HUTT VALLEY NEWS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 10, 7 October 1936, Page 6

HUTT VALLEY NEWS

PETONE’S RELEGATION

Hon. W. Nash Surprised

Among those who were surprised at the action of the management committee of the Wellington Cricket Association in depriving the Petone Cricket Club of senior status is the Hou. W. Nash, Minister of Finance, who is patron of the Petone club.

In a letter to the club the patron said that he hesitated to express an opinion without hearing the views of the association. “At the same time,” he continued, “I must say that, on the information before me, I am quite unable to understand the association’s decision. When one considers the many years during which the Petone club has made outstanding contributions to the association and to cricket in the Dominion, the importance of the district represented by the club, and the performance of its senior and other teams over the last four years, the decision becomes inexplicable. “I am convinced that such a retrograde step would set back the wholesome sport of cricket not only in Petone but throughout the Wellington area. A senior team is essential in this district if younger players are to be encouraged, coached, and inspired by example. lam reassured by the knowledge that the association has agreed to receive a deputation from your club in order to hear your point of view. lam hopeful that when the additional facts, which probably were not in the minds of the management committee in making the decision, are placed before them a reasonable outcome will result. “As patron of yqjir club I wish to give my whole-hearted support to the resolution passed al your meeting last Wednes- . After hearing a deputation from the Ipetone club on Monday night, the, manSgement committee of the Wellington Cricket Association, on the casting vote of the chairman, Mr. J. H. Phillips, decided to adhere to its decision that the Petone club should be relegated to second grade.

THE GOLF PEST

Trouble at High School

“The work on the grounds suffers to some extent from two pesto that we find it hard to get rid of,” reported Mr. J. A. Millard, principal of the Hutt Valley High School Board of Governors, last night. “Rabbits are causing a lot of trouble, and practising golfers are also proving a nuisance. “It is almost incomprehensible but, nevertheless, true that some people have eo little respect for other people’s property that they choose a private cricket ground on which to practise the art of divot carving. The rabbits have been giving trouble for years, and they seem to be increasing in numbers. Unfortunately, they always burrow in any fresh grounds, and they are particularly attentive to the wickets whenever they have been topdressed. Before the holidays they made a burrow several feet long near one of the wickets. I have asked the groundsman to set a trap for them, but rabbits that manage to survive in the middle of a populous borough are naturally wily animals.”

GOVERNMENT HELP

Hutt Valley High School

Increased Goverumeut facilities for the Hutt Valley High School were recorded in the report of the headmaster, Mr. J. N. Millard, to the board of governors last night. “Our request to the Minister of Education to allow train pupils to travel free to school gatherings in the evening, has brought a favourable reply. The Minister has been able to arrange with the Railway Department that the train pupils will have the same privileges as they enjoy for attending games on Saturday,” he stated. “Another very pleasing communication from the Minister is that the science capitation grants are to be restored to the old amount. For some years these grants have been only, half of the original, and tils has necessitated curtailment, to some extent, of individual practical work in the ’various science subjects.” Winter games are now over, and the

grounds are being put in order for cricket, Mr. Millard also said in his report. The football team at the quadrangular tournament in Masterton put up a. very creditable performance, although they did not win the tournament. They beat Scots College by 15 points to 3, and they lost to Dannevirke by 6 points to 3. There is no doubt that Dannevirke was the best team of the four, but considering that our boys averaged one stone four pounds lighter than their opponents, they deserve great credit for holding them to a score of 6 points to 3.