Notes.

Manawatu Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7956, 13 April 1904, Page 3

Notes.

By "Shoot." Of a certainty seven (perhaps eight) teams will strive for championship honours this year. There is strength in numbers they say, so now the pioneers of hockey in this district have the satisfaction of seeing the game upon a thoroughly aound footing. All the club's have held their annual meetings, and one is able now to form a fairly accurate idea of their strength. Hence a few words about the prospects for the season may not be out of place.

The Old Boys are so strong numerically that two teams will be entered for the senior competition. The A team will be practically last yt-ar's winners, while the B will be mostly new blood. Whether the playing ability of the former team will bo such as to beat a muchstrengthened Palmerston combination is a matter for doubt. However, " The Skipper " and the Awapuni contingent (of fish supper fame) are practising assiduously, and the team may be relied upon to put up a great fight. And to dainty gourmands isn't Wood Dawick's dinner a shield-winning incentive ? Palmerston is another club that will enter two teams, and in the distribution of members follow the same policy ai the Old JBoys. Weakness in the back division was tho cause of Palmerston's defeat last season. There's not much weakness this year, however, for Louisson and McMurray (of the defunct Volunteer Club), and M. Waldegrave (last year's High School captain) will wear the sash; D. Scott, one of the mainstays of the club in the early days, has returned to town ; and Sec. Maclean, recovered from his injury, is eager for the fray. That's why the quid nuncs are tipping Palmerston for the championship.

The Midlanders will about reproduce their form of last year. Four of the 1903 team have left the district, but the others will be available. Eemington, late of the T.Y.M.1., Wanganui, and Archie Goff, the best of the Volunteer halves, have thrown in their lot with this team, while G. Hammer will play regularly. So, on the whole, tho Midlanders will be a pretty solid combination.

The Pioneers have the material upon which to build a really good team. The club has a strong membership roll, whiph includes all last year's players, three representative toe-bailers, and several new players of promise. I should like to see the Pioneers well up on the list this Beason. For the past two years they've been under a cloud, but they were a slashing combination ia the early days, in the days of Quinn. Fagan, Pukey, Watt. Campbell, and others.

Methodist, the new club, is a dark horse aggregation. Many of the members have never played before, but as they're all non-smokers and abstainers', they may make up in lastiug power what they lack in skill. In a hardlycontested game it is the last ten minutes that tell.