N.Z. CRICKET COUNCIL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18503, 3 October 1925, Page 18

N.Z. CRICKET COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING. HEATHCOTE-WILLIAMS SHIELD. The thirtieth annual meeting ol the New Zealand Cricket Council was held last night., there being a. largo attendance of delegates. Mr Heathcoto Williams wis in tho chair. Delegates present were:—Messrs J. A. Clark (Otago), J. S. Barrett (Auckland}, C. Bix (Waikato), F. Woods (South Hawke'e Bar), W. Millar (Manawatu), A. T. Donnelly (Wairoa), S. 1'". Wilson (Waiapti), D. E; Parton (Wairarapa), W. R. Patrick (Wwigar.un, 11. C. Eidlev (South Taranaki), G. T. Weston (North Taranaki), A. K. Byrne (Wellington), S. i\ Wi son (West Coast), D. Reosc, K. K. Cnypll iCanfc-r----burv), P. D. Manse! 1 (South Canterbury), H. Waters (Ashburton), K. K. Luttrcil (Nelson), W. Bottrell (Marlborough;, J. l'\ Peake, W. H. Winsor (Otago), il. E. Lawrence (Nortii P. Dalry m pl® (Southland), and Dr. P. S. Foster (liawke's Bay;. In moving tho a'loption of tho report and balance-sheet, tho chairman offered his congratulations to Otago on winning the Plunket Shield. The team wcre» always there and always fought to the last ditch. The Carisbrook ground was a splendid one, and challengers need have no fear of playing on a poor ground. Tho Hawkc Cup woa -won by Nelson, who had put up a wonderful pcrformanco meeting five challengers. He thought the thanks of nil cricketers were duo to Mr J. J.''. Peake for tba work ho had put in in compiling the roll of honour aad statistics of cricket. Tho tour of tho Victorian team had resulted in a profit of £358. He was sure that all had enjoyed the visit cf tho Victorians. As retiring president, he would like to suggest that in future the programme of the tours of Australian trams should be confined more to important games. At least three tests ehou'd I l ' played, also matohen against the North I»land and South Island. The minor associations should join together and combine to put a strong team in llio field. For inBtance, the West Coast, Nelson and Mariborcugh oould put in a combined team, also Taranaki, Manawatu and Wanqanui. Under that every minor association would have a ohanco of having representatives playing againßt the Australians. They should endeavour to jeduce tho amonnt of travelling o£ the visiting teams and give them bettor games.

The New Zealand Team. Referring t-o the visit of tho Now Zealand loam to Australia thi3 year, Mr Williams said it was nocossary that tbo tour should not- clash with th© Sheffield SJiield and other 4)igr Karnes in Australia. He thought it was too early for a Now ZcaJand team to go to Australia, ak the team had not had timo to practice. .However, Jio thought tlio tour would be a good thing for cricket in New Zealand. Ho congratulated the management on having approached the Board of Control with a request that the Aus- , • tralian Test team should play matches in Xew Zealand on their way llome. Ho hoped tho Board of Control would consent. It would l>o good pructico for the Australians. The endeavours «f tho Management Committee in this matter showed that they had the best iutamstd of cricket at heart in trying to push the uama in the Dopumon. Cricket in New' Zealand. With regard. to cricket in New Zealand, Mr Williams said he hoped that the Association would do more to encourage tho S oijjig men to play cricket. It waa incumbent op the Association to do jnoro than had been done. Ho Jselievcd that right throughout Now Zealand the hoya were keen enough, but those in oontral apparently thought that the Heatbcote-Wiluams Shield competition was not in the beet interest* of the boys. It was disheartening to him; he had given that shield with the idea of enjY couragins secondary schools to play cricket. The gaiiie taught all Iho lessons a man should learn in his youth if he was going r: to be a good citizen. Good citizens were wanted in New Zealpnd, nnd it was up to everyone to sea that good citizens wern coming forward to combat the insidious in»y".' fluences at present at work in the Dominion. : i Ho hoped that the day would come when the secondary school authorities wpuld take ' i TOOfe interest in the shield. He did not want to imposo on the school teams an . ' Wndu« (amount of tmavolling, I>ut mote f games oould bo played for the shield than wale played at present. - '' In seconding tho motion, Mr Clark said he thought that cricket was on the up 1 ' gr&do in New Zealand. Not only had the standard of play impwed, but tho public were taking more interest in the game. /Ho thought the public werfi realising the r import#nee of cricket in character-building. Mr. Barrett, referring to the visit of the New Zealand team to Australia, said the question <of when the tour should "bo made { , waa earnestly considered, and its waa thought th#t the only way to avoid the Sheffield matches and get the players back in time for the visit of the Australians, i£ it came / ' off, w to eend telm awaj' Oarly. .v. Under the arrangements they had > mode ithey -would get the Sydney gate at thai New Year. That gate was going to fee their sheet anchor as far as finance •was concerned, j-j The report Mid balance-sheet were adopted. .Jt W decided, on the motion of Mr <?l»rk, '- that the Gcmnoil should support tho principle of daylight flaring.

I ; ; Hawks Cap. TJ», feerctaiy (Mr J. F. Feake) said that tile oojcr-ctition fpr the Hawko Cup would bft eoiyjucted on the e«ne lines as last, year. Twa challenge® h»d been received, 'ino from Marlborough and the other from Southland, i Regarding the selection of the New Zear llfld tsa-ui to go to Australia, Mr "Williams lAjd the selectors should publish the ccrt%mti« for the team, and also the probables, by October 17 th, H© moved a motion to tb#t effect. It tjj iipportapt, Ije paid, th*t placers shpuld got into practice at • on?e. " ■ Selecting the Team. t Mr K.> Cavgill, one of the selectors, <. aaiditbat the Management Committee had set November Jet as the date when tho would be announced. However, everything poeaib.'o im being done to rush matters, »nd every consideration would be given to the best interests of the players chosen for tho tour. The pi ay ens who stood a good thanco should be well aware of tho fact, and they wero not very teen if thev were failing to get in l some practice. Mr Clark said that November Ist was top. late. It* would f>e difficult for somo players to make arrangements to get' off in three 'weeks' time. Mr Bairett said it would be better to suggest that the selectors should pick the team as early as possible. moved as an amendment that the selectors bo requested to make their selection ae early as ppssible so that leave and other matters could bo arranged. Tho amendment was lost by 10 votes to 13, Md the motion was carried. The Secondary Schools. Boms dismission took place on the remarks by tho chairman regarding tho Heathen te Shield. \iir Winsor suggested that deputations should wait on tho sahool authorities. Mr Dpunelly said it would be impossible to change tho views of eomo of the schoolmasters. Mr Wjusor: What about the parents? Mr DonneUr: The headmasters say that they decide such questions. Mr Wilson said they should be careful in spproaohing tho school, authorities. Mr Barrett said that the question of tho shield had been before the Management Committee several yean, and they had given it earnest thought. They were in accord with the chairman's view, but. they wero up aganst- a brick wall as far as headpiasters were concerned. Deputations did not seem to do much good. Mr Ridley said he would interview the headmaster of Christ's College 'on the mat- . ter and report to tho Management Com®iUep. Officers. The following were elected as officers for 'tho ensuing year:—Patron, His Excellency the Governor-General; president, Mr J. J. Clark; vice-presidents, presidents cf affiliated associations; Management Committee, Messrs J. S. Barrett, K- R. D. Beese, A. T. Donnelly, H. Taylor; hon. treasurer, Mr. W. H. Winsor; hon. secretary, Mr J. 2?- Paake.