckland, *it Napier; Wellington v Hawke's Bay, at Wellington; vVelßngton V Canterbury, at Christchurch; Wellington v Nelson, **t iMelson; Nelson v Marlborough, at Blenheim; Canterbury v Otago, at Dunedin; Otago v Southland, at Invercargill; Westland v Nelson, at Greymouth. * On the motion of the Southland delegate, seconded by Air J. U. Collins, rule 3 was altered to admit of more than one. Association from each province joining the Council.. On the motion of Mr Harman, the Wanganui /Association was affiliated to the Council.

'On the motion of Mr Wood, the motion passed at the last meeting of the Committee, that a representative team be sent to Australia, was confirmed.

After the motion to appoint three selectors to pick the representative team, and an amendment to appoint three from Christchurch had been lost on the voices, a motion was carried unanimously that Mr Ashbolt, of Wellington, should "be elected selector.

Preliminary arrangements Having been decided on in connection with'the New Zealand representative team, the Council adjourned.