HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 23 June 1923, Page 21

HOCKEY.

The adverse weather conditions continue week by week, and naturally hockey suffers considerably, owing to the wet state of the ground. Although only one postponement has been made the games have erentuated under circumstances by no means conducive to good hockey. Notwithstanding that different tactics ■ have been necessary most of the matches have provided keen and interesting contests in the senior competition. The brief news that came through during the week was somewhat in the nature of- a surprise, although local players were informed early in the season that a tournament in each island had been proposed, but it was considered that this proposal had been dropped in favour of a Dominion tournament, in which the shield matches could be played, and also the junior cup competition. Tho lodging of challenges for the shield with the Mew Zealand Hockey Association went on as usual, and ns little news of what was happening at headquarters was received in Auckland, it was taken for granted that the new suggestions had been dropped. According to the account of the New Zealand Hockey Association's meeting Auckland has the offer of controlling the North Island tournament and Otago the Souht. The dividing of the Dominion into two sections will take a lot of interest out of the tournaments. For instance, the outcome of the North and South matches has only to be recalled, especially when tho gatne was played at Nelson. Neither island was fully represented, and it was a case of filling up the vacancies at the last moment irrespective of qualil}-. In fact it would be doubtful if some of the players would get into a decent representative team.

E. Watts is a striking oxKS introduction of Sw schools. Taught W the game as a 7 youngster at the Graf ton School, lie quickly showed promise. Passing on to tho Technical School, Wγ several seasons he ( played for the school's junior eleven. When the Somemlle team was form- ' ed he found a place in the senior eleven.

A centre forward of the dashing type, very nippy and dangerous in the' circle, he won rep. honours for Auckland two years ago., and gained his New Zealand cap against the Australian eleven Inst season. His career lias been of a meteoric nature.