Hockey.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 78, 28 September 1907, Page 18

Hockey.

, ♦ LBt Bulger.]

The hockpy season was practically closed with last Saturday's matohes. In the senior competition for the men's championship Unitedß havo again comu out on top. During tho eight years of championship fixturob Unitcds have been cLampiens se/en times, and Wellingtons onco. Tho positions of tho various clubs for the season are as follow : —

Tho season has been a fairly .exciting one, as the premier team was not known uutil after last Saturday's match. Interest in tho game, however, lugged towards tho close of the competition 111 all tho teams except tho two leading ones — United and Karori. The loss of enthusiasm was mainly caused by tho length of the season. Cup matches began on Iho 13th of May, and, &i it was so late in tho year, it was decided to close tho ' competition last Saturday, and abardon the two last fixtures of the third round. On the whole, ir was a veiy successful season. The weather generally was bad, and caused a number of interruptions. Still, the standard of hockey reached would compare very favourably with that of former years. During tho season Wellington were engaged in five representative matches ; they won in two, and drew in three. However, in two of, the r matches^ — Wellington v Horowhenua and Wellington v. Wairarapa. — very weak teams were spnfe away. 'It is pretty safe to say that Wellington, even with a fairly representative team, could havo won both tho Horowhenua and Wairarapa matches. Tho Ladies' Association mado rapid progross daring the season, -both in regard to the number of competitors adid to the standard of play Both tho senior and junior championships were in doubt until last Saturday. Kiwi and Victoria, College tied for senior honours, and in the playoff Kiwi, last year's champions, won by the narrow margin of one goal. Tho Girls' College won the junior championship ; Kiwis, lost year's winners of the competition, being one point behind Girls' College, came second. The men's junior and third class championships and the ladies' third cIaES are stilt in doubt. There is one more match to bo played in each competition. SATURDAY'S MATCHES. Kiwi (2) v. Victoria College (I).— Great interest whs taken in this match, and, as a good game was expected, there was & large attendance of spectators, Tho play wa? of Quite a high order ; very fast and evon. On the clay, however, the right team won. The Collogo havo a very good eofc of forwards, and m the early stages of the game it looked as though they were going to carry their team through fairly comfortably. Unfortunately for the College, they met with a voiy •stubborn resistance from the Kiwi half line. The Misses Gear, Fitzgerald, and Miller gave quito a brilliant exhibition, the play of tho first-mentioned being particularly good. Miss Gear's defence was capital, and her strong hitting did very much in tho way of taring out the Collego forwards. "Mies Wollwood, tho Kiwis loft wing-forward, also gave an exceptionally fine display of hockey, f.nd exhibited an excellent knowledge of the' duties of a wing- for ward. Thrbest forward on tho ground, however, was Miss Strack, the College light inner; not infrequently phe took the ball from ouo end of tho field to the other Single-hand-ed Miss Strack proved that Eho know moro about evading an opponent than any other player in either team. Too much praiso coiild hardly be given to the general play in this match, and much could be said in praise of tho knowledge of the gamo evidently possessed by these players. Charging was a particularly strong point with both teamß : in fact, the ladies slicwed less fear in . facing- ' -an opponent, about to strike the ball than is usually seen in the senior games in men's competitions. The first spell of this match was fought with rare vigour, and ended witboiit any Bcore. It was not til! they were halfway through tho second half that tho Kiwis succeeded in bieaking through tho College defence and scoring a goal. I'ivo minutes afterwards the Kiwis scored again. At this fimo only some seven minutes of play remained, and this was all in favour of the Collegu. The College scored soon after tho Kiwi's second goal had been obtained, and in tho last minute, they had nn opportunity of equalising the scores At least throo Rood shots wero mado at tho goal, but they wero cleverly stopper! by tho Kiwis. The final stroke of tho match waa a -ood >>hot by a Victoria College forward; it mißsed tho poal by only bix in^hcß. For tho winners, Misses Wollwood, Glasgow, and Holmes were the moct prominent among the forwards, and tho threo halves were fisily tho bert of tho backs All the College forwards played well,, but. Misß Strack Ktood out promh [ mntly; Mlsb M'lntosh also did \to!1. 1 hebest of tho College backs wero Missofl Burden, M'lntosh. and Mackellar. GaolH wore ccorod for Kiwi by Misses Wellwood and Holmes, and for tho Collego by Mies Antill. United (6) v. Wellington (2).— This .notch proved very disappointing. The 1 only reason for its takinsr place was that Karori had played _ one moro match than United, and, consequently, were lpading ! for the ctampionehip by one point. It wan therofor-? necessary for United to piny the samo number of games as Karori had nlayed. It was hoped, however, as Wellington in its two previous mitche* with United this year v h.id drawn 0110 anil' lost tho other by Only 0110 goal, that the game would be a faiily even onu. Tlub was not tho ca*o : most of the Wellingtonb nijpoared to be disinclined to work. United, nlso, sceintr that thoy had a fairly comfortable victory in view, did vot extend themselves. Nc'thcr team had its best eleven in, the field: -thero nere players in both who were makin? thrir first appearance this Benson. Thero wan nothing whatever in tho play worthy of commendation. The United reorors were Weybourno (?), Ororan. Hollis, FJVr.t. and Krnythe (1 each). Fulton imd, Ulrich obtained a (jo^l each for AVollir'rtcn. The doctors of Xelr.on have had a terribly hard time of late owing to influenza. One medico called at a ' friend's house one day, and found the wbolo family in bed and unaT)le even to light the fire to make themselves a cup of tea. Tho doctor performed the housemaid's duties, oven to, lighting the fire. Tho epidemic has been unusually severe, and all those attacked havo been helplessly prostrated. There is a- grc.it amount of sickness* in Hawera at the present time, the chief epidemic being influenza. The local Post Office staff is working tinder difficulties, thore being six members absent through illness. There is reported to bo a, scarcity of farm labourers in tho Lowor Valley, Wairarapa. It is stated, says the Age, that sovoral dairymen in the district are considering the question of trying to secure girls for, the milking and harvesting seasons. Brisbane Courier is thus caustic :— Mr. Kidjton ns the Leader of the Labour Party wa» consistent and respected ; as a Liberal with an avowedly progressive policy ho gave a fuint promise of slates, manuhip; n« a member of a Coalition .Government a splendid opportunity would havo brpn given for tlio display ot whatever talents ho possesses ; but in his proscnt position he is no better than n ''dnftlqps whim, nn ii rational impulse," v ilh infinite capacity for niis<hicf where good firvico might havo been lendercd. Queensland is poorer to-day filinncially as well as politic.illy because of the Premier's voluntaiy humiliation, which has deprived him oven of the f.?iiibhnco of powt»i — even the power of tho uNi.icei<Ju - which his countiymen speak of tv a ''tatie-baffle.,"

5 [Jnited ... ... 10 ECaror: 10 Wellington ... 11 Victoria College 10 Vivian 9 I 7 7 4 3 1 a g v ft 0 1 6 7 8 o Hi 3 2 i 0 0 '3 P17 16 9 6 2