RESCINDED.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19725, 16 September 1929, Page 8

RESCINDED.

DISTRICT CRICKET MOTION. SYSTEM NOT CHANGED. NEW COMMITTEE APPOINTED. By a majority of 34 votes to 14, the annual general meeting of delegates to the Canterbury Cricket Association on Saturday evening decided to rescind the motion passed at a previous special meeting providing that the district scheme of club cricket be reverted to in the season 1980-31. This having been decided on on the motion of Mr L. D. Page, the following resolution by Mr F. jarrett was carr.ed That a special commutee be set up, comprising one delegate from the eight senior ciuos and two delegates who hare actually played under district cricket to bring down comprehensive schemes on cricket under the following heads: (1) District cricket with six district clubs. (2) District cricket with four district elubs and two dosed clubs. (3) District cricket with four district clubs. (4) Cricket with two closed clubs and four open clube. (5) Cricket with six-open clubs.

(6) Any other system. It was apparent from the voting that the only supporters of the district scheme were the Sydenham, Linwood, and East Christchurch delegates, and one each of the St. Albans and West Christchurch delegates. Old Boys, Old Collegians, ana Riccarton voted against the scheme in a body, and were supported by the majority of the St. Albans and West Christchurch delegates. as well as the representatives of all the junior clubs and the Boys f.league and school teachers. Evidently the junior clubs were under the impression that district cricket would mean their dissolution, a conviction which was hot dispelled by statements to the contrary by supporters of the di tr'ct scheme during the discussion. In opening the discussion, Mr D Reese, president of the Association, expressed the hope that the matter would be dealt with by the delegates with the Object of doing the best for the game of cricket in the province. A good deal of electioneering had been carried on in the newspapers, and he was not sure that this was very desirable. At the outset he would say_ in justice to Mr Page that the latter had boen nttacked, in many eases, quite unfairly. Mr Page was acting on a subcommittee, who brought down the proposals to be placed before the previous meeting, and those proposals did not favour a district scheme. Mr Page han received the attacks that should have been directed at the sub-committee. The matter of whether a district scheme was better than the present system was a matter for the present gener&tion to discover for themselves. The question of the Old Boys' dubs was a bice one, and if it was decided to perpetuate their existence in Christchurch, the delegates would be continuing something that no other part or the world had tried. High School Old Boys were a strong club now, ana their growth would continue in the future. The delegates must administer the rame for the good of cricket in the province and rot for the good of private clubs. Claims of Secondary Schools. •It is a question of what claim a secondary school has on directing the future career of a boy in cricket," said Mr Reese. "Statistics show that the average time that a boy stays at a secondary school is one year and four months, and it remains for Mr Page to convince you that a secondary school should have so great a claim on a boy who attends it for a little oyer a year, when he may have previously played for another club for a much greater time.'' As far as Canterbury cricket was concerned, the years 1894 and 1895, and the years 1908-10 were outstanding. The former period was under the club scheme, and the latter the district, which went to show that either might be made successful. The extreme argument of those who opposed the district scheme was that cricket should be developed along the lines of secondary school old boys' clubs. Cricket was, however, a democratic game, and such limitations were not desirable. At present there were four closed clubs in the Rugby football competition, but it eould not be argued that those clubs represented four-ninths of the footballers of the Province, and the question was whether secondary school old boys should be entitled to a greater representation than others in the playing community. "I trust," concluded Mr Reese, "that whatever you do, your decisions will lead Canterbury back to brighter days in the cricket world, and that the Province will be reinstated on the high plane of a few years ago. An improved standard of play and consequent heightened public enthusiasm will mean a great improvement, too, in the finances of the Association." Mr L. D. Page, delegate of the Old Bovs' Club, then moved in accordance with notice:—"That the following motion carried at the special meeting of delegates held on August 10th, 1929, be rescinded: 'That in the 1930-31 season the Canterbury Cricket Association revert to the district scheme of cricket with six senior clubs, named West Christchurch, East Christchurch, Linwood, St. Albans, Sydenham, and Riccarton.' "

Mr Page said that there were two reasons why he was desirous of having the motion rescinded. because the original motion was carried only by one or two votes, and clubs vitally affected, such as Sumner, New Brighton, and Papanni, were not represented at the meeting. It might be said that that was their own fault, but on the notice of the meeting it was stated only that the report of the subcommittee on "cricket generally" was to be discussed. Many clubs did not realise what issues were at stake. The second, and mam reason, was that district cricket was not desirable until natural districts could be defined. To carry out the proposed scheme at present boundaries would have to be defined by streets. Thus one side of a certain street would be in one district and the other side, another. With the natural growth of such places as New Brighton. Sumner, and Papanni, very soon these districts would be sufficiently strollsr to support a district club each. There would then be at least three well-defined districts. If these clubs were to be cut out now. a «rreat deal of enthusiasm would be killed, and the chance of their development as districts would become wiiall Another point stressed by Mr Paw "was that to have club enthnsis-m there must be grounds situated in the districts. This brourW the matter down to one of erround allocation JCrsfnr East fWeWri. .11,,., for If stance, wotilfl not want J la out to Elm wood P»t* to Practise ££ »*h.. if «»' «•* Snnart*™ at Hagley Park, they no t have the enthusiasm of the district behind them. The social side

M U>. g.»c, uld Mr f« » «r«« ««»■, attractions of such Vr, nis, swimming, and motoring, and the facilities they offered in this direction were taken into account. _ , The motion was then seconded by Mr O. T. Gorrie (Bie carton). '•Yon d n't suggest th-t m the event of a district scheme being New Brighton and mcnt.oned would n^M ; n £ te asked the chairman of Mr rage. Mr Page: If they were not wiped ou" and if they were to play senior B there is no reason why the Old Boys' clubs should not do the same. Mr W. Simpson said that the districts mentioned could be incorporated in one of the six senior districts. "Four clubs find it difficult enough to finance their tenure of Hagle? Park." remarked a delegate. One or two could never do it. r*«a+ Mr G R. Gregory (Bart Uhnstchurch: Attendances wou.d increase threefold at the different grounds if distr'ct cri ket were instituted

"Kothlng Concrete Before ttt." "We have nothing concrete before ns." said Mr F. Jarrett (West Christchurch). "The delegates are asked to make i vital decision when there is no concrete scheme before the meeting as to how the svstem could be worked. We have been forced into an absurd position, when we are asked such a question involving the complete reorganisation of cricket and finance. He said that he intended to move later, in the event of the previous motion being rescinded, the motion given above. • , n Cries of "Question" and ">o greeted Mr Jarrett s statement that the clubs were nearly all close to bank* ruptey. Money, he said, must be spent if talent was to be brought oat and developed. He would favour a district scheme of four clubs Is orth, South East, and West Christchurch. Before that c uld be done, the previous motion would have to be "rescinded. Mr W H. Winsor (Sydenham) said that the delegates wanted some good reasons placed before them why the motion carried at the special mating of delegates and placed on the j 3oo ®® of the Association should be strucs G. S. A. Biltcliff said that no notice wa3 given clubs that a change of constitution was likely to be aaopt©d Mr W Simpson said that a copy of the report of the was sent to all clubs with the notice of the meeting. . Mr J. S. Barrett said that he agreed with Mr Reese that it was a matter for the present K en r £r atlon . find out for themselves. There had been many drawbacks to the ola scheme, which eventually spelt its doom. District cricket was a great success for the first two or three years, but the five-year residential qualification was what ruined it. On the final district map, too, it came down to shifting the boundaries round street corners, so as to include Bill Smith other prominent plavers m clubs tnat needed support. Sydney was awe ™ play under a district scheme because ft had natural boundanes, but unless there was district rivalry the scheme was no good. He felt tfottte weakness was not in the system but In the clubs themselves. "Personally, Ido not intend to vote on this motion at all, but I hope you won't go back to the district scheme. Personal enthusiasm in club cricket will <io all tnat is B©oessary to bring Canterbury cricket up to its old standard." As the mover of the motion at the special meeting said Mr W. 1». K-ing (Linwood), he wanted to point oat that the advocates of distort cricket had one object in view—the benefit ot the game generally, not the benefit « any particular clubs. The report of the sub-committee to the special meeting stated that in their oprniwi the time wan not opportune' to to district cricket, and were of the opinion that the senior competition shouW be reduced to six teams by amalgamation or elimination. The reversion to the district scheme was merely to save amalgamation, and to prevent clubs that nad been members of the Association for years from being thrown outMr R. H. North (St. Albans): The Old Boys' clubs cannot get an tne cricketers who leave school each yj>af. Two hundred pupils leave High School annually, ana the majority play cricket. These fellows will play wh«re they get the best chances, regardless of clubs. St. Albans even now gets a good proportion of High School Players. We desire to leave things as they "to G. R. Gregory (East Christ ohureh) said that if the standard of cricket argument was raised, the only standard was representative cricket, which had declined in the past fen* years. . , 1V . Mr B. C. Burns (Old Boys) said that one of the main arguments of the district advocates was that High School Old Boys wonld have a monopoly of players from the Boys' High School. In point of faet, Old Boys had increased their playing membership only by 44 in five years—a small proportion of the cricketers who had left school in that time. It must be remembered that most boys in the first eleven at High School were prominent also in tennis, athletics, or swimming, and on leaving they had to make the decision as to what summer sport they wonld take up. Even the Old Boys' dab were finding it hard to keep them at cricket. Close this avenue, and many young cricketers would go over to tennis, with the greater social attractions that game offered. If other elubs made the same efforts as did Old Boys, particularly in regard to junior members, they would enjoy some of the success that the latter now enjoyed.

Mr O. T. Gorrie: The Biccarton Clnb has always been a strong one as far as the boys are concerned. Few elubs offer free membership and coaching to school boys as we do. Mr H. M. Chrystall (Old Collegians): If a referendum of players were taken a majority would favour no change in the system. If, as Mr Winsor said at at meeting of the Sydenham Clnb, Old Boys' clubs exist purely for the glorification of the old boys' spirit, then they will go out. Pnblic opinion will be their exeeutioner. We desire credit for putting a ground in order and thus benefiting cricket generally, as well as for bringing players into the game. I maintain that the rank and file are satisfied. We are too prone to make experiments and then throw them cut. No definite scheme has been presented, and it seems to me that we voted blindly at the last meeting. "It looks as if the supporters of district cricket will have a job to get things through," said Mr W. H. Winsor. (Laughter.) "Mr Page will have a job, too, in showing why the resolution on the books should be removed. It seems to me that the present generation cannot take a licking. We older ones did not kick over the traces when the old district scheme went out, but a great fuss is made by the Old Boys when a decision against them is carried."

Mr Chrystall: Only half the delegates were present. Mr Winsor: Those working for the good of ericket were there. With the increase of secondary schools and junior high schools, said Mr Winsor, every boy would eventually be having a secondary education, and every boy would be eligible for an old boys' club. Secondary schools were ran by the public, and the benefit* gained there by boys should be placed to the advantage of the public. Ultimately Old Boys would be running four or five senior teams, and if the question of the life of the elubs which built up Canterbury cricket was at stake, the Old Boys' clubs would have to go. The motion was then put and carried by 31 votes to 14.

"I think that the Old Bays' Club have minimised their talents," said Mr Beese. "There is, no doubt, an overflow to other club#, but the faei remains that Old Boys will always be too strong and Old Collegians too weak. The only way in which the Old Boys' Clubs have been able to sustain their claims is the fact that they set about training the youngsters. We have now got to tackle the question of eight clubs. When yoti get Mr Jarreti talking of redaeing the number to four, yea will realise the problems faeing Us. Mr Jarrett's motion was pnt and carried unanimously. Mr C. 3. Thompson said that now the principle had been admitted, delegales should rewind the motion preventing farther affiliation of sehool clubs.

Mr Beese uid. that to admit another dosed club "would only be putting another nail in the coffin of those trho were trying to get rid of the closed dobs.

The inb-eommittee provided for Mr Jarrett's motion was appointed aa follows:—Mem B. H. North (gt. Albans), M. K. Boon (Linwood), C. H. Ayling (Sydenham), B. B. Caygili (Bieearton), P. Jarrett (West ChristSr ttre ?v ) » J5- * Q "JP»y (East Christchurch), W. J. v. Hamilton (Old ColD. Page <OM Boys), aad G. Condliffe, and A. B. Byrne.