FIFTY-ONE YEARS OLD.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 22 September 1930, Page 8

FIFTY-ONE YEARS OLD.

■ ♦ —— WEEDONS CRICKET CLUB. CELEBRATIONS ON SATURDAY; Although the Weedons Cricket Club is actually fiftyone.-years old, its jubilee was celebrated on Saturday;-by . a cricket match, played.at Weedons, between teams front Ellcsmere and- St. Albans, iii the'afternoon, and a dinner in the West Melton Hall in the evening. The -Weedons eiub' has the-distinction of being the only cricket club in Canterbury .that has retained its individuality 1 and name for so long, a period of years, and its jubilee, being an occasion of" unusual - interest, caused- inany erickete'rs from ChristchurchMo make the' short trip on Saturday and extend to the club their congratulations and good -wishes. Its secretary (Mr J. Curragh) has held the position for thirty--seven years, probably a record for New Zealand', ' ' ' • ' ' •

Early History. i The club was founded in 1879. Mr T. J. MvLellan being the. first patron, Mr ,T. B. Fcssey the first captain, and Mr T. Gudsell the' first secretary. The original member's were Messrs Fessey, Anderson, J Tavlor, J. and R. Watson,'T., R,, and G. Gudsell, A. Hay, J. Nankervis, Bladder,- and W. Ellis.. -The first playing ground . was opposite the Weedons School—a "no man's land," covered with tussocks. The ground was levelled by degrees, and the club played teams from Tcnipleton, Doyleston, and Days Road. Continual farm work and little leisure prevented the members from engaging 'in many - matches, and even practice games were few. For some : rears the club, although retaining its .'membership and its playing material. ' was dormant, until, in 1539, it was re- ; vived. The membership -was then as' i follows: _ ' ' i Messrs J. Thompson, I. and Bj Brooker. A. and J. Curragh, J. Jams, i J and W. Hampton, T. and W. Davison, J S and R. Thompson, S. Wilson, T. Watson, J. Jones, David Jones (now member of Parliament), G. and H. Gudsell, :C. Burke, D. Wilson, T.and G. McCarten, J. Ellis, and W. and J. Bruce. All but four of these early members are still living, and many of them attended Saturday's celebrations. _ When the club recommenced activities in earnest Mr J. Thompson was - elected secretary. Members' fees were fixed at ss, and the club's finances were assisted by several donations, among which were £5 from the Domain Board for levelling the.ground and £2 from the Band of Hope. So well were the finances handled that, at the end of the first year after revival, the ledger was on the wrong side to" the extent of only 4s 7d. membership more attractive the club expended £ll in new material,, and at once progress, was assured. Since then the club has been progressive and popular. . • In 1893 Mr J. Curragh (the present secretary) took over his duties, and he has the distinction of being secretary of a cricket club, which is the oldest in Canterbury. " ••---'- . . r, „ An alliance was formed with Kolieston in 1901, but each club maintained its individuality. Later on the Selwyn County : Association was formed, and a series of matches 'wag.'.played. Some Queer Eules. The Weedons Club'a "first rules and regulations are interesting. Some of them are as follows:—"• '-' '' "ThaJb'the Msjylebone rules be adopted; that the"annual?ee'be ss; that the committee be empowered to make a call, not exceeding Is, on members,' if necessary; that thfl'lpractice days be Tuesdays and Thursdays; that seven members at; any-time, be allowed to' take ou£ material; no member shall smoke, while playing in a match; no intoxicating- liquor shall be- bought by the club or brought on to the grounds; that all members shall obey the orders of the captain or his substitute; no members shall be allowed to get over the .ffillCGS - The" Weedons Domain," surrounded bluegu'ms, plaited-41". years ago, Ms been, used by the drib ..continuously for many years, and to-day it makes an excellent ground for picnics and all forms of sport. From - time to time concerts and dances, organised by members, helped the funds. The Wepdonß Club won the Ellesmere ■Cricket Association's Shield in 1927 and 1928, and lost it in 1929. . Before the match proper in the afternoon Messrs 0. Gudsell, D. Jones, M.P., J. Curragh, and. J. Thompson had a strike. Mr Gudsell, who came from Maheno to take part.in the celebrations, and was one of the foundation members, has been playing up to two years ago, and is now umpiring. .. Among the visitors from the City were Messrs Dan Reese, president of the Canterbury Cricket Association, and Alec Dey, chairman of the Competitions Committee of th.e Association:

Jubilee Dinner. The attendance at the dinner in the West Melton Hall in the evening -was large. The hall had,been decorated for_ the occasion, speeches were short and to the. point, and an interesting concert followed. '■'••''■» Mr P. P. Byan, president of the Weedons Club, who presided, aaid that Weedons cricketers were to be. .congratulated upon keeping the club going for ovijr 50 years. Cricket was one of the cheapest and cleanest sports in existence, and it was up to all to keep alive the interest in the game. Proposing, the toait of the Canterbury Cricket Association he said that he fully believed,that, had the members been allowed to Ibowtheir full skill, some Bradmans would have been produced in Weedons. lie paid a tribute to the Association--for its efforts to foster the game in the countrv districts. Mr A. Dey, in response, said that the Association had always endeavoured to encourage the game in the , outer areas. As long as it had control cricket would be well looked after m the country. ■•-.' - _,„•-' * Proposing the.toast of the Ellcsmere, Cricket Association, Mr Dey said, that were it-not for.the'.self-sacrifice;-"of' the .governing body ! cricket would have had a very poor chance. Country players "would realise the enormous-amount of "work and attention to detail required. It was a wonderful' thing for a club to reach 50 years of age. ■ In evcry-rlay life, when a man referred to something crooked, he said that- it was '-'not cricket." That was a high" compliment to the game. . Mr L. Ebert, responding, ofiered his congratulations, and referred ; -rto ..the difficulties; in : keeping a. country club alive.

Large Birthday Cake. ' At this stage Mrs'J. Curragh, wife of -the secretary, cut a massive cake, decor'ated with" 50 candles. ."" ... Mr J. Coe, proposing the .toast 'of the Weedons Club, •said that the very fact that the club had been going for 50 years proved that the district was a sporting one. No.one would ; regret it if the club w.oa the competition shield again this year. -Mr. Curragh's.term"ae secretary,. 37 years, must surety- be a Dominion record. '■■' • | Mr A. Ei'Langdale-Hunt, in reply, said that the Weedons players had[been noted for their dogged determination in every matea. The game had held the

people of the district together. To play cricket was to "play tho game," and that truth had : passed into a proverb. The younger .generation- should play cricket much more, and reviye interest in the finest of all sports. If the boys started-, early enough the clubs could be kept at,-full-strength. It-had never gone ahead- to the same eaStent as some of- the other games, owing to the fact that the schoolboys were not taught it seriously enough, All -would appreciate "tie efforts of the veterans of days gone by, said Mr H/ Green, 'proposing- tho toffst of the -Weedoni-Yeterans. A good team spirit existed and the present flourishing state of the xlub could only have teen. through, th*. efforts■ of, the .veterans in. days'gone by? he said, "' Mr A. Hay said that the of the past, could be treasured and no "one Wiuld have any regrets. - Mr, G. pudsell, in reply, said that all the members played for the love of the game, and .they-should teach it to as many young-.people' as possible. Encouraging Youth. Mr J. Thompson.said,that there was a good deal'of;talk sbout -the "straight old game," but on the Weedons cricket ground he had seen some 1 , remarkable, crooked "bowling! "Cricket, was a game' that did not'lend.itself to protests, and it -was. always, fought cleanly, and with a .good Bpirit. He did not know of any other club in Canterbury that had held together so well under difficult circumstances. In the old days all the members were" workers, and some were hitters —into the neighbouring fields. "My advice to you is not to stop the boys from getting a half-day for practice, and don't make them get up too early in the mornings: indeed, lend them your car occasionally so that they, ean g'et to the field quickly, and - thus held to. foster the game," added Mr Thompson. ' , The toast of "The Ladies'' was proposed by Mr N. Dorreen, Mr 11. Gudsell responding, and that of "The Visitors" was proposed by Mr L., Manion, ,and responded tc by Mr L. R. Brunton. Mr Dey - proposed the health of the chairman. Medals Presented. Later a concert was held in the main hall, items being given by Messrs Alec Dey W. Toomey, R. L. Clarke, and G. Enssell. The chairman, Mr Ryan, presented ■ Mr G. Gudsell with a life-mem-bership badge, in recognition of his pioneering working for the club, and Mr J. Curragh with a gold medal, in honour of his long-term as. secretary. * -The match resulted as follows: -.- '•■'■ ST. ALBANS.' .W. Sandman, bH. Smith •.. 16 M. F. Pengelly, c Sail .. ..9 C. G. Crawford, run out .. 6 M. L. Pago, b Smith .. 5 D. Sandman, retired .-. - .'•• ■ 2o N. Dorreen, c'Doak .. -•• 6 L. Lindley, e Ebert .. ■...•' 2 G. Suckling, st Meyers .. ... 4 C. Maindonald,- b Doak .. .. 2 L. Brunton, not out, .. ■■ ■ ■ "Q, H. Blazey, b Doak .. ■ 7 J. Martin, lbw .• ■ 1 'Extras -.--•• •■ ,; 10 VTotai .;-..'. ' ..;' ns : ■\ ■;-:. "ellesmere. ;. J." Coei :run out "■'/-■ •• ' '*' McCartney, c Page ":.■'. •• "- IL Sail, st.Dorreen ' ■• '33 ,L. Ebert, b Sandman .. '•"; T. Ryde, st Dorreen .. . • 1 W. Doak, c. Page ■• •- ■ S Davis, b Crawford • ■■ ... 15 Murchison, c Page ■•' .. 22 Meyers, e Pengelly .. ■ • . 4 H. Smith-, c -Crawford. .. •- 3 D. Walker, not out ... ■••■ .10 Saunders, c Page . ' • • . •■. ■ 5 Extras •'■ . •• ..- o ' 'Total - • ; ..•• -■• 122