Hockey N.Z. TOURS SOUGHT

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 17

Hockey N.Z. TOURS SOUGHT

Madras State And Fiji

The Fiji Hockey Association would like to send a team on a full-scale tour of New Zealand next year but it is likely that tour plans the New Zealand Hockey Association has in hand will preclude suoh a visit. The national body's management committee last night received a letter from the Fiji association seeking a tour of the Dominion in 1963. It reminded the association that a Fijian team had toured the Auckland province in 1960. winning 11 of its 12 games It had beaten the Auckland side. 2-0. ’ r R A. Milne pointed out that the Australian team would tour New Zealand early in 1963 and it was hoped to obtain a tour by either India or Pakistan later in the season. “We would perhaps have another 1961 year if we had a full-scale tour by Fiji," he said. Officially the New Zealand association should deal only with countries affiliated with the International Hockey Federation and Fiji was not affiliated, said the chairman (Mr J. G. Leggat). But the tour could, perhaps. be handled by a group of associations, he suggested It was decided to write to the Fiji association bringing these points to its notice and asking what it had in mind in regard to financial arrangements for a tour. The management committee also received a request for a tour of New Zealand by the Madras State team, the third Indian side seeking a visit to this country. Mr Leggat said the Madras State side was a good one— Madras State was the home at Dhyan Chand—but while tha request could be kept in mind, congestion of New Zea. land's tours programme would keep it out of the reckoning until after 1964.

RELEASE OF NAMES

Umpires Deplore Action The action of the management committee of the New Zealand Hockey Association in releasing for publication the names of the umpires recommended for international tests and inter-island appointments has been deplored by the New Zealand Hockey Umpires’ Association. The matter was discussed in committee by the management committee last night and the chairman (Mr J. G. Leggat) afterwards released to the press the committee's decision and the text of a telegram from the umpires' association.

The committee had carefully considered objections—which the umpires' association had been invited to send —to releasing the names and saw no vadid reason why the names should not be published. said Mr Leggat. The text of the umpires' association telegram was:— “This general meeting of the New Zealand Hockey Umpires’ Association, held on July 19. deplored the action of the New Zealand Hockey Association in releasing tor publication a list of umpires' names supplied on a confidential basis by its executive. such action being contrary to the expressed wish of the management committee in a letter dated July 12 which is endorsed by this council meeting.”