ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1554, 25 September 1912, Page 8

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

THE CUP FINAL. CRITICISM OF THE REPORT. TWO LETTERS. Two letters have been received criticising the report which appeared in Monday's issue of The Dominion regarding certain incidents in the cup final—Athletic v. Petone. They are as follow:— FBOM PETONE CLUB. (To the Editor.) . Sir,—lt is seldom that, as a club, we bother newspapers with our grievance's. However, on this occasion we feel justified in entering a protest against what wo consider an unfair and an unsportsmanlike account by your reporter of tho Athletic-Petone match. The attack made by your reporter on Daly is absolutely uncalled for. Daly may have made an error of judgment, or again, he may. not. To suggest, however, that Daly failed for want of pluck, is to say tho least of it unwarrantable and cowardly. We were beaten by a better team on tho day and wo admit it. We know, of course, that, you cannot report everything yourself, but wo think, sir, that when such a' big match was on you might have seen that some responsible person who knew tho rudiments of the gome and who possessed some ideas of sportsmanlike qualities was sent along. I don't think I am using language too strong when I say I that the attack on Daly was mean, dastardly, and despicable.—l am, etc., GEO. T. MILLER, Hon. Sec, Petone Football Club. [Our reporter's remarks were not intended to reflect on Daly's pluck as herb stated, bnt on his judgment. Possibly the reporter erred in his judgment, but ho expressed what was his opinion.] UNFAIR CRITICISM. (To the Editor.) Sir,—l regret very much the. tone of'one particular paragraph of your football icritic's remarks on.the championship final between Athletic and Petone on Saturday last (appearing in Mondav's issue). Anyone not present at the match might think from 'the report that Athletic were fortunate to win, that they were not tho totter team, and that Daly's performance for the losing team.was not only as bad as your reporter depicted, but that that player was alone responsible for the deleat of the suburbanites. Let me say in reply, as one who is absolutely unbiased on the subject, that tho various strictures on Dalv are quite uumerited. • The "Evening Post' 1 writer says.that Daly's centre-kick on Saturday alter his fine run was not one of his mistakes. I quote this to show how opinions differ. Personally, however, I think on that occasion the Petone three-quarter erred in judgment, as the only men.who could possibly have been in the direction where his kick alighted must have been opponents; I think he should either .havo gone at the goal-line or short-punted over Gosling's head. In any case even had a try behind the posts resulted, . as. The Dominion; thinks it should, the niatcb would still havo been anything but won for Petone. To have possessed even an outside chance (as shown by the actual play of the day, mark vou) Petone required an S or 10 point lead in the first spell, and had Daly scored, .the effort would only havo buoyed Athletic up to greater things. AVith regard to the incident in the second spell, a score by Daly could not, in my humble opinion, have resulted from Rainsden's fine effort. .

No one minds criticism as,long'as it is fair or justified. I can't say that I have taken particular.objection to previous, reports of matches in Tub Dominion. I have had nasty things said about myself, and (occasionally) complimentary "ones. At the same time, in thinking over the matter now, I fancy that the Petono team got most of the "limelight" in The BostiNiON's reports of the suburban club's most important engagements. ■ That fact may account for the extra bias shown in the criticism of Saturday's final, and to riio' it- is 'deplorable "that 'in his apparent arikietyto-'seV Petone;'win at all costs, your. critic's disappointment should take tile form of maligning a player whose mistakes were,very far from making him tho scapegoat Tub Domi.vkw would have its readers believe. Athletic won fairly and squarely, and from what I know of the Petono ■ players (I don't profess to speak for the public), I. am sure they will admit it; and that they have taken their beating like sportsmen. It did not interest me in the slightest degree which team won. All things being equal, had I a preference, it was for Petone, simply because, as one not interested in any club, I like to see championship honours go round, and as Athletic won in 1911, I would rather have seen Petone successful had they been the better team—not otherwise! I add this lost paragraph lest I should be accused of feeling sore from partisan reasons at the attempt of The Dominion- to belittle, the champions' win. I feel quite easy on that point. What I do feci sore about is the attack- nri Daly, and the undue elaboration of what may have been his I trust that next time your football scribe loses his money ho will be fairer all round in his criticism.—l am, etc.,- • ' T. H. .TONES. Wellington, September 23, 1912. [Wo have printed Mr. Jones's very offensive suggestion t;hat our football reporter was influenced in his judgment by the loss of a wager on the match, because it indicates the obvious bias of a correspondent who professes to be free of bias. If Mr. Jones can substantiate his allegation tho member of our staff will lose his position; if ho cannot he should have t.ho manliness to withdraw his contemptible aspersion, and apologise to tho man ho has sought to injure.] SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHI7. The final for tho schools Rugbv championship was played yesterday afternoon, and resulted in Tcrmo defeating Petone by 17 points to 3. For the winner's tries were scored by Maea'ulay (2), Hanson, Seaton, and Cook. Ono try was converted by Cook.

CRICKET. THE CENTRAL C.C. MEETING. Tho annual meeting of the Wellington Central District Cricket Club was hold last night. .Mr. I. Hyams presided . The report and balance-sheet (as already published') were adopted. The following officers were elected:— President, tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher; vice-presidents, Messrs. A. Gray, R. W. Burbidgo, P. P. Webb, I. Hyams, H. Osborne, E. K. Kirkcaldic, L. St.'Georgo, J! ■ Blundcll, W.Sim, S. Lambert, G. Frost, K, C. Kinvig, D. F. Skinner, ' tho Rev. E. 0. Blamires, Drs. K. Fyfl'e, 11. W. Pigeon, J. M'Evedy, and Cousins; club captain, Mr. 11. C. Hickson; Management Committee, Messrs. A. Douglas, A. Paterson, C. C. J. Hay, E. Beeckey, W. S. Hood, R. C.i Kinyig, J. Porteous; hen. secretary, Mr. G. Halso; lion, treasurer, Mr..A. E. Smith; lion, auditors, Messrs. L. St. George and C. Mitchell; delegates to tho Wellington Cricket Association, Messrs. G. Halse, A. E. Smith,, and R. W. Burbidgo; Senior Selection Committee, tlio Rev. E. 0. Blamires, E. Becchoy, and H. C. Hickson. Messrs. E. R. Boyland and R. Cooper were elected members of.the club. The delegates to the association were instructed to vote against the continuation of the levy on players. Sir. W. Hood stated (bat. the. Management Committee, of tho association did not, intend to. enforco the. levy this season. NORTH CLUB'S MEETING. Tho annual meeting of. the.-Wollineton North Cricket Club was held in the Occidental Hotel last evening. Mr. M. F. Luekie in the. chair.. The annual report stated that tho position occupied by the club in the various championships is disappointing, wjiilo the. financial statement remains * unsatisfactory. The senior cloven played. 8 matches, winuing 3, and losing S games. Mr. M. Crombie heads tho batting averages, with 29 runs per innings, while Mr. M. Luekie secured the best; bowling average, with 13.3 runs per wicket. The junior eleven played 9 matches, winning i and losing 5 games. Mr. A. Boddington w.is on top in batting with an average of 2G.!\ while Mr. C. Tomperton had tie best bowling performance, with an overage, of 8.5 for tO wickets. The third eleven played 18 matches, winning 8. and losing 10 games. Mr. A. Berry secured the best bnttiinr average with in.o, .ind Mr. L. O'Sullivan had the best bowling average, jvith lfl.O runs ner wicket, Mr. A. Pagan,

in the few matches that ho played, showed good promise both in batting and bowling. The club was represented in tho Wellington representative teams by Messrs. Blacklock, Crombie, Findlay, Finlayson, and Phillips. Tho club practised a*, Kelburno Park during tho season, and found tbo ground in good order, but your committee would point out that tho practice wickets did not receive the lise they deserved; especially from tho senior members of the club. Tho ground is cenIrally situated, tho wickets are good, and there is no reason at all why there should not lx> a good muster each day throughout the season. . During tho season your 'committee, wit]} the object of trying'to increase bo!.h the active and honorary uieiabaiship, issued a circular letter to tho, leading residents of tho district, But regrets to say-that, it mct.w.ith very littlo success. : '] he present very uns/itisfactory state of the finances demands the earnest consideration of tho members, and your committee suggests that tho position' might bo greatly improved if each active member would gunrahtee to introduce for tho coming season either one active ■'or one honorary member. The discussion following tho motion to adopt tho annual report turned mainly on ideas for bettering the financial position of the club, which the balance-sneot showed to be JCO9 2s. sd. to the bad. Since, the balance-sheet w-as drawn, tho sum of JEIG lGs. had been donated to tha club's funds, which improved the position a little. A proposition to canvas for funds was adopted, and. tho report and balance-sheet were npprovod. Tho following officers were elected:— President, Mr. H. D. Bell'; vice-presi-dents, Hon, A. Jj. Herdman, Hon. Dr. Gollins, A. T. Bate. Sir John Findlay, W. H. Field, John Duncan, A. S. Biss, E. 51. Simpson, Dr. Kowman. A. 51eo, Dr. Izard, J. H. Fairbairn, C. E. Smith, and C. A. Richardson; management committee, Messrs. C. G. Wilson, M. F. Luckie, A. F. Wiren, E. Proude, SI, J; Crbmbie, W. T; Wynyard, and R. Lambert; senior selection committee, Messrs. C. G.' Wilson, 51'. J. Crombie, and ,T. P. Blaoklock; club captain, slr. J. P. .Blacklock; lion, treasurer and secretary,. Mr. C. W. Cliarlcsworth; hon. auditor. Mr. C. H. Manson; delegates to the WeUinaton Cricket Association, Messrs. M. F. Luckie, C. G, Wilson, and 51. J.. Crombie. TEST MATCH RECEIPTS. (Rec. September 2i, 10.30 p.m.) ' London, September 24. Tho receipts from tho nine triangular" test matches and tho two test' trials totalled .£12,103, of which Australia will receive .€2980, and South Africa' '.£IB7B. Tho England-Australia match at' the Oval produced JJ3129, arid at lords JJ2713. The England v. South Africa match at Lords produced JCI69G. .