MIDLAND CANTERBURY CRICKET CLUB.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4793, 10 September 1883, Page 3

MIDLAND CANTERBURY CRICKET CLUB.

0 The seventh annual meeting of the Midland Canterbury Orioket Olub was held at the Commercial Hotel en Saturday evening ; 22 members were present, and the obair wai ocoupied by Mr W. H. Wynn* Williams, M.H.8., President of the. Olub. The Seoretary, Mr G. Watson, read the annaal report, whioh was as follows :•— "Tour Committee beg to present the seventh annual balanoe-sheet and report. As members are aware, the oup matches were a novel featuro in last season's play. Of these the Olub won three and lost three. The excellent bowling of Messrs Wilding and Frith enabled the L.P.C.O. to seoure the most wins. We can olaim, however, tbat two of the matohes lost were well oontested, and we certainly had all the worst of the luck in Weather, wiokets, Ao., besides losing the services of several good men in the later matches. We do not think tbat these oiroumstanoes would have altered the result, but they would certainly havo made the matohes muoh oloser and more interesting. The junior elavens commenced well, but like the first eleven, fared worse later on. Twenty-eight matches were played by them, of whioh sixteen were won, eleven lost, and one drawn, greatly in our favour. Four of our members played in the Canterbury Eleven v. Auokland, and three in the annual matoh v. Otago. The batting of the first eleven was uneven, being, as the soores will show, at times good, and even brilliant, but falling to pieoes when opposed to good straight bowliag suoh as W. Friths. It was notioeable, too, that the batting as a whole was worse at the end than at the beginning of the seasen. The remark applies with greater force to the juniors' batting. Members who praotiiad regularly one and (all complain that the wickets were generally bad and often un* playable. This alone is quite sufficient to aooount for the marked falling off in batting form, especially when it was observed that those who practised at Association wiokats for the Interprovincial j matohes showed no suoh falling off. j Perfect wickttß enabled our opponents on two occasions to compile big soores, whioh spoilt our bowlers' averages, but taken throughout, the bowling was quite up to the mark of former seasons. The fielding of the first eleven, too, in spite of some glaring lapses, showed general improvement. Though some of the junior bowlers worked hard and improved fairly, this department was deoidedly weaker than it has hitherto been. The fielding of individual members of these elevens was excellent, and, as a whole, was an advanoe on that of the previous season. Turning to the balance-sheet, it will be Been that owing to some unusual expenses and an exceptionally heavy bill for material, there is a defioit of some £8 on the year's accounts. Proposals by whioh, it is hoped, the Olub's revenue will be increased, and its expenditure lessened will, therefore, be laid bofore members. The Association having handed over the management of the ground to the Clubs' playing on it, the capitation fee of 25s has been done away with, and eaoh Olub has to pay a fixed sum towards the maintenance of the ground. The Olub has to regret the return of Mr Fuller to Tasmania, and the removal of Mr G. A. Turner to Wanganui. For ten years Mr Fuller has taken a prominent part in the oricktt of this Provinoe, and has been a leading spirit in this Olub since its foundation. Mr G. A. Turner was one of our beet all round players, and had also represented the Provinoe." The report and balanoe-sheet were adopted nem con. The following offioers were elected for the ensuing year :-— President, Mr W. H. WynnWilliams; Vice-President, Mr C. Palairet; hon Secretary, Mr George Watson ; hon Treasurer, Mr B. S. B. Bell ; Oommittee : Messrs Washer, Fowke, Barnes, Paul, Taylor, Grossman, Francis and Fox; delegates to Association, Messrs Buohanan and Bunt ; Captain of firßt eleven, Mr George Watson ; first eleven Matoh Oommittee : Mtßtrs -lames, Wateon and Strange. The aotion of the Seoretary in co-operating with the Secretaries of the United and College Crioket Olubs in taking over the management of the Hagley Park ground from the Association waß approved, on the motion of Mr W. J. Taylor. ' The Seoretary was appointed to represent the Olub on the Oommittee of Management for the ground. Mr Paul proposed— "That rule 6, ' The entrance fee shall be 6s for eaoh aotive member,' shall be Btruok out." The motion was agreed to unanimously. Mr Paul tben moved — "That rule 7 be amended so as to make the annual subscription of junior members under 20 years of age 20s, instead of 355." Mr Barnes moved as an amendment— "That 20s be oharged to members under 18 years of age." Mr Paul accepted the amendment, which thus beoame the substantive motion and was agreed to. Mr Washer moved — "That tho annual subscription for senior members be relcoed to 305." Mr Bell oeoonded the proposition, whioh was oarried. Mr Watson moved — " That it be a reoommendation to the Committee that the distinction between the second and third elevens be abolished." Mr Bar.ea seconded the motion, whioh was oarried unanimously. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Taylor, seconded by Mr Watson—" That the Treasurer be requested to striotly enforce rule 7, providing that all subscriptions should be paid before the first Saturday in Ootobcr, or before playing on the ground." Attention was drawn to the oonduot of oertain persons not belonging to the Olub who were in the habit of playing on the Club ground and making continual use of the Olub's material. It was stated that tho Oommittoo would take action in the matter. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Fox — " That it be a reoommendation to the Oommittee to fix one afternoon in eaoh week for the purpose of a practioe matoh." . It was deoided to alter rule 9, so as to mako the subscription for life members £7 7s instead of £5. Bule _ was altered so aB to give power to the Oommittee to fill extraordinary vacancies. Messrs J. 9. Monck and B. Fox were eleoted captains of the two junior elevens, and Mesßrs Hunt and Bell were appointed to assist them in arranging junior matohes. It was agreed that the opening matoh ehould take place on the last Saturday in September. After electing four honorary and 31 playing members, the meeting terminated.