SIDELIGHTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 12, 15 January 1937, Page 5

SIDELIGHTS.

ON CRICKET TESTS. NOVEL POINT OF VIEW. VAST ATTENDANCES. Comment from a novel point of view on the cricket Test matches in Australia as made by Mr. G. H. Elliffe, the district public trustee, who returned to Dunedin by the Marama after a holiday spent in Australia.

"It was a remarkable sensation," Mr. Elliffe told the "Otago Daily Times," "to sit at the Test match in Melbourne and reflect on the fact that the attendance, numbering 87,000, was as great as the total population of Duna.lin. In effect, there was Dunedin all in one place." The people in Australia, he continued, seemed to worship the game, and particularly Bradman, but he thought they were, perhaps, inclined to overdo it. Even business had to take second place to the Test matches, and if one walked through any of the big department stores during play one heard loud speakers announcing the latest scores and the liftmen in the buildings were always able to keep one posted on the most recent developments.

The accommodation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was remarked on by Mr. Elliffe, who said that it was nothing short of astounding to the visitor from New Zealand. There was seating accommodation for almost 100,000. One could purchase any sort of meal on the grounds, and all varieties of refreshments were available. Such was the enthusiasm of the Australians that they came from far and near to witness the games, and avidly bought copies of the special editions of the daily npvppaper, to read about the play they had actu-j

ally seen. The sales of such special editions on the cricket grounds were nothing short of amazing. The arrangements made for the control of traffic, Mr. Elliffe said, were remarkable, and reflected the greatest credit on those responsible for the organisation. Special parking areas were available around the ground, and a full service of trains, trams and buses was arranged to carry away the huge crowd of people at the close of each I day's play. Mr. Elliffe also remarked on the interest shown by Australians in the j New Zealand Government, and expressed the opinion that the better and faster boat services now running between the Commonwealth and the Dominion would in the near future attract a considerable volume of tourist traffic to this country.