CRICKET.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 721, 21 January 1910, Page 6

CRICKET.

VISIT OF AUSTRALIAN TEAM. PROBABLE'ABANDONMENT. -WELLINGTON WELL NOT "POOL." A special meeting of delegates to the Wellington Cricket:-' Association was held Com-' merce for the purpose of finally arrangiing .matters Vin: connection i with 'the. proIposed visit .'cf ail 'Australian team, to New Zealand nejt month.

;V The: chairman , (Mr. : Martin Luckie). reau the following telegram, from the New . Zealand:' Criekotf Council,; tHiristchiirch:' ■ • In view of the cable received from

tho Board of Control, the council:' • feels bound to proceed with the tow. .if the four chief centres can be -.: brought into; line.: -With this end : in": view, :,will- your - 'association guarantee; jCISO? Tho pooliug system of matches ', is to be; confined to the four centres, 1 . . and the., two test - 'matches. Failing - . unanimity the •. council; mil-- abandon-: : the; tour. ; 'Aiac!4and,";Cantatbury, and'. : Otago are agreeable. Must have im-.;, . mediate reply. '

•;Mr.- Luckie explained the negotiations of,- the i.past three-' or -four months which : had led up to the ■ present. deadlock.: He said- that. the committee 'of the New Zealand ; Council. had decided, without, referring the-matter to~the i associations,. to ;financ.e. the; .tour on .the pooling :system, such as: had been ;: adopted in connection .Wellington ■ Association,' :*at " its -. innual meeting .three'; monthsj;. ago, intimated that, it; would not ' agree-to .the "pooling" scheme.:: During; the subsequent negotianons, .the association' had stuck'to its guns. The' nigohMions ' .the Australian Board of Control':and vtHe'New 'Zealand .Council continued "on- the, 'basjs .-of - the "pooling''; scheme, and; .this was juslifi- ; able; seeing, that the majoriiy., of .the New Zealand 'Associations were' li'. favour of ,the,;"pooling"- r scheme. : The '* Wellington ' still held that the "pooling" System, was .wrong, in principle, .'and contended that ■'the correct method was one which put all associations, '. large and small,-;-on a level footing; l to - stand or 'fall; independently ; of- the .-.otK^rassocia^' had 'expressed their','.willingness % ,;.tdf ;00-; operato ,on-:.a.v"hon-pobling";.basis.He' believed, that'.-.it: -was now->-generally' tocognised 1 that, Wellington was; supporting a ' good:;prineiple, : ': but.^Canterburyand' Otago.';had refused-'to -come'in . except, on a {"pooling" .basis. . Auckland would ;not : '"pool" unless ■ WeUington-.waq .LecausG .of the' New - Zealand. Council had continti&cl'its' ndgotiations in the- hope -would',agree to the' "pooling" , oi;',"tlia.ti.spme othtfr scheme would bo. adopted by which the tour could be carriea-:mto;, effect: The .attitude of.-,the ■ said. Mr..'■Luckie,''had>been' entirdy. in-, dependent; of ; the !filiancial''aspect., .

A Lesser Risk. _Tlio proposal now put before tho association was a .mich : safer one;.than the i'dne. -upon .which; .they ..had,, agreed ..to -take ;tke'; nst/ : : They 1 ' h'dd'!stodd " for the principle/"however. \ '/'Canterbury- and ,Otago-Associations had .not beeri. prepared .■toy take tile riskof- a: loss throng , .bad ■weather, 'and therefore they desired', to' "pool."-; It was 'admitted ',in Canterbury. ■that,' Wellington,:: the tour .could nofc,come off.' 1 ..- The -omcers' of- the council, greatly-desired- that tho-tour should not' fall-- through. ayi. vnth - the meeting to say whether i the tour would bo declared '■"off'/f or :not.\- The>rfinancial ',"liability would than; itwould have been : before..

The Proposal in Figures. - The;proposal-was that ■ thei'associations: should contribute i£lso : each, , and . this, 1 with : the council's■■ «62()0; -/would:, make eCSOO.- The -estimated'.'cost :of the.'., trip, /would, be: dE6SO: or. i 6700, -with - about .£SOO local expenses. It . was • expected that tho avßTago / "gate" would ,bo X2OO. It 'was-' ! possiblo that thrto'i'test- matohes /would * be; 'played, ■ if : 'time n allbwed, in •;'a^dlti6n : ''tb' Ul a , : , -match: ;each, ; of ,the four cMef/provinces.' The takings would \''i)ooled, J ■ ahd' the' : pro£ts, would b6 divided' in proportion to the;amounts guaranteed./ 'He that he felt,he must now advise that opf, posittaa' iii' order- that the' tour - might still' : be brought, about..' Aus-; •tralia' .was the only'country ,to which^they could now look for. any,'"outsido" cricket. Thoy conld ' expect no more.:: English, "cricketers, : because , the. distance. :was vso, great,:' the- expenses wero heavy (abouti£2soo'or :iE3O()O),' and the trip required about three tt® ton r .was < arranged,! four members -of - the/late 'Australian 'elevenwould probably wino across. 'and he / had-learned J unofficially that: ; lifr. : :-A./C. : K. -M'Kenzie -would r act as manager- and also play., Messrs;': Clem,' Hiiy.Bardsley, and Eansford would probably bo in. the team.' The probable dates of-'tho J,first. match,, ,in' : Wellington, were ' February ,11, ' 12j and' H. /. There would-be, little 'fuiancial risk^, and one .of, '.'tto-V;test'"■mat«shes i '-"'irbtild."'<'be> played': : at' Easter. He wished.to move:—- . : .

■ That, ■in f.vie'w pf,,the., fact :that l ,the..:'; proposed. Atistraliahtour ■: imust ;be . abandoned, if. tlio . Wellington Asso- . ciation-! refused to agree to 'tho ..prosent proposals, and. tliat. Vthe New ;; Zealand-.Cricket: Council; has carried;■.•■ . .its'..negotiations: witt .the' Australian J Board of Control so far. that failure' at, this -stage would:- 'discredit tho oouncil l and affect the pros-; pects of any future visits from Aus- . tralia, the Wellington Association do- ''. ~ cides ,to textile. of tho . ! .council;"' but 'still-" insists "' that ' the. ,- pooling .principle, is;,|\\;rang,;,and; only . ' comes in on ctM; distinct,, understand- -■!.-, ing ■ that it is; not- to: be resorted to. im tho future. . .... } ,Mr. E. B. ..Vance; (secretary) seconded the • motion. .''• "Remember tho M.C.C. Tour!"

Mr; D. M'Koniie '.quoted figures 'in connection! .with :tUe. V 1906-7.', visit of .'tlio Maryiebone ■' Cricket .Club's' team. ■ Auckland, Otago, Canterbury; and: Wellington ;had.- each guaranteed <£500.. The net.takings -had..been;Auckland,;.'.£29fi -ss. 2d.; iOtago,:, 110s. £ 3d. n.totorbury, v.£254 ilOs;: Gd.; -Wellington, iC464V ; i4s.tlld. , The amounts?that would:have'had .to be-made up:.. : by-> the' associations, .' if -' the pooling sclieine : 'had '. not/been' : in'; ■vogue were; Auckland, \£2ol' 14s. -103.;: Otago, £i 29 9s. 9d.; Canterbury, J2245-.95.6d.; Wellington, JS3S 55." I'd. /Under - tlie. pooling sysitem,' 'Wellington had to loso'\£lß6 out:of; ■the •• JCSOO : deposited, 1 instead '"of JE35,--'a difference' of JBISO--. He; felt. -that -Wellington did' not want, a 'second|fexperience 'of - the. "pooling'' system. ■ ; ' Delegates:' No,' we...don't.;-,i v. ■■ ; Mr. 1 - M'Kenzie went- ,o'n ,• to.- say; that .they did not want "these tours', if -tliey were to -be run at a loss. They'appreciated the value of-' seeing good.' play, but iwhat Wellington-; cricketers . required .'.mo.st was a coach;; -,".;He would 'move'as an amendment:—is v.; : That the.Welliii^.on;;Cricket"Associit.' • - the'lAitckland,.' Canterbury,' and Otago Associations : pooling ' their; ■ takings ,;with ; the New Zealand Cricket Council;but that the':, .Wellington Cricket Association will. only take" part jiin':'-the' 1 Itbur'.b'n'.'condition , that., it pays ,:^lso: : .for-,:a'.-.matcli in ; ;Wellington, such"nmatchinclude ... a Saturday, Wellington taking the. profit (if any), and the loss, (if any). ■ Mr. Coffey seconded the;. amendment. He; complained.. that they did ..not. Imow exactly what had: been'done by the Now 'Zealand Cricket Gbiincil. He was '..strongly. of 'opinion • that i .AVollington" (Seeing; that Canterbury aud - Otago • wero ■ protecting thoir. finances):.'should maintain its independence.v. The,.methods, of .the .New Zealand 'Cricket- Council,.:as far.;, as the..arranging of this tour was concerned, would be a. lesson to cricketers throughout the Dominion. .(Delegates:. "Hear/ . hear;").

The Last,. Plea —Refused. ■In' reply to ' a : delegate,'' the chairman said'that ho ceftaiiily.'biilioycd,that the tour'.would ho abandoned if-all-.' the associations ydid ■ not come ..,into.. ; line. . He 'woiild not have Submitted his.motion unless he had been .convinced vthat tho council could n«t" do-. without -the local association, ' .and . that • tho only tiring to be 'done to: prevent, the abandonment of tho ;tour was to. accept .the "pooling" scheme," .while still opposing, the principle.. His •proposal was . made' simply to. .help the. ■'Cricket Council, which had coma almost 'on its -knees .to..the ;;WelUngtdJ^,'..Association, ■ ■ \ ■■;■ ■ ': '

Another amendment was moved by Mr. Wirtli, and seconded by Mr. Pearce, as follows:— ' That the Wellington Association offer: a JBISO guarantee for a match apart from any pooling system, and that 20 . per cent, of . the profits, if . ■ any,..he allotted.to the-New Zealand • Cricket Council towards the expenses * of the two test matches. After bnef discussion, Mr. Luckie's motion was thrown out, in favour of Mr.' M'Kenzie's amendment, the' voting being 11 votes to 3. Mr. Wirth's amendment was .then lost.

' CONDUCT OF CRICKETERS. A SPEAKER GAGGED. .Some-feeling was shown ; at' last night's special meeting of the : Wellington Cricket when the Auckland incident; was touched upon, 1 • : After- the meeting had dealt with mattors connected with the' proposed • Australian' tour, • Mr. W. Coffeyjs&id ? that. he would like to•'mention,• undeT the-heading of "General Business/', thev complaints made as to f the conduct of. the Wellington representatives on : their - recent visit to Auckland. ' Delegates should .be . allowed to discuss _ the, matter fully, he- said. The chairman i (Uj. M., Luckiej interthe speaker; whom .he - ruled out ' e meeting, he,said,'had been cjUed 'to .discuss; a particular matter; that had-been, disposed of, a'nd no other business, could ."be, taken'. : - Mr.- Coffey drew attention, to -the-notice calimg_the meeting,.- which' read: "Businoss: v The. Prospective Australian •• Tour," and General."; •. ( ; nT,! 18^ WiU you sit'.down, Mr. Uoirey, for a moment? .Mr, Coffey: No, I will not. I will go right on now—-• °

. The; Chairman:- Well; .-you will kindly be quiet while I speak, whether you stand ? r 'not'-'atrv..Coffey remained standing.) I shall rule 1 that; unless four-fifths of the delegates present are in favour of it, no general business will be taken; . Jlr. Coffey (warmly): I;wish to .protest most emphatically against your ruling. ;I anticipated, that you would apply the gag in this .particular instance.; Chairman:. .The.. . word ■ "general" got into the notice' 1 by pure; accident.' The committee did not authorise it. : ~

; Mr. Coffey :- That is a distinct reflection on your secretary. ; 1 • • , • The secretary (Mr.., Vance) ' that he follows-the usual custom in adding .the Avord "general/-.: : V, ' .*:• Members' of. the Management Commitr teo intimated-that: it "had-been' their inr tention to-have only-.the, Australian tour discussed, at the meeting. ..Mr; S. Brice considered that Mr. Cofrey.rwas within his nights,- inasmuch'as tho notice provided. for general .• v ..-. ; :Mr.'; Coffey the. meeting, that other delegates and ;he would- have something to say' on ; the' subject fon ; another occasion, v. ; v. -' . ••':> :r . - r . . : The 'meeting .then" closed;./ ■' .'

TEAMS FOR SATURDAY. ' The ,following: will l represent Welling-; ton ■ Central Cricket Club on:. Saturday, starting -.at 0.30 a.m'.: —Seniors v. Victoria. College, at No. 2, Basin Beserve: Beechey, Biroh,' Bruce, Hickson, Laws, Hawthorne,Kmvig, Mason, Miller, Naughton, Robens.: . Juniors v:': Johnson ville, at : No.' 4, Basm' Reserve:': Dry, 'Fauvil, . Gourlay, Haines,' Mitchell,: Murphy, . Patterson, Sanders,- - Wightoni ' Wilkinson,- ' Wilson. Thirdyv. 'Victoria' College, at, College. No. ,2.ground: 'well, ' Brodziak,' Douglas, Plyger, Halse, Mabin, Thomas (2). . Victoria College:—Senior ,"vi., Central, Basin,; at 9.30 1 a.m.: Foster;' Dempsey, De *la'- Marei Niven, Berendsen, J. Griffiths, H. Griffiths, -Miller,- Pindlayi Burbidgei emergency, Ward. Junior v. St. .John's, Athletic . Park,,at..2 p.m.s. Ward,' Broad, Mackay./'Prof. : Hunter, Willis, - Von •Haast, : Simpson, Jameson, Williams, Holmes, Eobinson.. /

• OTAGO.AND. AUCKLAND. Y».. nyl,,<retem^^^N':'Asßoeiatloik)' Auckland, January 20- / At;, a special/meeting of , the Auckland Cricket Association .held last evening it was decided .to. accept the dates suggested bv'the: Otago Association for/'a' Plunket Shield match; ■,viz:,'- February'll,.l2, and 14. It- was, decided to play the "match on the Auckland Domain. ' The Victoria College,, teaml.'for the' match with Canterbury. College, to be' played at the, Wellington College ground, l 'commencing ion Monday., at 1.30 p.m., is as, . follows.-—Foster,: 'Dempsey, , Niven/ Miller, Findlay,' Do.' la -Mare;' Monaghah,, Berendsen, J. Griffiths, H. Griffiths, Burbidge; emergency,'. Ward; . .'/