THE SOUTH AFRICANS IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12850, 8 July 1907, Page 7

THE SOUTH AFRICANS IN ENGLAND.

LONDON, July 5. Siueex disposed of the South Africans for 49 runs. Dwyer took six wickets for 25, Cox four for 21.

THE DISTRICT SCHEME

STRONG OPPOSITION BY THE UNITED CLUB.

the old sv&nftt "Favoured Has district cricket failedP If ie has not actually done so, it Mould ap pear to 1«j a somewhat mixed blessing, if the remarks made by various members of tho United Canterbury Cricket Club, at a meeting held by tho Club on Saturday evening, may bo taken as a criterion of tbo general opinion «>» cricketers.

Iμ spite of an adverse motion by Mr Wigley, it Mas almost unanimously decided \o allow tho meeting to be opeu to tho Press. Mr Gi"o. Harris, -who presided, *aid the meeting bad been called to see n tho Club were in flavour of the old onlor of things, namely, club crick it. being reverted to. Lie read a letter from Mr C. 11. Clark, stating that the latter gentleman did not intend being present, not because lie did .not take an interest in his old Club, but becanee ho understood tlie subject undoi discussion would bo the district scheme, and he did not consider that those who hud loft off playing should use any influence in dividing how the game ehould bo conducted by active players. Personally, he had always be«n against compelling a man to either drop th.- , game or play when he was told. But he also thought that, the ecliew having been adopted, it should be erven a fair trial.

The Chairman, referring to the lotter, said that the district scheme was a matter which every cricketer must have at heart, and he was ea-eedinglv sorry Mr Clark had not attended tlvmeeting to put. hie views pereoiidlv before tho members

Mr J. 0. Jameson stated, that with a view to opening the discussion, he would move the following resolution:-- -" In the opinion of (his Club it is desirable to re-vert to club cricket, thf district scheme not having proved tho success its supporters had claimed for it." Mr W. C. H. Wigley, in secondinc the motion, said the Club, which had some sixty or more members, had Ixwn disbanded on the vote of only eleven members.

Mr R. T. Harman thought district cricket had been given a fair trial, and thoir club, as well ns all tho other clubs, would be very thankful to* po back + o tlio old order of things. There was not nearly the same interest taken in cricket as formerly. He had not long ago paid c visit to tho old United ground* to see the practice, and tJierrwore only three or four players thero. whereas formerly there wore twenty or thirty. Mr E. H. Frankish expressed the opinion that tho di.irict scheme lied proved a success. .Referring to the meeting called to consider tho district scheme in the first place, he said he would, like to know why so few members had put in an appearance at that meeting? As for the small attendances at practice, that was duo to tho Exhibition. Cricketers were supposed to have the interests of the game at heart, and under the old club cricket, it had not gone ahead. One good point about district cricket was the institution of tho district shield. That created a new interest, and up to the last moment it was never known who were going to be the champions. If they were io take a vote among all the players on tho matter, he thought district crkket would bo carried by a very largo majority. Mr G. Weston said tho present meeting had originated on tho petition of one or two members. The Chairman: I suppose you do not mean to infer the meeting has been improperly called? Mr Weston: No, but I want to oppose the movement. Those who called tho meeting do not as yet seem to have put forth any strong argument. It is not acting loyally to the Association, and 1 cannot see any reason for making tho change. Some of the district clubs have managed exceedingly well. Mr Wigley wanted to know if the meeting was en Association meeting or a Club meeting? Mr Weston remarked that surely the men who managed cricket should be considered. He wanted some very strong reasons for upsetting cricket in Canterbury. Mr K. M; Ollivier stated that the district scheme had come twenty years too soon. The fielding was getting in a very discreditable state owing to players being in the teams who were not competent. Mr Eric Harper also opposed the present district scheme. He looked at the social side of cricket as well as the standard of play. When the clubs were formerly in existence there was ,tar more sociability amongst cricketers than existed at present. Mr C. F. l>. Cook said that in his opinion the district scheme had only been in vogue for two years, and had not been given a fair trial. Under Club cricket a young player had to literally Uvuamite his way to the front. Mr J. H. Williams, tho Club secretary, remarked that tha financial side of the question had to be considered. According to the secretary of the Hagloy Park grounds, on August 31st the Club's indebtcdnees would l>e £34, and they would have to meet that indebtedness. The Association, after coing into the matter, tried to get the grounds away from the committee, but the hostility of the members had prevented them from doing so. If the scheme were given a trial of four or five years, it would mean that the Club would then be £100 in debt.

Mr J. E. Todhunter remarked that personally he would like to see club cricket again reverted to, but the question of making the chance would have to bo approached very delicately. The interest in the game was not as keen as formerly, and district cricket was not bringing on tho younger players. Mr Williams, junior, thought that under the present conditions the younger players got a better chance. Under the old regime the older players took but little interest in the juniors. They kept their places in the teams to the detriment of the younger men. In reply to a question from the secretary. Mr Todhunter (secretary of the Hnßloy Park Grounds Committee) said that tho improvements to the grounds had cost £325. but a good deal of rhe money had been raised by an art union. If district cricket continued, they could call on their supporters to wipe off the deficiency. Mr T. D. Harman stated that the present method should be allowed to continue for another year bpfore anything was done to alter jt, although ho himself favoured ojub cricket. He knew one promising young cricketer, who had given the game up because he had no club, in which he hnd friends, tn loin. The giime had languished, ant' interprovi'iH ,, ! «-«»?•«» vorv poorly attended. The club should not net <li<ilov;dlv to the Association, but th<r might express their opinion on the •übiect Mr .T.imrsnn thought that the strongost nnrument in fnvnnr of his motion w-sis that only throe members had <!w-n to it. Tho motion wa° put to th.- meeting nnd enrried by 16 votes +o 7. A sii'>-rommittf*». cfirt«isting of Messrs .T. C. C'"k=on. G. Wea<on J. 11. Willinms. F-. Harper, ami J. K. Todbiintor. was nppoin'fl to further tlic interests of the el\Vh in bringing the club system into for;o a^ain.