OTAGO CRICKET ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14380, 25 November 1908, Page 5

OTAGO CRICKET ASSOCIATION.

Sin-Permit mo through your columns to express my dissatisfaction at what I - consider a grave act of injustico on the part of the Otago Cricket Association towards the Christian Brothers' Cricket Club, °\™cli I am president. In drawing the attention of the. public at large to the way iny club has been'treated by the association I am actuated solely by the motive . ~ that .good may. come from V and that certain anomalies existing iii the - govern- "' ment of the O.C.A. ma, be removed betore tno next cricket season commences. 1 have given, the O.C.Ai tho opportunity of quietly adjusting the malter-which it ■ could easily have done without rampromis-' ' ing itself m the least,-aml not .'gettinff' , satisfaction, I am reluctantly, compelled' to-voice in ( a public manner our grievance,, and leave jour readers to judge whether the true interests 'of cricket are being Promoted or retarded by the governing \ body of cricket m Otago. ■:-.■■ .-■■.. N I A* the opening of the cricket season T i made application to the 0.0.A. for permission to. | affiliate our club with ita' association. I 'attended ,the first meeting of tire, delegates, and placed before' them my, wishes on., the matter, stating that' : owing to the progress of our lads- wo ware; jfVT !° P ut a "Mri Grade team in, the neW. As a matter of fact,.our senior school.grade .team has had during the past six years an unbroken record,' being ! cither premiers or champions each .year. I, moreover, stated that both numerically and financially our olub was sound, and that iti anticipation of being affiliated wo had spent £30 in buying material and ■ . putog down new pitches. Certainly for lack of enthusiasm wo could not be refused admission; neither could our olub be calledi ' a mushroom organisation,"-'for a school which turns, out a, large'' number of lads ■" \oach year has. always ample material to draw .upon. However, a few days ' later , 1 heard on -good authority -that it was common talk m certain" oiroko that our olub would not get hAo the association. Believing these '. tales to emanate from a certain giantleroan,: who at the time seemed dissatisfied with himself and the world in general! I treated' them with indifference. I bad confidence in the impartiality and- love of fair play which' I have always: associated with gentlemen, who . go. in for what is known as "trueispbrt." ' But_ a week later my eyes'were opened'to the fact that there cam be found) a Bporting' circle in our inidst which seemingly looks ' upon its,traits as quite unnecessary' When dealmgwith a certain section of the' public. We were refused' admittance-the' prophecy j uttered a week previous by one. who be- .' lieved lie had a personal grievance ..against our olub\carao;.true-and note the'aftermath. : In the report of the meeti%/wittbh appeared in your paper the Mowing morn- , ingi no reference Was made to the rejection ' 'by black-balling of tho Christian •'Brothers' Ckb. : Yet this'vory question of admitting the club, into, the association occupied- a good sharo of-that' ,'evening'a work.' I at once sent a, note to the secretary; of the association asking :'for particulars; and- a verbal'reply was sent to the effect that our dub Was not. admitted.; A, few days later I received thefollowihg note,:--: y v '-; , v have; to inform job fliatyoiir ' vopplicatibn-jfoi' affiliation to '-' tionwas. considered last Thmjadayi, night, • and on a tallpt being'taken your c]ub ' .was declared not elected; Herewith I'return you a cheque, for, £1 Is, beinigr jour entrance fee.—l am, etc. ,;' ''. ,' , ; : No reason having beeo given as id why we were excluded; I determined ; to find'. out the reason, and, with your permission, ; in a subsequent letter I will put before: your readers the alleged' reasons, and- add■•:additional details to what must be considered, a premeditated effort to exclude pur -club from playing ."as a club" in the'ranks of the association.—lam,, eto, , ' '•> J. C. BRADY, .''';■ Principal of4hb Christian Brothers'- ■-' ' Scho ° l - •■'■ ■/•-"' .'