Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1937. CROWDS AND CRICKET.

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 February 1937, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1937. CROWDS AND CRICKET.

J-JOBBS, Cardns, and other cricket-writers, are downhearted because the attendances at matches in Australia, apart from the Tests, have been disappointing, this season. There is little that is surprising in this apparent public apathy. All sports and entertainments have similar experiences. The “big*’ matches or programmes, draw record crowds, with bad effect on the lesser attractions. People have neither the time nor the money to

see everything, so in making a choice for patronage, they naturally select what promises to be most interesting. Crowds also get blamed for attending as spectators when they should be players in lesser arenas, or should be at work, and, evidently, there is no pleasing some critics.

Naturally, the Test matches in Australia overshadow the other games in the Englishmen’s programme. The players themselves appear to take little interest in'eneounters against State elevens, reI serving what are their best endeavours for the Tests, rndeed.l were it not for the Tests, Hobbs,' Cardns and Co. would probabh’

not - be engaged to visit Australia, and supply an expectant world with their opinions on the play and players. The crowds they criticise might make the rejoinder that whereas they have to pay to see State cricket, the “experts” get well paid for attending. Is there-no touch of “high finance” about the presence of the “experts’’ at the matches? Judging from the reports of the present game at Sydney, those .spectators who paid admission fees had cause for complaint, and it was no wonder that about 500 only attended, yesterday. Cricket crowds come in for much censure, not all deserved, and the latest criticism does not appear to be justified. What is termed “Bradmania” is probably one cause of poor attendances at. games in which Australia’s champion is not playing. For this want of proportion, cricket-writers are mostly responsible. The chief reason, however, will be found in the players’ own apathy. If they show listlessness, the public will be even less enterprising.

RAILWAY SERVICE. ST is gratifying to learn from the General Manager,'that the reports of discontent among railwaymen, especially engine-drivers, are not well-founded. Mr. Mackley 'said that neither he, nor his chief assistants, .had complaints made to them, and that the men were never before so happy. Why, then, union branches in North and South should pass resolutions demanding an inquiry into what are alleged to be unfair conditions of service, will not be clear to the genera] public. It would be thought that the Department would welcome a full inquiry if the position is as stated by the heads. It is not only the men who are claiming to have cause for grievance. Girls in the railway refreshment rooms are also alleged to be treated unfairly, at some stations. No harm is done by the publicity given to these service complaints, which, if justified, should be remedied as early as possible.