LADIES' HOCKEY ASSN. CANNOT FIND FUNDS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6669, 24 July 1928, Page 4

LADIES ' HOCKEY ASSN. CANNOT FIND FUNDS

No Manawatu Team For N.Z. Tourney SHORT TOUR TO BE SUBSTITUTED The Manawatu Ladies' Hockey Association, at their meeting last evening, discussed the question of sending a t’cam from this district to the New Zealand ladies' hockey championships at Timaru at the end of August. Practically without ,exception memtors expressed the opinion that the present financial position of the association did not warrant their incurring the further liability which would he brought about in sending - a team to the South Island, To compensate players for the loss of the trip, it was decided, however, to conduct a short tour to commence on August 17 and extending over a period of not more than two weeks. Efforts are to bo made to arrange games with the Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Euahine, Wellington, and Hastings associations. The chairman, Mr. E. L. C. Aitchison, brought up the matter, which he stated Ifad been held over for several meetings. To. test- the feeling of the meeting, Mr. M .‘A.’Levy moved that no team from the Manawatu be sent to the New Zealand Ladies' Hockey Association 's tournament in Timaru in August. In doing so, the mover stated that his reason for advancing the motion was that the finances of the association were not in a sufliciently flourishing condition to incur extra expense. • Borrow the Money. Mr. 1 0. L. Turnbull opposed Mr. Levy ’s motion, on the grounds that the withholding of a Manawatu team from the tonr-iamcnt would create ill-feel-ing in viisW; of the fact that the New Zealand loiirnament had been held last year-in Palmerston North when Manawatu had bpeh well represented. They could borro'w Ahe moh6y and collect it before the end of the year. Mr.'A. J; Hunt was of the opinion that this would not be fair to the association's guarantors. Mr. Vasny stated that he had viewed the question? from all its aspects* The

Manawatu Association had both a moral obligation and a sporting obligation to send a team to Timaru, but at the same time all associations in New Zealand were, aware that Manawatu had lost a lot of money over the last New Zealand tournament held in Palmerston North; and, therefore, South Canterbury would in all probability not expect them. Again they had to consider the fact that they wore placed on the association to encourage hookey in their district, and that in. view of -the valuable experience gained at the last New Zealand tournament, the Manawatu team had a good chance of winning the championship. On the other hand, his experience of the last tournament had shown him that players were not as keen in helping themselves as they might have been. Little Support From Players. Thc'chairman stated that he had gone very thoroughly into the financial aspect with the secretary, and after doing so would wholeheartedly support Mr. Levy’s, motion against the sending'of a team. At the present time the association still owed £25, and he .was of. the opinion that they should get out of debt before they undertook a further liability which might mean the end of ladies’ hockey in the Manawatu. In his experience they could expect very little support from the players themselves, with the exception of the 22 players who considered they had a chance to make the trip. V . • x Mr. Turnbull: That is a-very rotten spirit. The Chairman: You are quite right, Mr. Turnbull, it is a rotten spirit. Continuing, Mr. Aitchison said the beginning of last year had seen them with a credit balance of £SO and a loss of £BO at the conclusion of the tournament. Even allowing for the billeting of the team in Timaru, sthd cost of sending the players to that town would be all of £IOO. * ‘This executive. and all executivesdo a lot of hard" work for hockey and it is not appreciated by the playeas,” said Mr. Aitchison. “I am of tjie opinion that this association should get ouf of debt this year. Instead of sending a team to Timaru I believe j we would be in a better position if we ran a short tour, costing abbut £25, and visited, say, ‘Wellington, Euahinc, Hawke ’s Bay, and Wairarapa, ” ‘ Mr. Aitchison then put the motion that no .representative team bo sent to the New Zealand tournament in August,, the resolution being carried with Mr. Turnbull dissenting. The meeting then proceeded to dis-

cuss the carrying out of a tour as suggested by Mr. Aitchison.