Hockey Season Opens on Saturday

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 97, 27 April 1939, Page 8

Hockey Season Opens on Saturday

MEETING OF MANAWATU EXECUTIVE Further arrangements for the coming season were made at a meeting of the executive of the Manawatu Hockey Association last night. Mr. L. Martin was in the chair and there were also present: Messrs. W. H. Wilson, W. Gough, F. McLachlan, R. Scales, IV. J. Fitzgerald, F. Tucker, D. Wilton, K. N. Struthers and R. A. Brace (hon. secretary). A welcome was extended by the chairman to Mr. Scales as the new representative of the Ladies' Sub-Associa-tion. The United Club advised that Mr.’J. Gallichau had been appointed its delegate on the executive.

Advice that? the marking of the grounds would be attended to immediately was received from the City Council. 44 While I am severing my official connection with the New Zealand Hockey Council, which I do with a good deal of regret. I shall be keenly interested in your and their doings and shall 'be only too pleased to assist in qny direction required in the future,’’ -Wrote Mr. A. F. Preston in intimating that, owing to his transfer from Christchurch to Wellington, he would be unable to continue acting as Manawatu's delegate on the council. The meeting high appreciation of Mr. Preston's services over a long period of years and it was decided to make him a presentation. | Mr. C. Rogers, of Christchurch, was appointed to represent Manawatu on the council.

It was decided to present a New Zealand blazer to L. Hart, of the Broadway Club, who represented New Zealand in all three Tests against the Indians last year.

Entries for the association's competitions were received as follow:

Senior A: United (formerly Central Old Boys), Broadway, Phoenix, Woodville and University. Senior B: Broadway, Woodville and United. Junior: High School (two teams), University, United, Phoenix, Broadway and Woodville. The season will open on Saturday with an 11 a-side tournament in all grades. Play will commence at 1.45 p.m., and Mr. J. D. McDonald will be the tournament manager. The following sub-committees and other officers were appointd for the coming year: Deputy-chaTrman, Mr. Struthers; fixtures, grounds and postponement committee, Messrs. Wilton, Gough and McDonald; entertainment committee, Messrs. McLachlan, Tucker, Scales and the delegate from the Broadway Club; regrading committee, Messrs. Fitzgerald, Wilton and McLachlan; statistician, Mr. J. Gallichan; insurance committee, Messrs. Aitchison, Fitzgerald and Wilson; finance and emergency, Messrs. Martin, Wilson and Brace. In connection with a proposal that hockey matches should be played at the Winter Show on the Wedesday afternoon, it was decided to make endeavours to stage a representative game between Manawatu and Wellington, with r. women’s representative game as /a cur-tain-raiser. IMPORTANT ALTERATIONS IN RULES Alterations in the rules that will have an important effect on many phases of play will be brought into operation this season. Paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) now provide that:— (1) No part of the body except the hand shall be used intentionally to stop the ball. (Para. d). (2) If the ball is caught, it shall be released into play immediately. (Para, d). (3) The ball shall not l>e propelled in any direction except with the stick. (Para. e). (4) There shall be no interference with the stick of an opponent. (Para. £)• If the ball is stopped by any part of the body, the umpire has first to decide whether the stopping was intentional. If the umpire decides that it was the former, a breach of Para, (d) has occurred. If the stopping was unintentional (c.g., if the ball is hit at, or into, an opponent) the player should not be penalised unless he has infringed Para, (e) and propelled the ball. In this case, if the player hit was stationary, there is no breach of Paras, (d) or (e). The intention is that the ball shall bo played entirely with the stick, except that it may be stopped or caught by the hand.

The alterations do not affect the goalkeeper, and although Para, (h) does not specifically permit a goalkeeper to stop the ball with his body, he should not be penalised if the ball rebounds off his body unless he has infringed Para. (e). These alterations will materially affect any player, other than the goalkeeper, who remains in front Ox the goal at a corner or penalty bully, as he thereby runs the risk, if the ball hit 3 his body, of having a penalty bully awarded against him, under Rule 18 Para. (a). Under Rule 10 Para, (e) the ball may be propelled only by the stick. If, therefore, any force is used to catch and release the ball, which results in the ball being propelled in any direction, a breach of Para, (e) has occurred. The ball, if caught, must be released into play immediately and without the use of any force. Throwing it to the ground is not, therefore, permissible.