NEWS OF BLUNT

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 73, 23 September 1933, Page 14

NEWS OF BLUNT

BUSINESS AND CRICKET

SIR JULIEN CABIN'S TEAM

(From "The Post's" LONDO N, August IS. Koger C. ■ Blunt (J.Christchurch) is settling down happily to his work v in England, work which; he finds affords much scope and variety. Sir Julicn Calm is a man .with. el-tensive business interests, and the' orgaj lisation to which the New Zealander is (attached— known as the Counties' Publii ity Company—is a very active subsidiary of the other well-known and prosperous enterprises. In these days coinmenHal art is a section which forms a part of every successful business, and ?\ts scope is continually widening. BJlunt's headquarters arc in Nottingham, but he conies up to London from tftme to time •He is hoping that the fairt3 at Toronto and Chicago, which he is (about to visit as a member of Sir Julian Calm's cricket -team, will be helpful; from a business point of view; " '■' New Zealandcrs—esj tecially, perhaps, those who were here wjith the New Zealand XI in 1927—will' be interested to hear that through his present business appointment Blunt Has renewed acquaintance with Lordj Ebbisham, who, as' Sir Bowland ' Bla«les, was Lord Mayor of London and entertained the team to breakfast at th c Mansion House on the morning of-thi-ir departure for home. The previous nij ght had been one of hectic pleasure, with little or no sleep, for there had bo an a jolly dinner and dance until the''|carly hours, and packing up to attend to before keeping tho City :breaf :f ast engagement at 8.30 a.m. Tho recollection must be a happy memory t0..a1l flliose concerned. This summer the wenthcr has been excellent for cricket, a/tid though he has not been., taking paict in first-class matches, Blunt has had some good,play round about Nottingham, in Worcestershire, Manchester, 13 irmingham, and Staffordshire, with aJj good percentage of runs. In Nottinyl ham he has met the three other Newj Zealand cricketers—rDacre, DempstoJ, and Cromb. ! TOUB ENGAQ EMENTS. On August-12 the -KJ e.w Zealander left by the Empress of B| itain for Canada, the States, and Berniuda as a member of Sir Julien Cahn Js ti -am. Matches are to be played in Montreal,, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catherine's, London, Chicago, New York <2),' and Bermuda (5), on the tour of sjijven weeks' duration. Canada, it see (i is, has been anxious for some time ifeo popularise cricket, and last year /asked the M.C.C. whether they would :noi; send out a team. That was not [possible. Nor was Sir Julien, who was?'then1 asked, ablo to arrange matters :Bor 1932. But he promised to do so al;j the earliest possible moment. This; i» the sequel. The team is largely drawn from Notts and Middlesex, and inclufles E W. V. Robins (a Middlesex and England player), and laii Peebles (Middlesex) S. D. Ehodes ab.d G. F. H. Heane (Notts), and D. P. {B. Morkel (South Africa). , . • Mr. K. C. Matthewis (president of the Toronto Cricket 'Clulfi), who happens to bp in England just (now, says that all previous efforts to popularise cricket m Canada have met with meagre support, from tho Old Country. Their club has been in existence f pir over a hundred years, and their . ground is well appointed. . .'■ •{. BODY-LINING At LUNCHEON. On the day before) sailing, Sir Julien was host at a luncheon at Claridge's, where the guests included; the Dominions Secretary (Mr. J. Hi; Thomas) and tho High Commissioner [ for Canada (Mr. Howard Fergusson)!, and Lord Ebbisham. The function! took place in an unusual setting, forj the room, was arranged as a crickej;, field. Imitation grass covered the ■l.ooiy on which was a pitch complete j.vith stumps. Tho tables were named after and set out at the field positions, tlho "batsmen" and "bowlers" being two. .chairman and the principal guests. IBhe guests were announced by the " wicket-keeper,'' who, like''the waiters, ,wa-.s ill orthodox cricket attire, and at j either ■ end of the room stood the umliires in blue suits, white coats, and boiler hats. The menu, in the form of a scaring card, contained the information > that in any, bodylining no ducks woiljj Id be served. ■' In his speech, Mr.' Thomas said: "'My job as Dominions ,8 secretary is to reconcile the" different elements in the British Commonwealth. When you remember that that includes South Africa, Canada, Australia, (New Zealand, and the Irish Frpe Stake, tlfty take some managing, don't thjty? (Laughter.) No politics-ever introduced in" the British Empire caused me jso. much trouble as this'd- —body-line* bowling! All I can say is, don't take Ifcixwood with you to Canada." (Laughter.) In more serious vicin he added that it would bo a very ba<l thing to revive day after day a controversy which engendered bad feeling between two peoples.