WAR AND PASTIME.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17038, 13 December 1915, Page 11

WAR AND PASTIME.

TO THE KIITOR. Sir —I see that the Cricket Association lias called a meeting of the clubs to discuss the recruiting question. As one who in the past had a long connection with the game, both as a plavor and as a worker on diflerent committees, I take the liberty of expressing a hope that every effort will be made to discuss the matter impersonally and without heat. The question to be settled is what action, m view of the urgent need for recruits, the association is to take with regard to the status and treatment of those cricketers who. being eligible for enlistment, have not enlisted and can give no satisfactory reasons which will take them out of "tho category of shirkers. That, T take it. will ho the subject to bo discussed, and, as one who has the interests and dignity of the game at heart, 1 hope that the discussion will be confined to that.

The questions •whether the matter was brought up in quite the b?st way, whether Jones had a right to speak for one club or Smith for another, and such like, are now matters of pass history and quite beside the mark. The association's future action in the face of the difficulty which has arisen in filling up the Reinforcements (a difficulty which will not grow less ;ts time goes on), and the question whether it is justified in countenancing the action of even one man, who ought to eniist and does not do so, by allowing him to take part in its competitions is what has to be considered, and that is what I hope will be discussed temperately and impersonally. The question of whether other sports are doing the same has nothing to do with the association's duty in the matter. One of tho commonest, excuses of shirkers is, (i I do not seo why T should go whilst Robinson over the fence is not enlisting." That is a pretty flimsy excuse and about on a par with the excuse of the man who, when men are wanted, for the ranks, explains that he is c.-aiting to obtain a commission or till he can get into the flying corps or some special corps for which he has a fancy. They are all shirkers together, and if cricketers as represented by their association allow tlu> matter before them to be shelved on «iny such ground as that, they cannot expect as a body to earn any more respect from the community than an individual in like case. My excuse- in writing as above i* that, judging from the tone, as reported, ol the discussion at more than one meeting lately there is a danger that tho main object of the coming meeting, namely, to settle the association's future policy, may be obscured by futilt? recriminations on the subject of pnst happenings or be sidetracked on the plea that until other similar organisations take like action the cricketers can do 'very little good.

Lot the cricketers do their little bit first, and then tbey can speak a word in season to others.—l am, etc..

E. J. ROSS

Fendalton. December 10.