DEFAULTERS BARRED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16114, 1 May 1923, Page 8

DEFAULTERS BARRED.

(Pftr Press Association.)

CHRTSTOHUROH, last night

Tho Npu- Zealand Cricket Association to-niglff decided in recommend nil affiliated associations to debar military defaulters from playing cricket in matches under their control. The 'quos(iim firo.se out of n letter from the gen-ci.-il ...M-ivi.-nv of the U.S.A.

Sitfclal to trie Herald >

i'! IRISTCIIURCH, this'" day Tin- Sew Zealand Council to-night decided to advise nil affiliated Associations to debar all military defaulter? fvoni plnvinrr in matches under their control. The general secretary of the U.S.A. wrote as follows: In accordance

willi Ihe decision made by the Dominion Kvpcntivp ill.- committee of the New Zealand U.S.A.. I am directed to place before you the question of military defaulters' and their connection with amateur sport, in New Zealand, and to request I hat your Association seriously i-i.nsider whether such pepolo should be allowed to participate, in view of their failure to aid the Empire in its hour of need.

Mr. S. V. Wilson said that at a meeting of the West. Coast Football Association the letter had been received, as it was not- possible to handle it. The British Empire was again trading "with ilie Germans and things bad altered. The Association had been in sympathy with the R.S.A.. hub it . could do nothing.

The ehariman (Mr. J. S. Barrett) : "1 take it this letter does not want, to debar anybody who has not. been deprived of his civil lights." It was. he said, an extremely difficult thing to sort out. the defaulters, but. he was sure there was not a member present, who was not in sympathy with the proposal. Mr. fi. T. Weston said he thought the Council ought to tako action. He did not see why the members should not deal with the letter. Personally he would not play cricket, with a mililarv defaultcr. The "military people'' had been good to sport, and with certain exceptions the men who were well enough to play cricket wero well enough to fight. At the chairman's suggestion Mr. Weston moved that the Council should recommend to all Associations affiliated with it that military defaulters should not be allowed to play in the competitions. The motion ' was first made to include only defaulters who had been deprived of their civil right. ' The chairman remarked thafi they Mere, a small party but the principal offenders.

A member asked if it were true that English football teams had played against German teams this season. Mr. Weston: I would sooner play against a German than a military defaulter. . .

Mr. IT. M. Taylor: W r ill that resolution apply to lads not turning up to drill? The chairman: Yes. Mr. 11. S. Lawrence said the military authorities had not been fair to the boys wiio played on Saturdays, and personally he would not like to have to do \l~. Ho thought that the parades had been arranged badly.

The chairman said that when Colonel Young was approached in regard to the parades he bad done his best for the sport. The boys only had to attend about two Saturday parades in the year. "Tf they are keen' they will make good soldiers and good cricketers," he said. The motion was carried.