HOCKEY CHAMPION

Northern Advocate, 18 June 1926, Page 2

HOCKEY CHAMPION

INDIAN ARMY TEAM. A PICTURESQUE PARTY. In the visit of the Indian Army hockey team which is shortly to eventuate, Whangnrei will receive not merely a body of touring sportsmen j from overseas, but a baud of men j drawn from the many races of India,! each with varying customs and religions and all differing for the most part from the habits of the West. Owing to there being so many castes represented- in the team the food problem is. a difficult one. There are various methods of killing attended by the performance of some small religious ceremony. The five Sikhs in the team cat only male animals, such as sheep, which they have supplied to them alive, and which they kill themI solves. The other Indians eat either ' male or female sheep, but. they will not jeat what the Sikhs kill. They will j kill their own also. All the men will 1 eat hens.

The daily ration of other food per man consists of dhal (split, peas) -loz., atta (coarse flour) 111 b., ghi (or butter) 20z., ghur (or sugar) 2oz. Supplies of dhal and atta, have been brought from India, but the Indians will cat ordinary butter and sugar supplied in this country. x

The Indians have two meals per day, morning and evening. At midday they simply (Rink tea, which they make themselves. They have meat about three times a week. When playing they have lemons supplied them and at the conclusion of the game drink lemonade and soda. REGIMENTS REPRESENTED. The men make a picturesque sight in their kahki uniforms representing the regiments of Sikhs, Punjabi, Dogras, Madrasi, Pathans and Queen Victoria’s Own Sappers and Miners. Some of the Indians wear turbans with various coloured fringes denoting their regiments, while one or two sappers are crowned with little round hats of flower-pot appearance. Another style of headgear resembles the slouched hat of the Australian soldier. The Frontier Medal ribbon and the Great War colours are to be seen on the uniforms. Every man has a black moustache, while the Sikhs are bearded. There is one Christian amongst the party, rejoicing in the name of H. Francis. When on the playing field the team appears in red stockings, red shirts and white knickers.

PERSONNEL OF THE TEAM. The British officers of the team are Capt. D. T. Cowan, M.C. (6th Gurkas), Capt. V. M. H. Cox (2/8 Punjab Eeiment), Capt. L. A. Alexander (flth Royal Gurkhas) and Capt. A. E. Bellchamber (1/llth K.G.O. Sikhs). The following list sets out the names regiments and positions of the men, “Jemadur” meaning Indian officer; “havildar,” sergeant; “naik,” corporal; and “lanee-naik,” lance-cor-poral:—Jemadur Lai Singh, 2/8 Ptinjabs, Jhelum, centre forward and outside right (iSikh); Naik Thakar Singh, 1/4 P.W.O. Gurkhas, Bakloh, halfback (Sikh); Naik Ghul’an Ali 1/4 riazara Pioneers, Quetta, goalkeeper (Hazara); Naik Lai Shah, 1/4 Hazara Pioneers, Quetta, outside right (Haz ara); Lance-Naik Dhian Singh, 2/8 Punjabis, Jhelum, back (Sikh); LanceNaik Kishan Singh, 2/17 Dogras, Manhai, half-back and back (Dogra); Lance-Naik P.C. Susanathan, > Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore, outside left (Madrasi); Sapper Manu Swami, Madras Sappers and Miners, Bangalore, outside right (Madrasi); Sepoy Togindar Singh, 2/8 Punjabis, Jhelum, .left half-back (Sikh); Sepoy Singara Singh, 2/18 Frontier Force Rifles, Delhi, outside right (Sikh); Sepoy Dhian Chand, 4/1 Punjabis; Jhansv centre forward (Brahmin); Fitter Francis, Motor Transport, Chaklola, back (Punjabi); Fitter Fnqnir Chand. Motor Transport, Chaklala, back (Punjabi). The team is being accompanied by h&r W. H. Down, honorary secretary of the New Zealand Hockey Association.