HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 180, 1 August 1925, Page 25

HOCKEY.

The tournament in connection with the New Zealand Challenge Shield begins at Wellington on August 1. The Auckland team will probably leave on July 30. The Auckland junior representative team successfully defended the Zanol Cup against Wellington last Saturday. Canterbury are anxious to regain possession of the trophy, and will send a team north to play at Remuera on August 8. Waipa won the White Horse Cup for the second year in succession after a strenuous week of hockey. Rodney, run-ners-up, have secured the trophy on four occasions. Play during country week hardly came up to the standard of senior hockey in Auckland, as there was too much of the hit hard and follow up methods. Probably the state of the ground in the early stages of the competition was to some extent. responsible for these crude tactics. The turning on of the electric power at Buller has been delayed a few days, so as to fit in with the visit of the Australians to that town. It will be quite an event, as the Southerners seldom receive visits of an intercolonial nature from any travelling teams. If the Auckland representative team could have been tried out before the Australian match, some weaknesses would have been remedied, and quite a different tale may have been unfolded. However, the game held the attention of the spectators to the end, and the result was well received. The executive of the Auckland Hockey Association had a busy time last week in putting on the White Horse Cup tournament and following up with the Australian match. They are to be congratu-

lated on the successful conclusion of both functions.

It is not generally known that the Australian Hockey Association was only formed this year, and embraces New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and itjouth Australia, while it is hoped to add Western Australia shortly.

The visit of the New Zealand team to Australia did an immense amount of good. In one district the number of teams was increased from two to 25.

Arrangements in connection with the Australians' visit to Auckland entailed a large amount of work, and the officials of the Auckland Hockey Association are to be congratulated on the success of their efforts.