LINKING UP IN CRICKET

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1931, Page 3

LINKING UP IN CRICKET

COUNTRY JOINS WITH TOWN DECISION IN NORTH TARANAKI. SCHEME FOR NEW MANAGEMENT. Ry 10 votes to 2, Brixton opposing, the North Taranaki Country Cricket. Association decided at Brixton last- night to link up with the North Taranaki division under a set of rules drawn up by delegates from both associations. Under the new scheme each Country team will affiliate with the North Taranaki Division, and the managements of both associations will be co-ordinated. There were present at the meeting:— Messrs Norman Gibson (chairman), J. Thomason (Egmont Village), C. Foreman and P. C. Sarten (Tikorangi), W. Johnston ami E. Andrews (Brixton), C. Wilson and D. Newman (Urenui), J. Priar and H. Soffe (Waitara), J. Gamlin and Peacock (Inglewood), T. Potter and D. Street (Tarurutangi). The chairman congratulated Tarurutangi on winning the shield, on defeating New Plymouth Old Boys for the northern championship, and on drawing with Stratford for the Taranaki championship. That was a very good record, for a Country team, he said. Last season was not altogether satisfactory in some ways, as some fixtures were delayed. Then there had been an upset in the match between the A teams and Hawera. The winners of the Thursday competition were Inglewood, and in the play-off with Tarurutangi the game was drawn again. The financial position was satisfactory, the association having a credit balance of £2. EXPENSES OF SELECTORS. The fact that the selectors were out of pocket through travelling to matches was mentioned, by Mr. Johnston. The association decided to pay the selectors their expenses, Mr. Sarten explained that the chief expenses were telephone calls. One evening’s telephone cans over the misunderstanding with Hawera had cost him over 15s. The chairman circulated copies of the proposed, agreement between the Town and Country Associations. The question was then thrown open for discussion. There were six clubs in the Country competition, said Mr. Johnston, and to affiliate with the northern division w-ould cost them a guinea each. For that six guineas one Country team would have the right to play off for the Robertson Cup. Some Country teams had hot a possible chance of playing off for the cup. The idea was to have closer co-opera-tion between the Country and. the Town, said the chairman. The position was not so bad as Mr. Johnston had painted, it, said Mr. Foreman. The Country clubs would have each only half a guinea to pay in reality, as there would be no usual half guinea fee to pay to the Country Association. Under the new rules, if they were adopted, each Country club would, have the right to send two delegates to the annual meeting of the Northern Division, and. would elect representatives to the management committee. The new rules would also give the Country the right to play for the Robertson Cup, a thing they had. been battling for for a long time. . At one stage he thought it would be a good thing if the Country Association had. branched out as an association of its own. With things as they were at present, however, there was little likelihood that the Country would be strong enough to run a division of its own. The whole scheme, said Mr. Johnston, seemed to bo formed to raise the Country Association’s fees 100 per cent, and take away 95 per cent, of its- control. SHARE IN MANAGEMENT. With the right to send delegates to the annual meeting and with the right to have three delegates on the management committee, said Mr. Foreman, the Country would have a very large share in the management. At the same time the new arrangement would take a large share of the details and troubles of running fixtures off the shoulders of the present committee. Mr. Wilson moved and Mr. Soffe seconded. that the Country Association link up with the North Taranaki Division, under the new scheme. After the motion was carried, the chairman asked whether Brixton would enter a team in the Country competition. If it decided not to affiliate, said Mr. Johnston, Brixton would be able to play only friendly matches. Brixton would have to hold another meeting to decide what it would do. The chairman hoped that Brixton would sink its differences and come in with the other teams. After paying the cost of the engraving of the Country Shield and the selectors’ expenses, the association decided to hand the balance of its funds to the Northern Division. The Country Association recommended that Mr. P. Sarten be appointed selector for the Country teams. The chairman thanked members for their support during the year. In moving a vote of thanks to the chairman, Mr. Foreman hoped that the new venture would prove a success, and be in the interests of cricket in the province as a whole.