CRICKET.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14982, 30 April 1909, Page 8

CRICKET.

THE NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL. SECESSION FROM THE SPORTS FEDERATION. A Special mooting of tlie New Zealand Cricket .Council was held last evening to consider tiie matters of the disqualification of the Southland Caledonian Society and the proposed secession of the Council from the Sports Federation. Air F. Wilding was in the chair, and the following delegates were present :—Messrs H. C. llidley and J. Young (Auckland), F. H. Labatt (liawKc’s Bay), G. F. Francis (Wanganui), S. A. Orchard (Otago); C. Treweek (Wellington), E. T. liarper (Nelson), W. B. Bottrcll (Marlborough), J. H. Williams (Wellington), C. B. Tapley (Southland), 0. Caygill and D. Reese. (Canterbury), G. T. Weston (Wairarapa), J. B. Beckett (Taranaki North), T. D. Harman (Manawatu) and F. C. Raphael, honorary secretary;. Air Raphael stated that the Council had adopted the rules of the Sports Federation and had been affiliated to it. The Federation had then disqualified the Southland Caledonian Society, endorsing a disqualification by the New Zealand Athletic Union, and the Council had agreed to uphold its action, and members of the Southland Cricket Association had been included. Later on Air W. G. Atack, president of the Sports Federation, had telegraphed to Air G. W. Woods, president of the Athletic Union, stating that he had advised the Council to suspend action concerning the inclusion of disqualified players in a cricket match between the Otago and Southland Associations. The Council had written to Air Atack, protesting against his action, and he had replied at length. The Alanagemeut Committee had decided to recommend, to the Council that in view of the unwarranted interference of Air Atack, the Council should secede from the Sports Federation, and that in consequence of the Southland Association having included disqualified persons in the match against Otago on Alaroh 4 and 5, the match should be declarefl null and void.

Air Raphael said that he had advised the Southland Association of the meeting, and Air Tapley was present to represent that body. 1 Air Tapley said that he would explain matters on behalf of- Southland. He would show that the Association had never attempted to fight the battles of the Caledonian Society. Air Raphael read a very long letter from the Southland Association, in which it was stated that the disqualification had been too sweeping and that it was unfair to the Association, and a movement that would kill cricket in the district. The chairman said that the'letter had dealt with the matter exhaustively. What the meeting had to consider was what the Council was, and from whom it derived its authority. The rule that the Council was bound by its constitution could not be. put too strongly. If it wished to affiliate with any body it should give twenty-one days’ notice to all its Associations and then alter the rules. He could _ find in the rules no power to disqualify any Association. If the Council had perpetrated a wrong there was no reason why it should perpetuate it. The powers of the Council were to control cricket and settle disputes between affiliated Associations. The rule regarding disqualification was one that gave power to the Council to recognise disqualification by an affiliated Association, but it gave the Council no powers itself to impose a disqualification. The first question to consider was whether the Council had any power to disqualify the players in Southland or to recognise the disqualification by any body or society that was not directly under the control of the Council. He regarded the affiliation of the Council to the Sports Federation as an absolute nullity. The Council, in bis opinion, never had been affiliated to the Federation. Had the Southland Association ever agreed to the Council joining the Federation? Air Harman said that the Council had no power to affiliate with any hody according to its rules, and the affiliation was necessarily void. Mr Weston said that he 'was in complete' accord with the view taken by the chairman. The Council had no right to join the Sports Federation and no right to accept that body’s disqualifications. The Council was the sole governing body for cricket. Ho moved that tlio secretary should write to the secretary of the Sports Federation, stating that as.there was no power in the constitution to allow the Council to affiliate with the Federation, the Council could not regard itself as a member of the Federation, and requested that body to remove its name from the list of members. The motion was seconded by Mr Treweek and carried unanimously. ‘ A vote of. thanks was accorded Air Tapley for his attendance.