UMPIRING QUESTION WATERSIDE AND NADA

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1934, Page 20

UMPIRING QUESTION

WATERSIDE AND NADA

"Critical" makes the following further, contribution to the controversy on local umpiring:—

If I am to take "Umpire" seriously then I must regard him as evading the issue, and if his practical work is on a par with his knowledge of the rules it is no wonder there is so much dissatisfaction with umpiring this season. "Umpire" would have your readers believe that the several important points to; which I referred in your column and of which the umpires in general are evidently unaware, are not in the rules of the game. In this he wilfully misleads, for I have taken them from a hockey manual published in 1933 and prepared by Major Eicketts, a British international, who has probably forgotten more hockey 4han "Umpire" ever learned. Though the several points TefeTred to are not among the actual rules, they are to be found in the explanatory notes under the respective rules, and are incorporated in the manual and are generally accepted as the. correct interpretations of the laws of the game.

This manual has the approval of at ! least twenty British hockey umpires' 'associations, and as I understand it is accepted as a hockey "classic" by the local Umpires' Association I cannot see why "Umpire" ignores it, unless it be that he sets himself up as a greater authority than Major Eicketts. It is certainly very unfortunate for local hockey players that tho W.H.U.A. does not appear to appreciate tho correct interpretation- and explanation of the playing rules so well expressed in the manual. ■" .''

This lack of appreciation/is no doubt the cause of the, inefficiency and lack of uniformity- that; characterise the re'fereeing this'season.' .May I remind "Umpire" and his colleagues of Major Bicketts's wise counsel: ''Try and umpire a game, in tho real spirit in which'it should be played, arid not be so obsessed by the strict letter of the rules as to lose sight of their spirit and intention.".

..I fail to. see what ,niy allusion to "(3a'esar .'&■ wife" .has to do with yet another ;invitation to attend the -weekly meetings' of the! W.H.U.A. Perhaps it is "Umpire's" idea of a joke.

"Sticks." is of the opinion that the subject has received-adequate publicity, and after "Umpire" has been given an opportunity to reply, if he so desires, no further correspondence on the question will- be accepted.

• Advice.-lias been received that the Motueka representatives will not be visiting-"Wellington on August 4. It is therefore proposed to play the two teams in training, one against Nelson ana the other against a third team to be selected. :