MEETING OF CRICKETERS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIX, Issue 4932, 16 June 1873, Page 3

MEETING OF CRICKETERS.

A i.imkU; meeting of cnckctcib and thobe intciested in the piomotion of thu g.uno was held on N.ituiday e\ cuing at tlie Thames Hotel. Tho meeting was well attended, among those mesent being his Worship the Mayor, Di. .1 R. Nicholson ; .7. Sheehan, Esq., M. fl.li.; Major Gieene ; Jas. JRusssll, Esq ; W. L. Keea, Eaq ; with a good complement ef cricketers. Dr. J K Nicholson was voted to the chair, and called upon Mr. V. E Uice to explain the business of the meeting. - Mr. Rice, in an interesting speech, alluded to the general desire evinced to place tho piovinco of Auckland on a par with Canterbury and Otago as to oncket, by forming an Auckland provincial taam to take pait in the annual mterpro- \ mcial matches. The speaker then expressed his conviction that with propor combination the scheme* might bo carried out successfully. IIo then proposed, "That it is desiiable that Auckland should be represented bya provincial teamat tho intorpiovincial cricket matches in this colony , and that tho cricketers throughout the province generally should be invited to join in an endeavour to promote this object." — Mr. Alfred King seconded the motion. — His Worship the Mayor expressed his approval of the motion, and said he would do what was in his power to promote the cause of cricket. Tho Improvement Commissioners would before next season havo a piece of ground lo\elled and prepared for cricket in the Barracks. (Hear, hear.) Ho hoped that their endeavours to put cricket on a better footing would be successful. — Mr. John Sheehan, M.H.R., supported the motion. With regard to money, ho believed that if the committee which was to bo formed went the propor way to work they would havo no difficulty — Mi. James .Russell said that, if tho motion meant that a team should be sent South next season, he thought it was rather premature. He entirely sympathised with the spirit of tho movement; and, if the motion did not commit them to the rash project of playing with wellpractised teams when they themselves had no practice and no ground, he would give it hi3 support —Mr Newbury concurred with Mr James Russell's remarks.- Mr. Rice explained that it was not their intention to seud a team South this season unless they proved to be in a position to do so. The motion was then put to tho meeting, and agreed to unanimously. — Mr. Newbury proponed, and Mr. Clifton seconded, "That in the opinion of this meeting it is dosirpble that steps should be takon to place the gams of cricket upon a proper footing m the province of Auckland ; and with that obj"ect a committee be appointed, consisting of hia Worship tho Mayor, Dr. J. R. Nicholson, Messrs. Fenton, J. Sheehan, J. Russell, Rees, Bennotfc, E Hesketh, Mumford, Huckland, Rice, Dufame, Johnstons, Garland, King, Clifton, and the inoTer, with power to add to their number, representatives from the Thames and country districts to fill up racanoies. Committee to consider tho adnsabihty of carrying ou* foregoing resolution daring nett or any future -season, and to report to a future meeting. Five to form a quorum." — An animated discussion took place as to the wording of this motion. Tho points of differenco being removed by mutual concessions, the resolution was carried with acclamation. — Mr. J. Sheehan then proposed, and Mr. Rice seconded, " Th*t in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable, with a Tiew to promoting and encouraging cricket generally, to organi3O a cricket association on a liberal basis for the benefit of all club3 within the province ; and that the committee before appointed ho instructed to consider the best method of carrying this resolution into efFect if practicable." — Ihe motion was also agreed to unanimously. — The Chairman said he thought that the first thing which ought to be done by the Cricket Association when formed should be to obtain the services of a professional instructor. (Hear, hear.) After some advice had been given by two or three gentlemen on the subject of unanimity, tho meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.