CRICKET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 110, 10 April 1937, Page 6

CRICKET.

PUBLIC SERVICE CLUB- ,

Members of the Public Service Cricket Club held a dinner on Thursday evening as a wind-up for the season as well as to farewell Mr L. J. Wild, a former captain of the club. Mr C. B. McClure presided and the club’s patron, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, M.P., Mr W. H. McLean, a past member, and Mr T. Donaldson. secretary of the Feilding Cricket Association, were present. The visitors were welcomed by Air McClure. The toast of the Feilding Cricket Association was offered by Air Cobbe i who, in the course of his remarks, dwelt upon some of his experiences. He paid a tribute to the cricket enthusiasts of Feilding and congratulated the club on its progress. Air AlcClure eulogised the work of Air Donaldson as the secretary of the association, stating that the success of the competitions in Feilding were largely due to his enthusiasm. Air Donaldson, dealing with the affairs of tho association and the progress of cricket, said that the association had been fortunate in securing Air C. E. Taylor as president. All knew of his sympathetic and practical interest and his desire to further the game. In recalling something of the history of Kowhai Park, Air Donaldson paid a warm tribute to the work of Messrs AV. H. McLean and A. E. Sandford, who had paved the way for the building up of Feuding s beautiful cricket reserve. The speaker expressed the hope that the Service Club would do all in its power to. raise funds for the building of a pavilion.

Mr G. Stephens proposed the toasts of the umpires and of the club’s captain (Mr M. Barltrop), while that of Mr L. J. Wild was offered by Mr Barltrop. Members, he said, were happy to avail themselves of an opportunity to offer the very best wishes to one who had played a large part in the fortunes of the club. Acknowledging the greetings and goodwill of members, Mr Wild recalled the names of those who had played a part in the fortunes of the club. Messrs McLean, 0. Banner and E. H. Lange. He hoped during his sojourn overseas to visit Lord’s Cricket Ground and see the Now Zealand team in action and also to hunt up something of the English village cricket. The toast of ex-members of t,be club was proposed by Mr Z. McLeod, who recalled the days of such players as McLean, Lange, Ramsay. Meech, Hoffmeister, R. McDonald and Stevenson. Ho welcomed Mr H. W. Smith, headmaster of the Lytton Street School, as a playing member. Mr McLean spoke of the tips and downs of the contestants and competitions in Eeilding over many years. He commended to the interest of players the idea of encouraging the Saturday morning games among school boys, which were once an outstanding feature of cricket in Eeilding. Tho toast of the championship winners, Old Boys, was offered by Mr Stephens. Mr Wild acknowledged the congratulations and paid a tribute, to the manner in which the Old Boys Club had helped cricket in Eeilding by allowing members of the club to join up with other clubs. Mr H. W. Smith proposed the toast of the ladies. The toast was replied to by Mr James. Tlie gathering then proceeded to discuss ways and means of furthering the objective of raising funds for the proposed pavilion on Johnston Park.