CRICKET AND PRINCIPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14925, 24 February 1912, Page 7

CRICKET AND PRINCIPLE.

HILLS PLEAS FOR THE SIX. STILL DEMANDING LAVER. PR. MAILER TAKES THEIR SIDE. Br Telegraph-" 1 '"™ AnTOchtlon.-Copj-rishti. Meusotoxe, February 23. (Vfflffl following the acceptance by Qvp vfc.twa (Trumper, Armstrong. Ransf | Cotter, ami Carter) of the Board of Sol's invitation to go Homo subject !f the right to withdraw if anything lies prior to the team's departure "tenSag such a withdrawal necessary - « "tronglv criticised by Dr. Mailer, one f the Victorian representatives on the B Mailer declare? that, as the players ?r Mailer declares that, as the players accented conditionally, the secretary of the "Board (Mr. Sydney Smith) had nc rUt to take the action he did in notifyw that a definite and unqualified accept--2a was insisted on. Dr. Mailer will •ant to know why the secretary took the action he did without a further meeting 0 the Board. ~,♦,, The way the players have been treated • adds Dr. Mailer, downright dishonourable. They should not be asked to sacrifice their principles. Syiwckt, February 23. Speaking for the rejected players, Clem Hill declared : "Wo are very sorry at the turn affairs have taken. We have done all wo can to secure a settlement. The Board still objects to Laver as manager, though I offered them all the books and papers of tie tour, and to let Mr. McEihone appoint an arbitrator, by whose decision wo would abide as to whether Laver was disloyal. He refused, repeating that Lover was disloyal- Why don't they select the whole team and allow them to select a manager The State Premier (Mr. McGowen) nnd the Attorney-General »Mr. Holman) last night had long interviews with the six players, and Mr. McGowen subsequently id he would see the Board of Control with a proposal which he hoped would settle matters.

Hill subsequently stated that they only wanted peace, and the best team would go to England in the event of Mr. McElhono being prepared to compromise, but the latter still demanded unconditional acceptance. If the selectors chose Laver as a, member of the team the players would m»ko no further protest. STILL A CHANCE OF PEACE. (Received February 23. 11 p.m.) Sydney, February 23. At the conclusion of a long interview between Mr. McElhone and Mr. McGowen on the cricket trouble, Mr. McGowen stated that the Board of Control was fully determined not to accept the nomination of Laver as the players' manager, but was not unwilling to accept Laver as'a player. Even at this late hour, it is believed that the Board would accept the surrender of the six players if they did not persist in securing Laver as manager. Macartney and Webster have been selected to replace Ransford and Carter in the team for England.