HOCKEY REFEREEING

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 183, 1 May 1936, Page 18

HOCKEY REFEREEING

Women’s Association Conference NEW STATUS FOR OTAKI Discussion of referees and refereeing occupied a large part of the time of yesterday's conference of the New Zealand Women's Hockey Association. An Akitio remit tliat provision be made at toiirnuniciits for appeal against referees' rulings on matters of fact where direct evidence can be obtained by teams protecting was rejected. Tire mover, Mr. 11. Gray, said it was suggested that a deposit be required to discourage frivolous protests. The chairman, Mr. 11. Throp, spoke strongly against the remit, saying he did not know where they would end if referees were not to be sole judges of fact. Boiled down, tbe proposed rule would allow the side which could produce the largest number of witnesses to carry the day. Remits from Akitio that during and prior to tournaments the tournament committee arrange meetings of umpires to consider their duties and arrange conformity of rulings, and that referees be instructed to enforce more stringently rules concerning undercutting the ball and throwing tile ball owing to the number of accidents due directly* to rising balls were adopted. A remit from the Auckland association dealing with the grading of referees ami aiming at altering the rule so that the certificate would be issued on the basis of the practical examination pass was rejected. The rule, as it stands, provides for tbe certificate being issued on the lower percentage of the two tests, practical and theoretical. After a discussion of the trouble caused by teams withdrawing from the tournament after they had entered, it was decided that no entries be received without the fee. The management committee was given power to appoint a part-time professional secretary. It was resolved to make inquiries from the International Federation of Women’s' Hockey about affiliation with it. 1 Annual Meeting. The president, Mr. M. F. Luckie, who formally opened the conference iu the morning, but did not preside, occupied the chair at the annual meeting last night*. He congratulated the association on its sound financial position and the growth of the sport. There was a slight balance on the wrong side, ' but there were considerable expenses which would not recur. He spoke warmly of all who had been connected with the team that toured in Australia successfully. The visit of the Fijian team, he was convinced, would be a success, and he hoped the association would receive sufficient of the revenue to give it a credit balance. Mr. Throp (Canterbury) conveyed the congratulations of the men's organisation on the association’s successful year and said the men would assist the Fijians’ tour as much as possible. A new rule was made to allow an extra day at future tournaments to meet contingencies, for tbe North v. South match, if it is played, or for semi-finals, if any. A motion to amend tbe rules to make the playing of the North v. South match mandatory was defeated. The Otaki sub-association, which at present forms part of the Manawatu association territory, was granted separate am'iation. It was stated that the Otaki sub-association had been dissatisfied with its relationship with Manawatu for some years, but that there was a desire in some quarters to join Otaki to Wellington, but that it would not be for the benefit of hockey generally to take players from one association and give them to another. Officers were elected as follow: — Patroness, her Excellency Viscountess Galway; president, Mr. G. C. Hamilton (Gore); hon. secretary, Mrs. J. H. Poultcr; hon. treasurer, bliss E. Laycock; assistant secretary, Miss I. M. Pearce; hon. auditor, Mr. A. C. Geddis; executive committee, Misses A. Yorton, M. Slater, Mrs. K. Donald, Messrs. F. Twiss and E. Harris. . At the conclusion of the meeting the president handed a gift to Mrs. G. Beaumont (nee Gilfedder), a retiring member of the executive, to niark her service to the association and her marriage, and presented a gift to Mr. L. S. P. Butcher, retiring assistant secretary and an offleer of long service.