The discussion of the pro

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11616, 22 June 1903, Page 4

The discussion of the pro

Tho Wider pos*_l to alter tho width of Wicket. tho wT<_x<ta from eight to nine inches was no doubt responsible for tite large atter-dance at Uie «-HHial ■oreet-Jxtg of the MaryKbone Crickit Club. Nearly five htadred were preecr*.*, an atfceihlance worthy of a club with a turnover of £26,000, a revenue fro_i entrance fees and subscriptioria of more than £13,000, and a tme_ib?i*sliip of 4847. Mr A. G. Steeil in propc«ing his motion as to the width of wicket**, said the object was to afford a little osyirtance to tlte howlors and to restore tlie balacoei bctwe-t'-n bowler and b-ait-rnart. The county coptains had initiated the movement, and the issue of a cmcidair to tha difforetnt countie. and olubi proved that whilv*- a number wxre against the .proposal, otihera wero in favour of it. Eisex had dedaued in favour of longer hour- and g-reater ptmctualitj", but it *apfpeai*s tl_it wMLe the M.C.C. does all it can to e-.foi'co -jninctftiality it rcgai-ds donger hours a« impossible, owmrg to thephyeicol etrain. One revolutionary -niggestkm was that less <a,ttentiou shouldi be devoted to getting a fjerfoct wickt*>t, and that the use of thio roller ond miowing mat-li_ae «hc_ld be proliibittid, but Mr Steel ejtpressed _tr-o_g object.ion to -sudi a step, and most cricketere will -ngreo with him. Glou-cestwr was on safer ground in suggesting that the causa of so many ditawn matches was bad Ik-ding. Mr Ste-,-1 did not agree with this, declaring that the •fieldinig waa aa good now aa it was thirty •rears ago. Tiia.t is cot Baying it is as good as it shfould be, and mamy a dropped catch has been responsiblo for a big score for which, mefficient bowling has been blamed. Mr Denzil Onslow's story supports this view. There was ono fam-ous Surrey cricketer, lie said, who hadi made thirteen oen*bi_-ios in one ceaso-i. On being asked _ow jnatriy he would have if the cateliß-s he offered had not been dropped he replied "One-" Lord Harris found the amaoa far this too-common state of "butter-fingerednees" in the deep array ol) black-coated spectators around the grounds, wh.ioh "-nt-erfwed with the field-er gettang a proper sight of the ball, but it is a moopohit whether this is a complete answer to tlie ohnnge otf bad fielding. There mrust be many ocetasions xrhm a- missed catch could by -no •possrbi!% be athributed to this oause. Tiie dl*trisio_ at titb e_j_ sbowedi that 215 wei'-a in favour of the inotictm and 199 against it, but to effect any alte™tk>n in tlie rules of tie giam© a two-tbirds •majoTjlty is •req - **_red, so tho motion was lost. TBll9 diseussao- is Jikiely to cause more <#•*_"_! -ttaation being paid to the width of wickets, as Mr Steel jutserted tliat some are 8, jj-tjohes wide __d) others ©veil inches. If these ano Kdijced to tho proper width some bowlers will wish tho, subject had never been discussed at all.

The custom obtaining in GiUd-ren'- many public libraries jn the Libraries. United States of "senrfiag round to the local schools books adopted for the use of teachers and pupils has led in numbers of towßa to tho establishment of a children's library, as a speoial department pf the main library. Of these institutiona Miss Charlotte O'Conor Eccles gives a pleae_nV account in tho latest "Windsor Magazine.'' The children's library in Boston may be taken as a typical example of these institution*. The difficulty which at once present, itself in selecting books for children is tiicro got over by the appointment of a cobuniUee of some twenty ladies and gentlemen connected with church work, who read new books, and report, on. them before they are circulated. " All sectarian or controversial, or pessimietio works are rejected, but abundance of wholesome fiction, travel, oiography, adventure, elementary natural science, and history is provided. Fairy tales are in great demand, but the older children, when interested in any historical character or when studying, for an examination, are often "lad to supplement lessons given in school by •reading up books on special subjects. 1 ' All children under the ago of sixteen are free to Use the library, and those who are over twelve are allowed to take books homo to read. The librarians take a pleasure in interesting the children on such national bolidavs as Thanksgiving Day. An account of --a festival is posted on tlie bu'letro board, a iist of books dealing with it is made out, and any pictures and photographs that are available are displayed. The, same course is pursued on the anniversaries of great battles and the birthdays of i_e world's great men, and sometimes oontenxporai-y writers who may be exciting especial interest are thus honoured. Tliia was tne case when tho pubication of the "Just-so Stories" attracted tho attention of caiidren to Mr Kipling. In mauy noranes drawings of familiar wild flowers, birds, and animals adorn the walls-, and in some children aro encouraged to form collections of wild Cowers or the leaves of forest trees. At Cleveland, Ohio, two children's clubs were organised last year in connection with tho library, one for the study of famous localities in "England in connection with their history, the other for the special study of American history. In all cases apparently there is a marked pride in their library among tne children, and great core is taken of the books, while it can be easily imagined that the rule in some very poor neighbourhoods that each child must wash his or her hands Deforo going into mo library lead- to the formation of habits of cleanliness which wonlu Owierwiso be lacking.