CRICKET DISPUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 57, 6 February 1925, Page 3

CRICKET DISPUTE

OLD BOYS CLUB MEETING. , STRONG DISSATISFACTION FELT. A meeting of members of tho Old Boys Cricket Club called for last night, to consider the' situation which had arisen as tho result of tho chairman of the Manuwatu Cricket Association ruling tho club's representatives . on tho governing body ineligible to vote on tho motion to postpone the consideration of two protests, which wero beforo Monday evening's meeting of that body, found twelve members present. Mr H. E. Bcimott, club captain, occupied tho chair. Tho chairman, in explaining his action in handing in his resignation at the meeting of the association as a result of tho chairman's ruling, held that there had been nothing else for him to do. He had in the past always endeavoured to do his duty, and when ho had found that he was no longer entitled to vote on matters before tho governing' body, ho, as a busy man, had decided that it was time for him to "pull out." He had given the chairman an opportunity to alter his decision by offoring to pay the outstanding fees of the club,, but had been refused and ho had considered that ho had nothing else to do but tender his resignation. lie had been "hot under the collar" and indeed still felt so, and the meeting had been called to determine what action the club should tike in the matter. "If," added the speaker, "I pull out, there is no reason why the club should not continue to exist." I consider tho action of the Railway Club in lodging a protest on such grounds as unsportsmanlike. The fault was our, I knew, but it was overlooked in previous case?, and it was the first time thut tho rule had been enforced. If the members still hold the views which they expressed on the street, tho club will, no doubt, be down and out. However, after mature thought, I have come to the conclusion that it would perhaps be wise to carry on. especially in view of tho forthcoirting visit of the Victorians."

Mr Pickering: "Why was not tho rule enforced in the case of tho other clubs?" The chairman : "Apart from the Railway Club representatives, only High School was represented at the meeting. The former club was financial, but the position of the other clubs was not known." Mr Drake: "Then how do we eland at

the next meeting?" The chairman: "If you pay your subscriptions your delegates will have a vote." Air Brace pointed out that Railway allowed an unregistered player to play against them, but on that occasion there had baea. no protest as they hud won the match.

The chairman: "It has been tho custom for many years past to play old Manuwatu players when they return on holiduy vacation. In the case, of Stockwell I had been of the opinion that ho had been put through, but plead guilty to Thomson, and in fairness to Hoilier, of the Railway Club, must say that he warred me against playing him. As we had compiled a bigf score on tho opening day, tho inclusion of Stockwell, despite the fact thut he returned such splendid figures, had not affected the outcome. Railway hud been licked good and hard and had taken it badlv."

Mr Burke said that several Railway players had objected to the lodging of the protest. Only one man was responsible for it, tho rest being unaware that .action had been taken. Tho chairman: "The action was most unsportsmanlike and the rest of the club has to suffer by it." Following a lengthy discussion on the interpretation of tho term delegates nnd members of the committee, the following motion was put to the meeting on the proposul of Mr Hope, seconded by Mr Drake: "Thut, the association be written to protesting against the chairman's action in disfranchising tho members of tho Old Boys Club on the management committee on tho grounds that they were still delegates of the Old Boys Club—which was unlinancial with the association —whereas we contend that they were no longer delegates, but members of the management committee and eligible to vote on any question that came up for consideration so long as they complied with the attendance clause, and that the fact-thut the club for whom they played was not financial ut the time had no bearing on the case. If the chairman's ruling is right then tho motion to adjourn the discussion on tho postponement was not in order as only three eligible members were left and it lakes four to make a quorum. Furthermore, the chairman, after ruling that Messrs Brace. Bennett and Hpe oeuld not vote, allowed them to vote on a subsequent motion." Following a retirement into committee Mr Bennett announced that he would, owing to the club being short handed, take the field pending the deciding of the protest.