MORE CHANGES

Evening Post, Issue 66, 15 September 1936, Page 17

MORE CHANGES

CRICKET CONTROL

BACK TO OLD SYSTEM

COMMITTEE ELECTED

A danger of pitfalls in proceeding far with a system under which clubs individually appoint members of the management committee was sensed by many delegates at the annual meeting of the Wellington Cricket Association last night, and it caused a change of step, one result being that the personnel of the management committee was altered to a considerable extent. The move to revert to the elective system met with some opposition, but the voting was heavily in favour of the motion. This meant that eight delegates were required as members of the committee in place of one from each of the eight senior clubs and one from junior clubs as was the case last year. Of last year's members three—Messrs. P. B. Broad, WV P. Walker, and H. E. Moore (who, on being transferred recently, had been replaced by Mr. J. R. Stevens)—did not seek election last night. There were fourteen candidates, and of the eight elected only three were among those appointed at the previous annual meeting. A new treasurer was elected in place of Mr. W. J. R. Christophersen (who did not seek re-election), and, the Umpires' Association having changed its representative, the full new committee of eleven members (taking into account the secretary and the treasurer) included only five of the retiring members, one of whom had come in almost at the end of the association's year. The meeting, presided over by Mr. M. F. Luckie, attracted much interest, there being an attendance of over 70 delegates and others. "WHOLESOME CORRECTIVE." The move to revert to the elective system, so far as the management committee was concerned, was sponsored by Mr. P. B. Broad, who said that it had always been a matter of pride and pleasure that in cricket in Wellington delegates had had the opportunity of electing the best men available. He had never known any question that had come before the management committee to have been considered in any unworthy, mean, or petty spirit. That was a tribute to the old system, which was departed from last year. Where members of the committee were appointed by clubs there was not the slightest responsibility upon any member to account for his doings to the delegates as a whole, but under the old system the committeeman had to give an account of his stewardship to the delegates, 'which, in. Mr. Broad's opinion, was a very wholesome corrective. The system adopted last year would, he considered, be a real and insidious danger after a year or two. It also had the effect of disfranchising a large body of cricket—the junior clubs. That was unfair and wrong, twelve junior clubs being.allowed only one delegate. It. also disfranchised ability, as, if there were ■ two of the best men in any. club, one of those men would have to stand down. Mr. J. Reid, who seconded the motion, agreed that under last year's system members of the committee had no responsibility to the,general body of delegates. There could,quite,easily be a tendency for.-members .to ptiy more attention ■ to their : individual clubs than to the interests.of the game as a whole. Delegates should be given the widest possible field in the selection of a committee. ■ _ . Mr. J. D. Hpwitt stressed the desirability of having a committee working for the benefit of cricket, and he, too, urged a-returri to thje elective system. The change last year . Had. probably done some good in illustrating that the attention of delegates was focused closely on the doings of the management committee, but the right system was the one enabled every one of the cricketers to be represented on the committee, the one for the good of cricket. ... PARTISANSHIP* Certain remarks made by Mr. Broad were regarded by.Mr. H. W. Osborn as being unwarranted and as a slight on the men.appointed last year. He was disappointed at the suggestion of partisanship. Mr. Broad: I made no such suggestion. Mr. Osborn: Well, there was- an implied suggestion. Mr. Hanna: None at all. Continuing, Mr. Osborn said that the danger suggested by Mr. Broad was not there. Messrs. L. Pointon, H. Hatch, and B. Kean also opposed the motion. Mr. Hanna pointed out that there had not been the slightest trouble so far with the system employed last year, but there was a danger in it if it were persevered with for a period of years. Mr. J. H. Phillipps and others also stressed the desirability of electing the men best qualified to control cricket in Wellington. The motion was carried by 37 votes to 16. The Midland Club's motion to combine the offices of treasurer and secretary, and have a, salaried officer to carry out the duties was lost. Opportunity was taken during the discussion to pay tribute to the work of the hon. secretary (Mr. A. Varney) and the hon. treasurer (Mr. W. J. R. Christophersen), it being pointed out by those supporting the motion that the move was regarded as a progressive one and in no way a reflection upon- the work given by those who had carried out the duties. . " ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr. M. F. Luckie; vice-presidents, The Mayor. (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), Professor. H. Mackenzie, Fathers Dowli'ng and Cleary, and Messrs. R. A. Wright, M.P.,, E. P. Bunny, ,A. F. Wiren, H. Brice, H. A. Ryder, T R. Cresswell, E. ■O. Hales, E. W. Hunt, L. T. Watkins, lan Duncan, D. A. Ewen, T. J. Thurman, H. J. Buck, C. J. B. Norwood, F. M. Martin, W. A. Armour, C. G. Wilson, J. R. Sutcliffe, W. C. James, G. A. Troup, J. H. Hutchings, H. Hatch, R. R. Hornblow, W. P. Walker, P. B, Broad, and W. J. R. Christophersen; hon. secretary, Mr. A. Varney; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. E. Banks; management committee, Messrs. J. S. Hanna, C. W. D. Bell, W. A. Baker, J. H. Phillipps, L. J. Brabin, A. W. Duncan, J R. Stevens, and A. Ronaldson, with Mr. C. Moore (representative of the Wellington Umpires' Association); hon. auditors, Messrs. C. E. Stevens and -C. W. Charlesworth. ■ ' ••• ■

Mr. P. B. Broad was made a life member of the association in recognition of the long and valuable service given by him to cricket. . •