CRICKET CONFERENCE.

Colonist, Issue 99, 1 October 1858, Page 3

CRICKET CONFERENCE.

The- subject of the new law respecting bowling has called forth a special general meeting of delegates from various cricket clubs in Victoria, to discuss the propriety of adopting the alteration as agreed to by the Marylebone Club, London. The ne\v clause was introduced in England early last season" by the Hon. R. Grimston, and has been carried into effect during several important matches, the result being highly satisfactory. The conference was called at the instigation of the Melbourne Cricket Club, and three delegates were invited to represent- the members from each club, but any cricketer was allowed to be present. The Conference was held in the pavillion on the Melbourne Club ground, on Saturday, September 4, 1858. D. S. Campbell, Esq., M.L.A., was called upon to take the chair. The Chairman introduced the business by reading the new law, as follows : " The ball must be bowled. If thrown or jerked, or if the bowler, in the actual delivery of the ball, or in the action immediately preceding the delivery, shall raise his hand or arm above his shoulder, the umpire shall call 'No ball.'" He hoped the question would be fairly discussed, and that gentlemen would express their opinions candidly. Mr. R. B. Grindrocl then moved, and Professor Irving seconded— That this meeting, appreciating the importance of one uniform recognised set of rules being adopted by the different clubs, resolve that the new 10th rule of the Marylebone Club be adopted by the Victorian Cricket Clubs—inasmuch as that club (Marylebone) is at present accepted as an authority by cricketers generally. The resolution was supported by Sir, George Stephen,*- and Messrs. Rennie, Wills, Pavey, Thompson, and Fairfax. The general opinion was decidedly in favor of the law, and several arguments were adduced to shew the great desirability of the new clause, whichv as Professor Irving stated, was only a-more, correct rendering of the old law. The " action immediately preceding the delivery" was denoted as the swing of the arm prior to the ball leaving the hand, during which time the hand or arm must not be higher than the shoulder; but the opinion of the umpire only can be taken, and he may—if qualified for that position —with perfect ease notice the feet and the arm of the bowler at the same time. After the question had been fully discussed, the resolution was carried unanimously. The next motion, proposed by Mr. Wills, and seconded by Mr. Payey, was carried unanimously, to the following effect:— That the secretary of the Conference be requested to communicate to the secretaries ofthe principal clubs in the neighboring colonies the resolution passed at this meeting, and request to know if the 10th law of the Marylebone Club will be adopted by the clubs they represent. The question of a cricket congress of the Australian colonies, and the subject of cricketers being allowed to play for one club only, were introduced by Sir George Stephen, but the meeting having been called for a special purpose, it was thought desirable to postpone the consideration of the topics mentioned.

HonsE-TAMiNG at Sydney.—A considerable number of gentlemen assembled, by invitation, on the afternoon of September 17, at the Horse Bazaar of Mr. S. C. Burt, in Pitt-street, in order to witness, and, by the result, definitely to test, tlie pretensions of a Mr. Edward Cheveroy, stated to be an original pupil of Mr. Rarey, the celebrated American horse-tamer. The prospect of seeing the extraordinary powers imputed to, and """-^claimed hy this individual, over a creature so difficu& *su}§al with as a refractory horse, attracted a large concouTs'^O^ Sp^(rf^re or'«r£L ry cjass of society taking an interest herein—from'^rsoir^es of the first standing in our community down to . the young stable hoy—all anxious to see whether the claim put forward was an honest fact or a mere delusion. Amongst the company present were Messrs. Deas Thomson, A. Denison, — Pitt, . — Prince, E. C. Weekes, S. D. Gordon* — Dickson, B. O'Brien, J. M'Lerie, — M'Donnell, S. and L. Samuel, S. Lyons, and several other gentlemen, and persons well known for many years past to be practically and habitually acquainted with the general management of horses. At a few minutes past 2 p.m. we saw the animal on wliom the powers of the horse-tamer were to be exercised, and must candidly admit that a more unpromising, ill-natured looking brute, we never set our eyes upon. She stood in a sort of enclosure, eyeing the bystanders, with the halter half over her neck, in a sullen and restless mood, and proved to be a rough wild five years old, rising fourteen hands high, and peculiarly well adapted to put the abilities of the performer to a very severe test. Although repeatedly invited to approach her, her appearance was such as to convince everybody of the propriety of keeping at a respectful distance, and the more so as her manner had already become a matter of notoriety. This mare was one of a lot of horses shipped by Mr. Imley, of Taranaki, New Zealand, on board the Emma, for that country. She was put on board in a perJcctly unbroken state with extreme difficulty, and afterwards found to be so thoroughly vicious and - unmanageable that her owner, Mr. Imley, was compelled to have her sent on shore again as utterly intractable. She was accordingly taken for sale to Mr# Burt's Repository in Pitt-street, where she sustained her character with the greatest spirit, refusing to eat or drink, and " hitting out" in a most spiteful manner whenever any one attempted to scrape acquaintance with her. She would not be fed or cleaned, or be touched ; to all the blandishments of the ostlers she had but one reply, and thaJ^was an argumentum ad unguem of a very disagreeable description. In this dilemma the fortunate thought occurred to Mr. Burt that her ladj'ship's temper was of such a decidedly unpleasant a type; as to render her an excellent subject for publicly trying the pretensions of this Mr. Cheveroy; and the offer of the brute and use.of Mr. Burt's promises for this object was at once accepted. The box, in which the mare was effectually convinced by Cheveroy of the necessity of becoming, more good-tempered for the future, had never been entered either by himself or the mare, until the "horse-tamer" commenced his operations. She was gently driven out of the loose space in which she was first seen by us, and got, without ■ violence, into the above-mentioned box, at twenty-five minutes past two o'clock. Her air was more sulky and vicious than actually wild at the time, although she started furiously more than' once before entering the box. It was quite obvious to those well conversant with the habits of horses that she was bona fide a thoroughly unbro^ ken animal. The door of the box was then closed - upon the operator, and for some time afterwards the sound of several plunges on the part of the mare announced that occasionally a severe struggle was going on within between "the mare and the horse-tamer. The assembly of spectators, amounting probably to 250 persons, anxious for the result, remained in the ytfrd adjacent; and for.a long time in very close proximity to the stable, until politely requested by Mr. J. J. Luther, the agent, to retire to the distance of a few yards. After the lapse of an hour and ten minutes the subjugation of the restive mare was announced as complete, and, on the door of the stable being opened, Cheveroy appeared mounted upon the mare, on which lie had placed saddle, bridle and • halter. She came out very quietly, and although immediately surrounded by several people, who loudly expressed their applause by clapping their hands, &c, stood perfectly still, and permitted any one to handle' her. All her hoofs were severally raised, and struck by Cheveroy, and her saddle shifted by.one of the ostlers, who rode her in safety and with ease. Those present seemed well pleased,, and so .perfectly satisfied. with the result that before Cheveroy lett the yard his services as a teacher of the art had already been engaged by several gentlemen. The mare was tested by-several-incredulous persons, who obviously came prepared to disbelieve what they saw; and handled by good and competent judges—such as Messrs. M'Lerie, Burt, and Rowley—all of whom expressed tlieir surprise and pleasure at the change which had been effected. The thanks of the community are due to Mr. Burt, who, by his obliging conduct on this occasion, has afforded an opportunity of making the public here acquainted with a tnatter of moment to jail interested in the use and managt-nent of that invaluable, and often much' ill-used animal—the horse*— Herald, Sept. 18,

EcoNOMr.—Old Mrs. Darnley is a pattern of household economy. She says she has made a pair of socks last fifteen years by only knitting new feet to them every winter, and new legs to them every other winter.

Very Convenient.—" Jury," said a western judge, " you bin go out and find a verdict. If you can't find one. of your own, get the one the last jury used." ( '[