MEN’S HOCKEY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 217, 10 June 1936, Page 6

MEN’S HOCKEY

News and Notes About Game FIRST ROUND LEAD TO HUIA Indian Team For Olympic Games

(Br

Watihana. )

With only one more game to complete the first round, the senior A championship table has assumed a rather different appearance following la"t week’s unexpected results. Huia have emphasised their lead, but the rest of the teams have closed up, pointing to a levelling of the standard. Not that anj' of the teams —with the possible exception of Huia — are losing form, but some of those who at present figure in the lower portion of the ladder are now fulfilling earlier promise.

By dropping a .point to University, Karori I are no longer within striking distance of Huia, whom they are to meet next week. Karori’s trouble lay mainly with their erratic shooting last week —a department in which Huia excel —but Huia were shaken completely off their balance by their opponents’ aggressive tactics. In addition, their front line lacked its sting through the partial disablement of Browne, who is still handicapped by a severe injury of a few weeks ago. As the result of their defeat by Technical last week, Wellington are now only a poor third, while Technical have come from sixth to fourth, only one point behind. Championship Table. Goals €h.

As only 22 entries were scut in for the five-a-side tourney to have taken place on June 23, the King’s Birthday, the Wellington Hockey Association decided on Monday night to abandon the tournament this year.

Challenge Shield Game. The Auckland Hockey Association advised that it would be pleased to play Wellington (challengers) for the New Zealand Challenge Shield at Auckland on July 11, subject to their still holding the trophy.

Varsity Tournajiicnt. The New Zealand University hockey tournament will take place at Karori Park on June 20, 22 and 23. On the first day the various teams (Auckland, Massey College, Victoria College (two teams), Canterbury and Otago), will play one another, and the final for the Seddon Stick will be decided on the second day, the Monday, when the losers will also play off for the wooden spoon. On the King’s Birthday, June 23, the combined University'colleges will play the Wellington representative senior team. Canterbury College are the present holders of the title.

Indian Representative Match. A suggestion that the Wellington and Canterbury Indian teams should play a match as a curtain-raiser to some senior representative match in Wellington later in the season, was advanced by Mr. M. J. Cooper, treasurer, at Monday night’s meeting of the W.H.A. executive. He pointed out that the Indians were already creating a great deal of interest among the general public, and that they were making remarkable progress in the game, for which they bore a natural aptitude. The idea was taken up enthusiastically by the meeting, and more will be heard of it in due course.

Hockey For Schoolboys. A letter was recently received by the New Zealand Hockey Association from the Poverty Bay Association, asking for a grant for the purchase of sticks for schoolboys, and one was also received from Taihape requesting the association to supply seeond-hand sticks for use at the High School. Both requests had to be turned down, for although the association is anxious to sec hockey fostered in the schools it feels tjiat 'helping one association would mean helping all, and the expense would be out of the question. The association holds that local associations should realise that the responsibility for fostering hockey in their -districts rests on themselves, and that it would be impossible for the parent organisation to undertake this type of work, much as it desired to sec if progress.

District That Has Slipped. The N.Z.H.A, received a letter from Bush Union asking that Mastwells Club be permitted to play with Wairarapa. The Woodville Club is now playing with Manawatu. "It is very unfortunate that hockey appears to have slipped in Bush Union •territory,” comments the official bulletin of the N.Z.H.A. “As far as can be seen this is the only part of New Zealand where hockey lias not made very definite progress this season, and it is to be hoped that Bush Union will be revived next year.” The Manaiyatu Association asked if the Woodville players were eligible to play for Manawatu in representative matches. It was decided to reply that as Woodville was out of Manawatu territory the players would not be eligible for shield or cup matches, but no objection could be seen to their playing in friendly games.

Following Up. The Manawatu Association made a big effort when the Indians were here to Interest, the schoolboys in their district in hoc-key, and they followed it up this season by sending representatives to every meeting of householders in and around Palmerston North, stressing the desirability of playing hockey in that particular school. The response has been good, and Manawatu officials arc now reaping the benefit of their foresight, and work.

Progress in Auckland, This year 55 men's teams arc playing hockey in Auckland, against 37 last seasou, and the management committee of the Auckland Association has been having a hard job finding grounds and umpires. Senior entries have increased from six to eight. There are 62 teams playing under the control of the W.H.A.

Indian Olympic Team. A party of 17 was selected in tlie middle of March to represent India in the Olympic Games at Berlin, the selection being made after an intel-provincial tournament at Calcutta. -Six of the party who were in New Zealand last year have been successful in gaining' the coveted honour of selection in this team. ' They are Hussain, -back ; M. N. Masud, half-baek ; Dbyan Chand, Rujs 'Singh, Sliababuddin, and I‘. P. Fernandes, forwards. “From this it seems clear that the team which was iu New Zealand was of a higher standard than we were on occasions led to believe,- 4 -’ comments the bulletin of the N.Z.H.A. “It will be gratifying to those backs who struggled so hard last year to keep their goal intact to learn that of the five forwards who played in all the big games four are included in this selection. Congratulations .will go from hockey players throughout New Zealand to those who have been chosen, and' particularly to Dhyan Chand,

who has again been appointed captain of the party.” International 1 lockey. Ou March 2S Germany drew with England, the score being two all. As the Germans are candidates in the Olympic Gaines the result of their meeting will be eagerly awaited here, states the bulletin, which" adds that this game should give •some idea of our own standard among international teams, though it is unfortunate that the hockey in the Olympic Games is to be played in the middle of summer, in August.

Wellington v. Manawatu. Wellington and Manawatu are playing the annual representative match at Palmerston North on June 17. Mr. Ivan Mackersey, secretary of the W.H.A. has been appointed manager of the Wellington team, and the senior selector, Mr. H. Hatch, has also been invited to accompany the party at the association’s expense.

p. W. L. D. F. A. Pts Hula ... 6 —• — oo 11 12 Karorj I ... 6 3 — o 1.7 9 Wellington ...6 2 19 IS 6 Technical . ... 6 •J 3 1 18 — 1 V Hutt ... C £ .3 1 li. 15 Karori II ... 6 1 3 15 4 Wesley ... ... 6 1 .3 — 15 24 4 University ... . b — 3 .3 9 10 Five-a-Sido Tourney.