HOCKEY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1914, Page 18

HOCKEY

SOME GENERAL NOTES A QUESTION OF DATES. (By "Sticks.") Tho following shows the positions of the teams in tho various grades up till to-day :— SENIOR GRADE.

The date of the proposed inter-Island match, to be played at Wellington this year, has been provisionally fixed for 12th September — a date on which the association has secured the Basin Reserve. Auckland lias submitted the samo date for the Shield match against Wellington. It is plaih that the two matches cannot take place on the same day, and probably 'Auckland' will be prepared to consent to an alteration to the sth September for the Shield match. It is to be hoped that the northern association will odopt x a suggestion made _ by the local body, as 12th September is one of the few Saturdays which will not clash with one of the big sports fixtures. As far as the Wellington Association is concerned no efforts will be spared to make the resuscitated inter-Island fixture a success, t CANTERBURY AFTER THE SHIELD Final arrangements are now being made for Canterbury's trip to Auckland. The team will leave Christchurch on Tuesday, 4th August, arriving hero on the Wednesday morning. The Canterbury men are very keen to possess the trophy, and are sending two extra men as emergencies. Mr. W. Simpson has been appointed manager, and it is probable that Mr. L. Cusworth will referee. There is a probability that Can* terlmrv will play Wairarapa on their way back. The match against Auckland takes place, on Bth August. THE ADVANTAGE RULE. The following paragraph, clipped from ,a Southern weekly, *has local application:- "The ''last' paragraph of rule:2l, commonly known aB the 'advantage rule,' is not very clearly understood by some referees. The words are : 'The ump*ire shall" refrain from putting the provision of any rule into'effeH in cases where ho is satisfied that by enforcing it he would be giving an advantage to the offending team ' It stands to reason that if the rule or paragraph was not in existence it would be possible for playera to make every game a draw with no score. If referees penalised every breach strictly, irrespective of the advantage, or chance to score held by an attacking team, all the defenders would require to do would be to purposely infringe some rule. The resultant penalty would momentarily remove the greater danger. Referees should watch carefully for_ this and also see that unintentional infringements by defenders are not noted < in such a way as to defraud an attacking forward line of the possible fruits of their efforts. The writer is of opinion that a referee is justified in waiting a second or two in order to see the effect of an infringement under such circumstances, and, if necessary, make his penalty retrospective." GOOD TIME AHEAD. Last Bea-son was a notable one, so fat as Wellington hockey was concerned, the whole of the Shield matches being played here. This year there will be no Shield matches. Notwithstanding this, there is not the slightest reason why this season should be uninteresting j and there is every reason to predict exactly the opposite. So far, this year's senior' competition is more interesting than has been the case for some time past; a visit is to be paid by a ladles AU'England team ; the North v. South Island game i$ being revived ; the Wellington representatives are going North to challenge Auckland for the Shield, and Wellington is going South on tour. With such a programme before them hockey enthusiasts have certainly nothing to grumble about. THE ISLANDS MATCH. It has been definitely decided to play the biter-Island game on the Basin Re* oerve on 12th September.. Those responsible for reviving this match deserve the highest commendation, for it will provide an opportunity for gauging the real merits of New Zealand' hockey. Besides, the game badly needs popularising ; for there is no doubt that it suffers at the present from a penalty of "look-ers-on. In view of the probable visit of our English team next season, great interest is being taken in the game. DEPARTING PLAYERS. It is sad to have to record so early in the season the departure of three of Wellington's most prominent players. One of these is Clark, of the United Club, Who has gone to reside in Wanganui. This club is to be sympathised with, as there is doubt that Clark was one of the finest scoring men and "bullies" in Wellington, He was a prolific goal-getter j in four matches ho scored no fewer than eleven goals. It m understood that Emeny, the clever .winger in the junior team, will be promoted to senior ranK; The Wellington Club has also lost an extremely promising player ifi Haigh. who played representative hockey last year, Haigh ha« gone to Christchurch, and if he improves, as he ought to, ho should soon find his way into the "reps.' Campbell, the Karori and provincial skipper, has also gone, and his departure is generally regretted. THAT EXTRA TIME. The Wellington Association is to be commended for its action in recommending to the parent body that extra time bo. not played in Shield matches in the event of the result being a. draw at the end of the second epell. No doubt tho

local body would have taken action lael yeat had it not been in the delicate poei« tion of being the Shield'holder. The present rule is generally considered to tie most unsatisfactory, it being contended that if a challenging team cannot win. in the- schedule time it has not accomplished its. purpose. VThe reasoning of that must be apparent to everone, FOR SOUTHERN CLIMES. At last Wellington has decided to make a Southern tour. Last seasott, owing to Shield engagements, it wae found impossible to make the trip, and the decision of the local association will, no doubt, be heartily approved of by Southern centres. It is more than probable that the first match will be against Dunedin, followed by tnvercar. gill and theh Canterbury. An effort is being m|Je to get tho team away in August.

.11l Team. "3 . . g « S. Ills? s i Metropolitan ... 4 4 0 0 14 4 8 United 4 4 0 0 23 4 8 Kaiori 5 3 2 0 19 17 6 University „. 4 2 2 0 14 13 4 Wellingtn ... 5 2 3 0 8 11 4 Insurance ... 4 0 4 0 ' 3 14 0 Mymi 4 0 4 0 3 23 0 JUNIOR GRADE. St. Augustine i... 6 6 0 0 45 1012 United A ... 5 4 1 0 31 5 8 Hutfc Valley ... 5 4 1 0 26 14 8 Wellington ... 4 3 1 0 17 IS 6 Insurance ... 4 2 1 1 21 11 5 Karori 5 2 3 0 12 13 4 University A ... 4 2 2 0 17 12 4 Kilbirnio Angln. 5 2 3 0 12 15 4 United B ... 4 1 3 0 7 31 2 University B ... 5 0 4 1 9 37 1 Metropolitan ...5050 6 40 0 THIRD GRADE. Wellington A... 5 5 0 0 45, 0 10 Pirates 5 3 1 1 25 15 7 St. Augustine ... 5 3 2' 0 9 11 6 Insurance ... 4 2 1 1 18 17 5 Hutt Valley ... 4 2 1 1 17 9 5 University ... 220 011 2 4 Wellington B ..» 3 1 1 1 24 16 3 United 4 13 0 6 13 2 Wesley 4 1 3 0 7 23 2 Wellington C...5050 4 33 0 Mymi 3 0 3 0 0 17 0