CRICKET DISPUTE

Evening Star, Issue 20982, 22 December 1931, Page 8

CRICKET DISPUTE

♦- MANAGER FOR OTAGO TEAM PREVIOUS DECISION REVERSED Owing to the rather strained financial circumstances of the Otago Cricket Association, the Management Committee has been placed in a rather unenviable position. At a meeting of the committee on November 26 a motion was carried that a manager be appointed to accompany the Otago team on its northern tour, and at a subsequent meeting the appointment of Mr W. Rowland as manager was confirmed. The president of the association (Mr J. M. Eraser) had not returned from a visit to Australia when the meeting of the committee was held on November 26, but he was present at the following meeting, and spoke against a manager being appointed. The committee, however, as stated, decided to appoint Mr Rowland.

Mr Fraser then gave notice to move that the resolution carried be rescinded, and a special meetirfg of the committee was held yesterday to consider it. Those present were Messrs J. M. Fraser (chair), 6. A. Wycherley, W. Howland, W. Brookes, E. Furguson, ,D. Solomon, A, Regan, and J. Running. Speaking to his motion, Mr Fraser said that unfortunately the association’s finances could not bo run without appealing to the public, who, he pointed out, were always very generous in their support of cricket, and It seemed that they should not do anything to alienate that support' to cricketers. Under the present economic conditions it behoved the association to be particularly careful as to how they handled the money of their supporters. He pointed put that the members of the team had been asked to pay £3 each to assist in carrying out the expenses of the tour. He was not going to enter into the wisdom of sending a team at all, under the present conditions, but ho was of the opinion that the cost of sending a team to the north, between £IBO and £l9O, could be better spent in retaining the services of a coach. The association was financing the team on an overdraft, and therefore, they should not spend 5s more than was not absolutely necessary. They were all sure that Mr Rowland would make as capable a manager as would be possible to secure. He referred to the correspondence in the Press opposing the appointment of a manager, and said the agitation for the cancellation 'of the proposal had become so acute that the association was forced to consider the wisdom of its decision. The question now was whether they could pay the expenses of sending a manager. He said that he had spoken to Mr Coupland, and he had consented to undertake the duties of manager in the event of a manager not being appointed. i Mr Regan said that from a purely financial reason he would second the motion. He emphasised the point that there was nothing personal about the question so far as he was concerned. Mr Wycherley said that he thought that the motion was somewhat belated. In regard to the agitation _ which was believed to be going on outside, he said that nobody had mentioned the matter to him. Financially it was a matter of getting down to about £6 or £7, and it was rather puzzling to him to understand the seriousness of the case. Mr Solomon said_ that he had first supported the decision to send a manager, but after closely considering the question he thought that it would be wise if the association rescinded the motion.

In. reply to a question by Mr Dunning, the secretary (Mr E. S. Wilson) said ho had worked, out the expenses of the tour, and a total of £196 19s 4d would be required, or £l3 10s 4d per man. Ho had so far received £lB from players, and they might expect to get, say, £6O as their percentage of the gates. The Chairman: Mr Wycherley’s figures are not borne out by the facts. Mr Wycherley: We will have to wait and see. Mr Brookes said that ho was opposed to the motion. He considered that the proposal was very belated, and no doubt Sir Rowland had made arrangements to go with the team. Mr Rowland said he objected to the president ringing him up on the telephone and asking him to resign from the managership. Such an action should have come from the committee. He considered that too much had been made of the anonymous letters in the Press, and he considered that they had been conspired at the last moment. Two meetings had been held to push him out of the position, and it now appeared as if the third attempt would be successful. In view of the committee’s action, he would not accompany the team now, and, furthermore, he did not intend to sit again on the Management Committee. “ Before you take the vote I shall have much pleasure in leaving the ‘meeting, and my resignation from the association will be delivered in a few days. Thank you very much,” concluded Mr Rowland as he left the room.

The Chairman said he was sorry that Mr Rowland had taken the matter up in that way. Many of the statements in the letters in the Press contained many irrefutable arguments and showed lack" i confidence. He explained that it was his idea of doing a fair thing to Mr Rowland, and if he did wrong in ringing him up he was sorry. The motion was then put and carried, Mr Brookes being the only one to express dissent.