Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1926. TEST CRICKET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17059, 14 June 1926, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 14, 1926. TEST CRICKET.

The Test matches liave commenced, not too auspiciously as regards the weather, and in nil parts of the Empire the games will be followed wifh the kecmest/ interest. ' "Wherever Englishmen arc located there is an inherent love for the national game, and as the years pass interest in the annual tussles between England and Australia' for what is known as '"the Ashes" increases rather .than diminishes. Never lias any cricket season been heralded by such a flood of prophecy and discussion as lias recently been filling the columns of our Home and Australian" contemporaries. The reception .accorded to the Australian loam on their arrival in England, says .the Times, was symptomatic of the keen interest with which the cricket-loving world of Britain is looking forward to their performances in the held, not without a pious hope that this year, at last, after the disappointments of- the last three campaigns, there may come a tttrn of fortune. "But it is also due," says the Times, "and none can be more.conscious of the fact than the Australians themselves —to an instinctive subconscious reverence for the long list of great cricketers in England as well as Australia, of whom they are the direct descendants. The best feature of the popular but. necessarily inconclusive comparisons between lliem and the famous men of the past is that it is good for the players of to-day that the players of yesterday should be had in remembrance.' The lesson of the effigy of Father Time over the grand* stand at Lord's should be to induce in all cricketers of the present and future generations jhe undying resolu tion to play the game as it was played in the. bravo days of old. The game itself ; cradled on the village greens of England, goes on from generation to generation in the same spirit of chivalrous and fair-minded rivalry." Time, or the. lack of it f .pur great London contemporary points out, may have u good ileal to do .with the results of the Test matches. The decision not to let. them interfere more than is unavoidable with the even tenor of the county matches, which in England are the life-blood of first-class cricket, was undoubtedly a wise policy and not a mere freak of insular conservatism. But its effect, given the perfection of modern wickets, and leaving out of the account the, whims and chances of the English climate, must be to increase the likelihood of unfinished matches. Of that there can be no question, unless the batsmen of one side or the other, or possibly of both, make up their minds, though their hours of labor are not to be lengthened, to increase the pace of their output. The side which with .that object ill view takes its courage in both hands may not inconceivably find that it is courting victory rather than defeat. As in war, so in cricket, attack is often the best defence. It is interesting to note that on the present occasion the toss of the coin went in favor of the Englishmen, and to those who have faith in signs and omens this of the Australian captain's extraordinary run of luck may presage a change of the fortune of the games. After all, as the Times remarks, for all the hero-worship which it breeds, for .all the pride that it evokes, it is the game and not the individual, the play and not the victory that counts. Each season is but a passing incident in the long and memorable history of the game. Sir James Barrio brought this out in his remarkabale address at the welcome to the Australians on their arrival in England, closing her fantasy on a splendid note which ought to echo in every English heart. "There are thousand* of quiet* places where the game is fought out with immense gusto," says the Daily'Graphic, commenting on his speech. "There may be future Test cricketers among these local players. What matter? They 'play the game.-' For our country ileitis not only cradled a glorious sport but bred a noble spirit also. If the Test matches mark the apotheosis of that, spirit, there can be little amiss either with our .cricket or with our country." Hero are the concluding words of Sir J. M. Barrio's speech. They arc well worth, quoting; "I think we can say to the Australians that we are quite well aware that if we had not thought of cricket first, they would have thought of it. Whether we win or lose they cannot deprive us of our greatest sporting glory, that we invented both cricket and the Australians. Do not let us forget, that the great'glory of cricket does not lie in Test matches or oennty championships or Sheffield shields; it is to be found rat her on our old village greens} the cradle.,of cricket. Test matches are only the fever of the game. They pass. As the years roll on they sink for ever down the horizon. The very name 'Test Match' may in time he forgotten, but long after that I think your far -off progeny will still hear the crack of the bat and the native champion calling for his ale from those bumpv old village pitches. It has been said of the great armies of the dead, marching always on their eternal journey, that when they come to a country cricket field the Englishmen Among the-iii step out from the ranks for a moment to lean over the gates and smile. And for the Englishmen, yes, and the Australian, how dreadful it would bo if they hail to rejoin their comrades feeling that we were no longer playing the game."

Peter Barre, a farmer of 'Tinwald, succumbed on Saturday afternoon to injuries received on Monday through being crushed by a jack slipping from a wharo under which he was working. At the Rotary Club luncheon to-day the president notified receipt of a cablegram stating that the Club had been eletced to membership of International Rotary on June 11 and offering congratulations.

With the co-operation of the Herald, the Poverty Bay Rugby Union was enabled to post on the score board at the Oval on Saturday afternoon the scores made in the match at Wairoa between the Poverty Bay and Wairoa representative teams.

The Hermitage at Mount Cook is liecorning increasingly popular 6s a winter resort, instead of finding favor solely a-a a summer attraction, as has hitherto been tho case. It- is reported that the. winter types of sport are being successfully developed.

Robert A. Port, while working in a. loft on his farm at Aorangi, Manawatu, fell on to a sheep hurdle and broke several ribs. In addition the muscles of a shoulder wore torn and be suffered other injuries. He was removed to Palmerston for treatment.

" What we want is to get increased population on the Hawke's 3ay lands," stated a member at a meeting of the Napier Chamber of Commerce. " Tho growth of blackberry is understandable, but the deterioration of fern lands is the trouble."

The Poverty Hay hooker. K. Woodward, who was Injured in the Barry Cup match on Saturday, was confined to Bis bod yesterday, but Mas able to fake up his work again to-day. His injuries comprise a badly cut lip and severe bruising of tlie chest.

A South Canterbury farmer states that an unusually large area is being sown in wheat in that district this season. A lot of it, he said, is already up and looking well. Many farmers were putting in areas ranging from 5 to IS acres, and teams and tractors had been busily employed since early autumn. Immediately upon the.result of the Barry Cup match on Saturday becoming known to the East Coast Rugby _ Union officials, they dispatched to the 'Poverty Bay Thi on, the new holders of the trophy, a challenge for the Cup. This Mas received on Sunday morning, and the challenge will bo considered at this evening's meeting of the Union.

The economic value of good roads is great (writes our Morere correspondent). The trip from Morero to. Gisborne used to be a positive nightmare and in winter time, a two-day's journey; now in perfect ease it is accomplished in about two hours, whilst in summer time, residents, leave here-at & a.m. and breakfast in Napier.- Tito motor car has annihilated distance.

Tho work of excavating tjg£ trench at. the bottom of the. diversion cut to. carry the power cables to the new slipway was .continued! during the week-pnd, several divers participating. The work was greatly expedited by the use of pneumatic spades, these implements, operated by compressed . air, working exceedingly well under water. The work will be continued next week-end, when it is hoped to complete the operations. Unsuccessfully endeavoring to pass a motor lorry ahead of it near a small ■bridge on the road between Pahiatna and the railway station, Mr. J. B. MacKonzae, a traveller for an Auckland firm of publishers, in a ilvo-seater ear struck the side of the bridge .and landed in the crook. Mr. MacKonzie escaped with- a good soaking and .minor injuries. His was a miraculous escape, i l.The ...car was- badly damaged and the bridge railing carried away.

A remarkable incident occurred, in one of tho main streets of Inglewood tua other day. a passing motor-car picking up a small piece of gravel used for blindtho recently tar-sealed Toad and throwing it- across the footpath with "sucli force that it penetrated right through a .plateglass shop front (saya the Hawera Star). All that it left to show its passage was a clean cut hole about a quarter of an inch in diameter, 'with a small shell-shaped pioco off tho inside of tho glass. The remainder of tho sheet of glass, a fairly large one, was not damaged in any way.

The presentation of tho Barry Cup, won by Poverty Bay in the Rugby match at Wairoa on Saturday, took place at a dinner held in the evening, and attended by the members of both teams. Mr. S. Dickie presided, and in handing over the cup to Mr. J. Hall, coach and selector of-the winning team, he paid a warm tribute to the remarkably good display given by the challengers. Wairoa people had thought, he said, that their team was a verv strong one, but they had not reckoned on the Poverty Bay men, who had played magnificently to win the trophy.

The Auckland Star, in referring to the fact that there may be new appointments to the;Legislative Council, says: " The first selection in our opinion should bo Sir Robert Stout. The former Chief Justice is a man of vigorous and independent mind despite his years, and he would be able to give invaluable assistance during discussions upon Bills sent to the Chamber for revision. He has had a long legislative experience in addition to his remarkable career as head of the Dominion's highest court, and his judicial qualities and unparalleled knowledge of the law and its interpretation would undoubtedly be of the greatest assistance in the final preparation of legislation for the Statute Book.

ft is apparent that there will be considerable building activity in Oisborno during the winter months, and this should assist in relieving the position with regard to unemployment. Good progress is being made with the building which is being erected in Lowo street, for Messrs. MeCuiloeh, Butler, and Spence, and the three-storied-structure at Townley's Corner is' gradually nearing completion. Plasterers and decorators have been busy on the post-office additions, and in a short time the savings bank and mqney order office will be shifted to the main building. New shops at the corners of Grey street and Derby street are proposed, and at lea*t one of these buildings will be put in hand immediately.

A Melbourne syndicate bearing the title of Afforestation Proprietary Ltd., has taken up a large tract of pumice country (approximately 25.CC0 acres), situated about ten miles from Tanpo township, beyond Rotokawa Lake, for the purpose of tree-planting (states the H.B. Herald correspondent). Planting operations have commenced, and the. company hopes to have about 2C30 acres planted'this season. Next season, howfever, they hope to exceed that area considerably. It has been the means of giving employment to the Maoris in the district, and*alter the company has its machinery in proper working order, and huts built for the employees, a much larger number will be employed. The work is under the supervision of one of the directors, Mr. Geo. Snell, of Melbourne. He intends to make a nursery and grow their own seedlings.

Thc~dtedgc EVskinc, which has been dismantled, will shortly be taken into the Duller roadstead, and scuttled.

A member of the Ratana Church states that the next contemplated trip of the Ratana. Party is to South Africa, fays an exchange.

A recent issue of London Punch has tho following : —" Two news items staje, first, .that there are too many doctors in New Zealand, and secondly that there is a record apple crop. How true it is that, the wind is always tempered to the shorn lamb!"

Two unusual accidents connected with motor cars occurred at Christchurch. James Oddy and .Beg. Terry, residents of Lincoln, were cranking cars when tlie engines backfired and both received fractured arms when struck by the crank handles.

The. question of a new post office for Napier lias gone on for years, during which time countless deputations liavo approached the various Postmasters-Gen-eral on the subject. Last week Mr. John Mason visited Wellington and interviewed the, Hon. W. Nosworthy, tho newly-appointed Postmaster-General, concerning the proposed new post office. The Minister promised to go thoroughly into the matter.

According to the Melbourne Argus of May 27,- Messrs. J. B. Were and Son, stock and sharebrokers of Melbourne, had arranged a loan of £ICO,CCO for the City of Wellington, New Zealand. The currency of the loan is 30 years, and the rate of interest is £6 12s 6d per cent. The money, it was stated, was to be used for tramway purposes... Tho Christchurch City Council obtained fa housing loan of £15.000 through the same firm, the rate of interest being £5 15s per cent, and the currency 30 years. Mr. J. D, Hall, astonished members of of Commerce when he toid "them of a farmer who had five sows, each of which yielded a profit of £6O (reports the Lyttelton TimesJ. "That's not a sow." commented the chairman. -Mr. W. Machin; "it's the golden calf!" Later Mr. Hall referred to complaints by the tomato growers. "Vet," he said/"they made £IOOO an acre." "Are there anypoor farmers?'' queried Mr. Maehin. "Oh, yes," responded Mr. Hall, "there are those who grow wheat!" It is estimated that about- .30,000 cases rif local lemons were handled in Auckland last year. The president of the Auckland Fruitgrowers' Council, Ltd., stated that citrus culture wns reaching such dimensions that* some combined action Mas' needed to guard the industry and'prevent the.dumping of imported fruit. Somo of tho. imported lemons shown, to iitm were scaly and scrubby, it being hard to understand why it was permitted they should be landed. ''■'" . .

A. complaint, that, against, the wishes of the Islanders, the Government steamer Hinemoa had been worked on Sundays, when visiting Niue, was made at the meeting of the Council of Christian. Congregations by the Rev.' F. Finch and S. Morrison. It was stated that for 70 years prior to Zealand Government, assuming control of the island no steamer had been worked on a Sunday, but npw the natives' were practically cajoled into working on the Sabbath. 5 A protest to the Government is to be* made by the council. •

Judging by the attendance at the football match played at Wairoa on Saturday, the country stations and settlements must have been deserted. The gate takings at the match cd to £l2f>, which sum did not include any fees for car parking. In comparison, the Tigures for the WahganuiPovcrty Bay game, played at the Oval on Thursday last, show in none too favorable a light, for on. that occasion thcgavii -takings .totalled" 0n1y.£156, including the charges for the admission of cats. . : .

Speaking at a conference; ■of Otago fruitgrowers on a remit from, the Rangibra Association, that the protection on opossums be lifted for at least .a distance of three miles from, any orchard area, Mr. W. T. Goodwin,vAssistaht-Director o f Agricu It.ure, declared that, the j opossum did not create a danger 1 , to' orchards. The movers of the pfopdsal to lift the protection were probably unregistered orchardists who did not pack a case of fruit, and wanted an opportunity to carry out trapping. The question was under the control .of the Department of Internal Affairs. .. ' \~ : .

Speaking at the Devonporfc Orphans' Club, Mr. P."W. Boyle, the American Consul, spokfi of the very fine w.ork The CVphans' Clubs were doing in Nefr Zealand, .says the Auckland Star. They are bringing'men together, and with stirring music and healthy jest, busy men got that rest" for the mind which in these days of bustle and rush was necessary for thair mental stimulus. He had been made very much at home at the Orphans' Clubs* and this led him to say that it was such clubs which did so much to bind the different sections of the Anglo-Saxon race into one great whole.

A new career lias been opened for New Zealand youth, among others, with the establishment, of the League of Na- ' turns.(says the Dunedin ik&t). There are at present two Kew Zealahders on the staff of the League. Mr. j. H. Chapman is in the statistical section of the International Labor Office, and Mr. J. V. "* Wilson, of Cliristehurch, % wh6 started in -■> the same office is personal kssisiahfc. to tha Secretary-General (Sir Eric Dhimmond). A competitive examination, open to New Zealanders of either sex, .will shortly be held in London and in Wellington to fill a vacancy in the editorial section of the independent Labor Office 1 at Geneva'. The course taken . speaks well for the League's appreciation of the value of New Zealanders.

An estimate of the probable life of the principal war funds of the Dominion, presented to the conference of Patriotic Societies, showed: Auckland province, 23-A years; Gisborne, 39£ years; Hawke's Bay* 2i£ years; Wellington province, 13 years; vVaverley, 83 years; Wanga-nui-Waitotara., 20* years': Hunterville, 44 years; Marton, 10 to 20 years; Bulls, etc.. 9 years; Feilding 4£ years; Manawatu, 28 years; Pahiatua, 27| years J War Relief Association (Wellington), 10 years; Nelson, 16 years: Marlborough, 90 years; Christchurch, HA years; Ashburton, 25 years; Timaru, 10 years; Grcymouth, 5 years; Dunedin, 15 vents; Uamarn, 51 years; Southland. 24 years. The total number of applications for relief in 1925 was 10,613.

The export of New Zealand fruit during the season just closed, amounted i0"*760,00D eases, a huge increase. 'This indicates that the Dominion's orchards brought into being in the past decade are arriving at a period of mature yield, and that the quantity available for export is likolv to increase rather than to decrease. : The last shipments, by tho Port Hobart, 126,667 cases, and Hurunui, 10,630 cases, have reach the London market, but they will arrive. not later than the first week in July, in time to realise reasonable prices. The shipment by the former boat was a record for New Zealand, three times larger than the previous record of 40.000 cases. 11 was due to th<i good and heavy crops in various districts, and to growers* anxiety to ship. The Government gave a' guarantee to growers, of a net return of Id per lb on exports, and' it is expected that the prices realised will be such that no serious call on the guarantee will be made.