NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 17

NOTES.

Despite the heavy rain which fell all Saturday afternoon, the four senior hockey games were played in mmt cases, 1j decidedly close 'finishes.- All grounds wore heavy, and damp, ami tho long grass somewhat prevented good passing, and clever stick-work. The star game •t Karon Park was jjrpyided bj ffla-

kalu, the championship favourites, md Karori, who make no secret of the fact thut "they have hopes." The game was perhaps one of the fastest that has been played this sason, and play was perhaps oven more-rigorous in the second, than in the first spell. Karori were nearly always t.ho aggressors, but Wakatu's defence was unusually sound, arid relying on the policy of attack being th best defence they invariably brok» the oncoming forwards by securing th» leather and instituting s strong counter movement. They -were able to do this with case because of their Bplendid combination and in view of the surprising knowledge which they have of each other's play. Wells,-on Wakatu's left wing, played a great lone-handed game, and time and time again, he took tho ball up the field on his own, but failed to score because he was unsupported. However, he was successful in notching tha two goals which meant victory for his side. Wesley, with one man short, and- Huia,- only two men short of the usual eleven, fought hard in the rain and mud, and when the final whistle sounded, Wesley had 5 goals to their, credit, against the 2 successes of Huia. The unsuitable condition of the ground at Petone prevented either th« local team or Wellington from playing good hockey, and in view of the pending protest, the result, a draw, was very satisfactory. 'Varsity could not even put up » showing against Hutt, who scored 9 goals without th» college men being abl« to find the net on a single occasion.

Karori certainly hag a full-back line which would do credit to any team. Perrin, on the left, is perhaps the safest man in Wellington in this position, and on Saturday he frequently beat the whole line of attacking forwards for ths ball. He waits, watches, every movement of hia man, and then with the confidenc* which only comes from practice and experience, he 'secures the leather by a deft turn of his etick, and sends it down the field into safety. He is well supported on the other wing by Spiers, who is one of the cleanest and hardest hitters in the district. It is not his sizt which does the trick—he is by no means a six-footer—but he times his stroke well, catches the ball when it ia in a correct position to receive the full forct of the stick, and drives it with accuracy, to a favourably placed forward. Unlike most hard hitters, he rarely "lifts" the ball, although when the grass is long, this sometimes cannot be helped. Wilkins, 'in goal, for Wakatu on Saturday, received a very nasty smack on the ankle, just before half-time, and play had to be stopped for several minutes to allow him time to regain his equilibrium. He had to be assisted off the ground at the interval, but in the second half, he came back smiling, and displayed commendable sporting spirit in taking up his position in front' of the goal, in spite of the fact that he could not bear his weight on the injured member. A great game was again playedl by Phillpotts among the Wesley men on Saturday, and his efforts were very material in his team coming oui victorious by 5 goals to 2. For the information of Huia seniors.— The recognised number of players in a hockey team is eleven not nine. Saturday was by no means the first occasion this,season when the "magpies" turned out several men short.

Jopliri, at right half, was conspicuous among the Wellington players in their, game with Petone. He certainly is a coming rep. player:; 'Varsity juniors were on their best form on Saturday, when they defeated Huia by 5 goals to 4. Lewis, on the left wing, was well to the fore among the College men, and scored three goals, while M'Caw, the centre-forward, Patterson, Byrne, and Atkinson also did well.. Warburton, the inside left, did all that was expected of him, and he certainly knows how to hold the ball when he gets it. .' ■ • • Mr. R. L. Thompson writes as follows to "Sticks":—"l would like to, add a little to your remarks of last Saturday regarding the question of transfers as decided on by the Management Committee at its last meeting. I certainly agree with you that Kirk should not have been allowed to play, but in fairness to the chairman, whom you say carried the day with his .casting vote, I know that his deliberative vote was not used, and as is often usual with chairmen, hei voted with the' ayes when the voting was equal. He certainly did not vote twice, as would have been his privilege had he so desired. Further, the meeting had closed, and it was during an informal discussion that the fact of the chairman having played for two clubs was brought'out. This being so, it was impossible for the association, to deal with the matter then, but I can assure you that I now intend to move at the meeting on Monday that M'Kenzie's club be written to for an explanation. I understand that M'Kenzie's explanation is a simple one, but that does not clear him without the association sitting in judgment on his action after his club's explanation is forthcoming. My own club, of which I am club ■ captain, is the club concerned, and I can assure you that we were not aware of what had happened, but will be pleased to inquire into the position upon receipt of the letter from the association. As regards the: sole selector, I can assure your readers that though individual members may have been making inquiries about the fulfilment of the position, nothing official, was done until its previous meeting, when it was officially known that Mr.. Kean had been unable to act. Mr. Manning, I might mention, intimated /last year that he was unable to act, and the impression at the executive's meeting's earlier was that he would agaip not be available. The decision to ask Mr. Manning to act was certainly a wise one, and I can.assure your 'Local Enthusiast' that it was come to without any hawking beforehand. All executive officers on sports bodies expect criticism, but I can assure your readers that tha present executive has its shoulder to the wheel, pushing hard, and if at any time any. individual thinks such is not the case let him come forward and place his finger on the weakness, and he will find the weakness strengthened if such weakness exists."