DISTRICT CRICKET

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 2, 2 July 1913, Page 4

DISTRICT CRICKET

MODIFIED ABOLITION" NO NEW SENIOR CLUBS. The old question of the district scheme for Wellington's crickeo was revived last night at a special meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association.' Mr. Martin Luckie presided, and there was a fairly large attendance of cricketers in addition to those authorised to act as delegates from the various clubs. The chairman moved the following motion, which had been brought down by the association committee : — "That the rules of the association be amended in the direction of removing the district qualifications for membership of clubs, but that ' no club other than the present senior grade clubs shall be admitted to the senior grade during the season 1913-14, and 1914-15; and that the Management Committee be instructed to prepare and submit to another general meeting of the association the necessary alterations in the existing rules to giy.e effect to this resolution." In speaking to the motion, the Chair man recited the reasons which had led to the adoption of the district scheme. It had been found now that younger cricketers, notwithstanding the inducements offered by the association, would not come forward and join the district clubs. They preferred to keep up old associations, and thus there had gradually grown up a strong body of junior cricketers apart from the association. This division was good for neither body, either financially or otherwise. Their cricket commenced to lose interest, as they had not the younger players coming on. "We have tried the experiment of district cricket in Wellington for a considerable time, and it has not proved the success which we had every right to expect." Consequently, the committee had for a considerable time been discussing the question of how best to improve the existing state of affairs. Financial difficulties of the association were not due to the district scheme, but to causes quite apart therefrom, such as the improvement of the Basin Reserve, and so on. The finances would probably improve in the near future, whether this motion were carried or not, as a series of interprovincial matches had been arranged. This motion would enable junior clubs and players, while yet remaining together, to join existing clubs, arid so become associated with the Wellington Cricket Association. It would nob be fair to existing clubs, many of whom had liabilities to meet, to allow new clubs to be formed at once. Mr. W. Hood seconded the motion. Mr. F. A. Midlane said the East Club thought that one year would be sufficient to enable clubs to meet their liabilities. Mr. D. Mi'Kenzie moved an amendment to strike out all that portion of the motion after the word "clubs." If the clubs were in difficulties now they would be "worse in a year, or two years. , He maintained that district cricket had been a complete failure in Wellington, and could 1 never be a success. "I move' this amendment to do away with the district scheme altogether." The Chairman : This motion does abolish the district scheme. Mr. M'Kenzie : It says no other clubs than the present clubs shall be admitted to the senior grade. You will still have East and the rest. Tho Chairman : Only in name. Mr. M'Kenzie : More than that. Anyway it is unfair of a chairman to argue across the" room with a, speaker. The Chairman : lam only setting you right so that you shall not mistake the facts. _ ' Mr. M'Kenzie : No other chairman would do it. No one but Mr. Luckie. It's a pity some of our vice-presidents don't show^enough interest to come down to an important meeting like this. Mr. R. W. Burbidge seconded the amendment, holding that it was a step in the right direction. They needed to give encouragement to junior players by making cricket cheaper. Mr. M J Crombie supported the motion which had been brought down in its present form, because delegates from some clubs would not support the abolition of the district restriction Unless they were given two years. The process of reversion would be gradual, and would prevent a complete disorganisation of cricket. Mr. F. A. Laws, in answer to Mr. M'Kenzie's argument that district clubs would hot be better off than at present, said that Wellington South, at any rate, had the prospect, with the boundaries removed, of getting an accession of members at present playing outside the association. The amendment was lost and the motion carried by 18 to 5. Mr. F. Midlane then moved: — "That the number of senior teams in tho competition be reduced from eight to six and that the management committee be instructed to report to a later meeting of the association which teams in its opinion these should be." He urged that this would strengthen junior and senior cricket. Mr. W. Qibbes seconded the motion. The motion was negatived by 16 votes to 7.