CHALLENGE SHIELD

Evening Post, Issue 28, 1 August 1936, Page 23

CHALLENGE SHIELD

A correspondent- has written to "Sticks" as follows:— •

"Local hockey players must have been appalled oh reading your column last Saturday night to' find, that Mr. M. J. Cooper had made the suggestion that an association holding the New Zealand Challenge Shield for more than two years should be required .to take it on tour. This suggestion evidently follows Wellington's failure'to lift the shield recently. • '

"In your par of last Saturday the following appears:—'ln.' the case of Wellington the cost of sending a -team to Auckland year after year becomes a heavy burden on the W.H.A.1 Players generally would like to know the strength of this 'heavy burden.' On making some inquiries the writer finds that Wellington sent a team to Auckland in 1921 and 1822, when the W.H.A. gave no financial assistance to the representatives. The next attempt was

made in 1928. (a successful attempt by the way) when the'team also'had to pay its own expenses..ln. 1934 and 193.5 the W.H.A. did contribute: something towards the expenses of the Steams; this year they, evidently slid- back into their old-state of coma. .:..; •' ■ ■'-: :

"Auckland have twice gained:' possession of the shield by relieving- Canterbury of it, the Aucklanders having to travel to Chr'istchurch tin-both:occa-sions. Surely they are entitled to holdit until sucK time as a worthy xhallenger can relieve them of it." ■■"■■ '

"The writer. \vas fortunate "enough to witness the" game ■■■in Auckland, and though Wellington held/the lead at half, time,, the shaky play, of the Wellington halves and right-back, proved no | good for the second half; .especially after travelling all the-previous night. The Wellington attack could have been greatly improved,-Martin, left-wing, Edwards, inside, and Gooper centre being well- below provincial standard. Edwards suffered a broken rib early in

the game so there is some excusa for him. Cooper also was handicapped, through having suffered a broken tiose "earlier in the week. The folly of allowing a itaanto take, the field handicapped as Cooper was must rest with the manager or with; the W.H.A. There would have been ample time to have replaced him before the team left Wellington. '.. "Wellington did.not lift the shield simply because they were, notygood ' enough, and the remarks- of the" manager regarding a bus ride to Papatoetoe and the desirability 6f neutral umpires, etc., is giving the. impression that the. W.H.A. is not taking the game in a^ very sportsmanlike ■■ manner.—l am, etc., ■ .. ( v ■' . v . ' . ■„ - :■■; . "EX-NELSON."; [The remarks,regarding umpires attributed to the manager were"n6t made by him and were hot published in tiiia column.—"Sticks."]