INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 268, 13 November 1909, Page 2

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY.

I WILL ENGLAND AND NEW

ZEALAND MEET?

(N.Z.* '.Times Correspondent.) LONDON, Sept. 24. :Mr E. Nordon, president; of the New Zealand Hockey Association, returned to London a few days ago after a brief spell at Brighton, whither he went after his release from Guy's Hospital to recruit after the operation performed on, his damaged left knee; by- Sir Alfred Fripp, ? The operation appear^'\ to have been entirely "successtut, v for though Mr Nordon's knee is still encased in a formidable array of bandages, ho can, with the slight assistance of a stick, walk about freely without experiencing;' any pain or iiisoomfort wortntalkingabout.fi Since his return frojn Brighton Mr Nordon has had anihterview with the executive of the English Hockey Association regarding "the proposal that an English team should tour New Zealand. As a result of the interview it seems that the chance of an English team visiting the Dominion under the aegis of the E.HT.A., in the near future, may be written down as 'a remote possibility." For one thing, the English, Association has not during its existence -amassed wealth; indeed ,its bank i balance' in pounds sterling can .be Expressed in a very few figures, and for another, the members of th<? executive are dead against the;' systenj of, financing touring teamsi Still the E,H.A. executive give Mr Nordon to understand that if a sufficient number of_ enthusiasts :; willing to pay their own steamer fares to the Dominion, and to worthily, represent the Did Coun-

try's skill at hockey, could be got top gether such a team would be permitted to go out under the aegis of the E.H.A. Mr Nordon, for his part agreed that the New-Zealand Association should finanoecsuch a. Iteam during its tour through the Dominion. Mr Nordon leaves London early next week for Bath, where he will further discuss the project of: an English tour in New Zealand with Mr Basil Hatch*.-;secretary., of t the' : Western Counties Hockey Association: ; y ,

For my own part I fancy a very great difficulty indeed will be experienced in getting together a team of hockey players, sufficiently leisured and wealthy to pay their own iaref to New; Zealand, and at the same time sufficiently good exponents- of * the game to warrant them being "fathered" by the English Hockey Association and passed on to New Zealand as "worthily representing English hockey."