Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 7 February 1914
Cadeby Cricket
Mr. W. H. Chambers on Unpaid Subscriptions
Colliery Club’s Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of the Denaby and Cadeby Main United Cricket Club was held in the Denaby Main Hotel on Friday evening. Mr. W. H. Chambers presided over a good attendance, which included Messrs. H. Watson Sen., C. Phillips, J. Cocks, Hewitt, J. Towey, and A. E. Robinson, with the secretary pro. tem. (Mr. G. L. Robinson), and others.
The Balance Sheet
Mr. G. L. Robinson presented the balance sheet for the season 1913, which showed the income to be £241 16s. 0½d., and the expenses actually paid away £241 2s. 8d. Accounts owing by the club amounted to £11 14s. 9d., so that, although there was a balance for last year of nearly £14, the 1913 season had finished with the club about £11 on the wrong side. On the income side the subscriptions brought in £75 15s. 6d., and the gate receipts (first team £18 16s. 11½d.; second team £2 16s. 1d.; casuals 10s. 10½d.) £21 15s. 3d. The tea-room was responsible for an income of £38 18s. 10d., made up as follows: Mrs. H. L. Smithurst, £1 2s.; Mrs. J. Cocks, £1; Mrs. G. L. Robinson, 16s.; Mrs. H. W. Smith, 14s. 8d.; Mrs. C. W. Phillips, 14s. 8d.; Rev. S. F. Hawkes, 12s. 4d.; Mrs. E. Robinson, 11s. 10d.; Mrs. R. Williamson, 9s. 6d.; casuals, £2 18s. 3d.
Seventy pounds were received from the Ball Committee, and profits from the canteen amounted to £23 16s. 5d. The Club paid away £204 15s. 2½d. in wages, and £70 to the Colliery Company for the erection of a wall round the ground. Travelling expenses (including a journey to Normanby Park, £2 13s. 1d.) accounted for £17 18s. 7d.
A Question of Expenses
Mr. TOWEY asked if it was in accordance with the rules to pay expenses in connection with friendly matches. He referred, particularly to the Normanby Park journey.
The SECRETARY said that he had been under the impression that they paid these expenses. He saw no difference between a League fixture and a friendly match. The matter had been thrashed out in the Committee, and if it was not right he was prepared to stand it. That was his position. It was here, and he was afraid it would have to stay there.
Mr. TOWEY: Is this precedent to be followed in future?
Mr. COCKS observed that at the Committee meeting the question was thrashed out, and opinion was divided as to whether expenses had been paid in previous years, and the account was passed on the understanding that the team should pay their own expenses in friendly matches in future.
Mr. SMITH pointed out that at the Committee meeting the Secretary said that if the account did not meet the satisfaction of the Committee he would refund the money out of his own pocket. He did not think anyone could have said it fairer than that.
Colliery Company’s Generosity
The CHAIRMAN called attention to the item of £70 paid to the Colliery Company, and asked the total amount the Club were indebted to the Company in respect of it.
The SECRETARY said that the work done cost something like £140, and the Company had agreed to wipe that debt off on the payment of £70.
Cost of Conveyances
The CHAIRMAN: There is another item on the balance sheet which I observe, and that is that the cost of conveyances appears to be more than enough to have been incurred in the conveyance of players to matches. I am told that a good deal of that was paid for spectators as well as players. I should like to know what the Secretary has to say about it. With regard to the expenses paid in friendly matches, I fully agree with the objection. It is not a proper expense, and the Committee must take care that such an expense is not incurred again. It is not a fair charge, in my opinion.
The Secretary: I think we paid Mr. Law less than what was due to him, but he accepted it. Most of it went to “casuals.” It is not a serious item, and I don’t think it will occur again.
Mr. PHILLIPS explained that they had to guarantee Mr. Law twelve persons. The difficulty had arisen through spectators going in the wagonette, and, instead of the driver being responsible for them, the Club had been responsible for the extra charge.
Mr. PHILLIPS was of the opinion that the Club should only be responsible for the players conveyed.
The CHAIRMAN: We should get the money back from those who aren’t players.
Mr. SMITH did not think there should be comment about the first team, and not about the casuals. He did not see that the casuals should have an outing at the expense of the club without comment any more than the first team.
Mr. A. ROBINSON, “as the one who was responsible for this unfortunate bit of business,” said he would like to explain himself. The Secretary was perfectly right according to the rules. The rules said “the first team.” But it was not a rule of the club that the fares of the “casuals” should be paid. These fares had been contrary to rules. The rule was distinct, and it didn’t require a Sir Edward Carson to interpret the reading of it.
A Member: It was passed by a small sub-committee that the fares of the casuals be paid.
Belated Subscriptions
The CHAIRMAN: Then it is ultra vires that the committee should do such a thing. The rules ought to be known by every member and subscriber. If you distribute the money in this way it is not in accordance with the object for which it was subscribed. If I were asked to pay fares of anyone who likes to go. Whether member or not, I should decline to do anything of the sort. I should pay my subscription for the benefit of the club and nobody else. There is another thing I rather doubt that some of the playing members have paid their subscriptions. That is wrong. You must remember that people subscribe for the purpose of helping others to enjoy themselves, and if they cannot afford to pay a proportion of 5/- for the privilege of having that enjoyment, I cannot see that they can properly appeal to somebody else to do everything for them. (Hear, hear.) I do not think that it ought to be continued.
Mr. A. ROBINSON: They ought to be blacklisted.
Mr. CHAMBERS: It is not fair to those who do pay their subscriptions.
Mr. A. ROBINSON: We should not allow them to use anything until they paid.
The CHAIRMAN suggested that a shilling a week might be allowed until the subscriptions were paid. That would not be a hardship on anyone.
Mr. A. ROBINSON: We have a resolution which covers this, but we never carry it out.
The Secretary remarked that eight or nine years ago he took a stand on that matter. There was no doubt that however keen they were about getting in subscriptions, there would be still some that they could not get in. What they wanted to do was to prevent them playing.
After further discussion, the CHAIRMAN moved that no member be allowed to play unless he paid a substantial amount of his subscription.
A Member: Let them pay 2/6 down and the rest before the first of June.
The CHAIRMAN accepted the amendment, and it was carried unanimously.
It was then proposed that the Secretary make out a list of those players who did not pay their last year’s subscription. The committee should know all those, so that they should not be admitted on the ground again until they had paid.
The CHAIRMAN: I do not think that would be conducive to the best interests of the club.
Mr. A. ROBINSON: I hope we are not going to forgive all of them. I move that the names of those who do not pay their subscriptions be posted in the pavilion.
A Police Account
The CHAIRMAN next called attention to an amount of £3 for the police. Was it such a disorderly crowd that they wanted policemen to keep them in order he asked.
It was stated that the police were asked to attend to supervise the canteen, and see that none but members entered.
The CHAIRMAN: Are you bound to pay 10/- a match for that?
The Secretary: They have made an application for £3, but it has not been paid.
The matter was left in the hands of the committee.
Election of Officers
On the suggestion of the CHAIRMAN, the list of vice-presidents was cut down to six, as those who were struck off were made patrons. Mr. W. H. Chambers was re-elected president, and the following vice-presidents: Messrs. Phillips, Cocks, Smith, Ray, A. Robinson, and H. Milnes. The Rev. F. S. Hawkes was proposed, but withdrew. Mr. G. L. Robinson was thanked for his services as secretary, and, as he wished to resign, Mr. Percy Chambers was appointed. Mr. J. Dunn was elected treasurer. The following names were added to the committee to fill various vacancies: Messrs. T. Jones, E. Cooke, J. Towey, W. Asprey, C. Dutton, and G. L. Robinson. Messrs. Clayton, G. L. Robinson, Phillips, and P. Chambers were appointed delegates to the Mexboro’ League. The auditors appointed were Messrs. Fisher and Moore.
Captains
Mr. Phillips was appointed captain of the first team, and, in returning thanks for his election, said that in the coming season they would have to put their shoulders to the wheel for many of the clubs would, under the new rule, be going a long distance for players. They were at a disadvantage as far as that went, but they would have to do their best and await results.
Messrs. A. Robinson and Smith were nominated as vice-captains, and the latter was elected. Messrs. Feeney and Broadbent were appointed captain and vice-captain respectively of the second team. Mr. Dobbs was appointed manager of the canteen.
Mr. SMITH proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Robinson for his services as secretary, which the CHAIRMAN seconded, remarking that Mr. Robinson had stepped into a breach and carried out the duties in a very satisfactory way.
It was decided to promote a testimonial to Mr. Glennon, who is shortly to be married.
Thanks
Mr. A. ROBINSON proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman of the Colliery Company, and to the ladies who had provided the teas during the season.
The vote was heartily accorded, and, in reply,
Mr. CHAMBERS said he was very pleased to be with them again. He had had rather an anxious time of it since he was there before. It was not because he had lost interest in the club that he was not amongst them more frequently. He was always ready to do what he could. It was the same of all others, and if he could he would ask them to let him play. He came to see them play sometimes, but he was beginning to think that he was a Jonah, because they lost every time he did so. (Laughter.) He hoped they would have more success in the future.
A Vote of Condolence
Before the balance-sheet was discussed, the CHAIRMAN said there was a duty they would not desire him to pass over, and that was to ask them to pass a vote of condolence with the family of the late Mr. W. H. Cooke, the captain of the second team. They all very much regretted his loss. They greatly respected him, for anything with which he was connected was all the better for his presence. He had no need to say any more about the way he merited their respect, but he asked them to pass a vote of condolence with the widow and family.
The resolution was carried in the usual manner.