HOCKEY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 806, 8 September 1923, Page 10

HOCKEY.

(Notes by "Shinty,"). For the second time since its formation the Rongotea Ladies' Hockey Club has won the ladies' competition under the jurisdiction of the Manawatu Hookey Association. The first occasion was two years ago when ladies' hookey was, from the viewpoint of the standard of play, much stronger than to-day. - The hitherto unbeaten High School Old Girls' eleven were runners-up and fill the same position this year.

The ladies' competition this season has, candidly, not produced good hockey, a fact which influenced the selectors in deciding against sending a team to tho annual tournament, to be held this year in Dunedin. Though Rongotea is the champion team, it is by no means a strong eleven—for that reason no ladies' team in the competition was very strong. In the first round the Roseo Club defeated Rongotea when Miss D. Hobbß, their star player, was absent. This clever exponent of the game, was tho club's mainstay and to her the Rongotea girls owe their victory in the impetition, The country team has received congratulations on all sides on annexing tho honours. The runners-up, H.5.0.G., did not field a strong team this season. Meeting Rongotea on tho local ground in the first round, with a weak team and not at their best, they suffered a big defeat—the biggest this writer believes has been registered against them. In the „jcond round they lost by one goal, the match taking place at Rongotea. They won all their other games with comparative ease. . This year is the first occasion for a long time that Manawatu will not bo represented at the annual ladies' tournament.

The senior and junior competitions at Wellington have concluded, Wakatu winning the former and Y.M.C.A. the latter.

The Gisborne Times recently recorded an incident,in which a spectator at a ladies' match at Gisborne used bad language. The referee requested tho man to desist but it is alleged that he replied with more bad language. Such incidents, fortunately, are rare and offenders should be punished.

The death of the late Mr A. W, (Bert) Manning has been the severest blow to hockey for many years. Certainly, the game has never had a better friend than Mr Manning. Possessing a sound knowledge of the laws of hockey, he had refereed in many important matches, apart from club fixtures in Wellington, and it is questionable if any decision of his was ever objected to. The time he devpted to the game wass exceptional and his advice on any pppit was always available to young players and referees. He was president of tlje Wellington Referees' Association and secretary of the New Zealand Referees' Association, besides being one of the interpretation committee of the latter body and a jpint selector of the New Zealand representative team- Deceased had accompanied the New Zealand hockey representatives to Australia in an unofficial capacity and his death was a tragic conclusion to such a brilliant tour. Mr Manning was "horn at Bulls 42 years ago and. educated at Campbell street School, Palmerston North, and Te Aro School, Wellington. A keen sportsman he was a splendid hockey player in his earlier days. The last match he refereed in Palmerston North was the shield game with Auckland last year, wlfen Manawatu were, successful. PaJmerstpnians feel his loss very keenly beqause. of his early association with sport in this town and which was continued in later years when living in Wellington.