HOCKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 192, 15 August 1925, Page 25

HOCKEY.

At the banquet tendered to the Australians after the Test match at Wellington Mr. Rothwell. manager of the visiting team, on behalf of the Australian Hockey Association, extended an invitation to New Zealand to Eend a team to Australia in 1927. It is the wish of the Australian Hockey Association that matches eventuate between Australia and New Zealand every two years.

Mr. L. C. Kent, vice-president of the New Zealand - Hockey Association, presided at the banquet after the Test match, and, during the evening, announced that Mr. L. H. Norton, who is now in England, has been authorised to purchase a cup as the Manning Memorial.

The Auckland Hockey Association made some drastic changes this year, and, up to a certain degree, their efforts met with no 6nmll measure of success, and all went well until the visit of the Australians. From that time the prestige of local hockey fell considerably in the estimation of the rest of the Dominion, and, judging by the performances of the representatives, nothing else could have reasonably been expected.

The secretary of the New Zealand Hockey Association, who was in Auckland on the occasion of the Australian visit officially announced that though Auckland did not hold the shield, they were considered the strongest combination in the Dominion. What happened, Auckland could only draw with the Australians, while every major and minor association which tried conclusions with the visitors, with the exception of Manawatu, did better than the local eleven, while the team that went to Wellington suffered more disaster than ever recorded previously in the annals of Auckland hockey. It was not altogether the fault of the players, for the team was sadly handicapped before it took the field. There was no trial game prior to the selection of the team to meet Australia, and in consequence, we witnessed one of the best players in Auckland, :n his proper position, hopelessly at sea, while the play was also bottled up in the centre, without any effort made to remedy it. Then came the team for Wellington, which was not actually known until a week before the date of departure, and anyone connected with touring teams knows" full well that quite a lot of business is necessary before the team is finally arranged. This was another phase that did not receive sufficient attention. When the team arrived on the railway platform, en route to Wellington, they could only muster ten players, and the first match was against Wellington. A moderate junior player had to be pressed in to make the full complement; therefore, no wonder the Auckland representatives' suffered inglorious defeat. After losing a couple more matches, this time with reinforcements, the team did not. wait for the finish of the tournament, but came home in action. It is to be hoped in the future that everything will be done to ensure the very best combination being obtained to represent Auckland and make amends honourable for the disaster of 1925,

CRICKET. W. M. Woodfull's inclusion in the next Australian cricket team finds an advocate in Arthur Mailey, who supports him chiefly for the ability he has displayed on bad wickets. "Next to Taylor's innings in the fourth Test, the best bad wicket performance against the Englishmen, to my mind, was Woodfull's in the Victoria v. England match," says Mailey. "He defied the English bowlers for hours, and might with more assistance from his comrades have carried his team through to an easier wicket. He showed wonderful defence on that occasion, and that performance stamped him as being a reliable batsman when things are not looking too rosy. Woodfull was the most successful batsman with the Victorians in New Zealand, and although his runs might not have been top gear, the fact remains that his >.ew Zealand experience at least has enhanced, his chance of being selected for England."

'ing led by Admiral Sperry's Connecticut. This time the arrival was fixed for 12.30 p.m. and the thousands who eagerly watched for the coming of the fleet from the deck of excursion steamers of every possible variety were well rewarded for their trip down channel. It was noon before any sign of the ships could be made out, although three lots of seaplanes flying in swan-like formation heralded their approacn. Finally they could be seen well down to the east and they quickly came into full view. It was then seen that the eight big 32,000 battleships, led by the California, were in close lino ahead formation, and it was a most impressive sight. Keeping a perfect line and an even distance apart the eight grey monsters were soon abreast of Rangitoto beacon where pilots were put aboard the leading ship and one or two others. The leader now swung slowly to port and proceeded up the channel at a fair speed, each ship turning as she arrived at the same spot. A big rush back to the harbour was now made by the fleet of small craft, which for a time were able to,hold their positions, but as the ships were about 40 minutes behind schedule time they were speeded up a bit and then only one or two of the faster boats were able to keep pace with them. As the leading battleship Tounded North Head and saluted Fort Cautley the last cloud was dispersed and brilliant sunshine added to the beauty of the scene. The harbour well deserved its Maori name of "Sparkling Water," for under the influence of a light sou-west bree* there was only just enough ripple to catch and reflect the sun's rays. In fact, but for a decided sharpness in the air, one could easily have imagined he was enjoying a view of the harbour on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of the yachting season. The harbour authorities had marked off the mooring site of each ship by numbered buoys. The distance apart of these mooring buoys must have been wirelessed to the fleet for each ship kept just the correct distance astern of the next ahead and by the time the California had reached her allotted position off the Prince's wharf, the other seven were in their right places down harbour, and at a given signal eight heavy anchors and very heavy cable roared simultaneously through the hawse pipes. This was a fine bit of seamanship and most spectacular The tide was strong ebb when they anchored at 1.20 p.m. and as they naturally swung down harhour the formation was kept intact. Within a very short time after coming to an anchor the various commanding officers were taken to the California in very fine speedy launches. After this shoregoing wa3 general and we now have the pleasure of entertaining our American cousins until Tuesday week when the squadron is timed to leave the Waitemata for Samoa. The well-known first-class yacht Ilex has been sold by Mr. W. R. Ingram, to Mr. H. R. Bloomfield, of St. Stephens Avenue, Parnell. Ilex is one of our largest yachts. being 51ft overall, 36ft waterline, lift Sin beam, and 6ft draught. Ilex was built in 1903 by Logan Brothers, for the late Captain Stanhope and the late Mr. Shakespear, then of Little Barrier. Later Captain Stanhope acquired Mr. Shakespear s interest and made Kawau his headquarters. On the death of Captain Stanhope, about 100 S. she was purchased by the late Mr. J. C. Macky, of Devonport who, with his sons and nephews, sailed the yacht in nearly all the races of the Yacht Squadron and the Devonport Yacht Club, for the next seven years. Durin" this time Mr. Macky made long cruises twice each season, visiting all our popular cruising grounds and outlying islands, from the North Cape to White Island. Hex was originally intended more for cruising than for racing and when launched she had a handy yawl rig. Yielding to the persuasion of nis energetic crew, Mr. Macky changed Hex's rig to. a cutter. With a splendid suit of sales the boat did much better, especially in light to moderate weather, and under Mr. Macky's skilful guidance she won a number of prizes, including the Devonport Yacht Club's Cup in 1915, which replaced the Macky Cup won by Rawene, the year previous, and for which Hex, of course,-did not compete. - Mr.