HOCKEY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 2 May 1934, Page 6

HOCKEY

MEN’S COMPETITION A KEEN START TO SEASON There is every promise for a good hockey season judging by the keen start made at the Reserve last Saturday. Six senior teams were engaged, for although the Richmond Chib has ceased to be the now familiar black shirts have been replaced by the smart bottle-green of tlm newly-formed United Club. The Richmond team, though acknowledged to be tlie most spoiling of teams, was; never very strong and suffered a blow , when Kelly was transferred. Other | members also were taken away by their j occupations, and tlie club had an increasing difficulty in fielding a team, | at times being unable to do so. Several > of its members have this season found j places in other clubs’ teams. | The new United Club absorbs the ! Y.M.C.A. Club. Several members of. the old Y.M.C.A. senior team and a > number of last year’s juniors make up | the new senior team. | Federal, with a similar team to lust. year’s, rather surprisingly played a very I close game with Kiwi. Federal will, miss Mcßride, who is standing out this season; but L. Best will be turning out regularly for them. Two old players have made a reappearance in Millar and Reg. Frost. . The latter, who has been out of the game ior about five years, was recognised as a first class half-back in bis day. Beach (ex-Rich-mond Club) is also playing for this club, but otherwise tlie personnel ol the team is unchanged. The Kiwi team gives evidence of being ;« solid combination again this year. Its weakness last Saturday lay in the forward line, the defence which is unchanged, being steady. 11. and N. Wlntwell and Kenning are notable absentees from the forwards and halves. 11. Whitwell is playing in Motueka, Mayo taking bis place as ceiitre of the attack.' R. Toll and G. Patterson havo been elevated from the juniors, and a former player, R. Harris, and, it is believed, S. Busch, will fill the gaps in the half-line. The team has a big mixture of experience and youth. The Stoke team was a little .disappointing on Saturday, but should do better with a full forward line. They were not as dangerous as usual when in the circle. Walker is a newcomer in the forwards and Shaw and Lusty (ex-Richmond player) in the halves. Sliand had a lot to do in the halves, and it is here that the weakness apparently lies. Practice and experience should make a big difference. Additions to the Waimai team are Bowden and Hobbs (juniors) and Campbell who lias had experience m the Old Country. Tlie team should be one to reckon with. Wakatu have suffered several losses in all departments. Two juniors were called on on Saturday, and Warden (of Aramolio) is another addition to tho forwards. Winter is playing again at full-back with Best, and Mitchell is again in goal. It is expected that Masters will turn out regularly in the half-line.

Ladies’ Competition Nominations for the ladies’ competition will he considered by the Nelson Hockey Association to-night, and a decision made as to when their competition shall commence. With five men’s town teams this year the shortage of grounds is going to constitute a problem. Strong Australian Touring Team The Australian Hockey Association advised a recent meeting of the N.Z.H.A. management committee that there was every prospect of this year’s visiting team being a fully representative side and much stronger than the previous teams which have toured New Zealand. Matched were to be sold outright on the following scale: £75 for a fully representative Test match ; £65 for a minor association’s Test match; £55 for a Saturday match; £35 for a mid-week j match. Under the system decided upon by j the N.Z.H.A. of selling matches against the Australians to all associations it will depend entirely upon the efforts of individual bodies whether the financial result is satisfactory or otherwise. The pooling system adopted in the past was inclined to penalise those associations who were willing to work to make their matches successful. Some associations were so placed that their returns were small in comparison with those of other centres, and when the totals were pooled there was often dissatisfaction among those associations which had had successful fixtures. The Nelson Association has applied for a Saturday match. Proposed Visit of AlLlndia Team Copies of correspondence which had passed between the Australian Hockey Association and the Bengal Hockey Association and the Indian Hockey Federation were tabled at a recent meeting of the management committee of the N.Z.H.A. The committee was asked by the Australian Association whether New Zealand would be interested in a proposal to extend the tour to include New Zealand during the 1935 season. It was decided to advise Australia that the Dominion would welcome an opportunity of joining in an invitation for an All-India team to tour both countries in 1935, and that New Zealand would be pleased to exchange views with Australia regarding terms and conditions. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY Saturday’s games have been drawn as follows: Senior Waimai v. Federal. Kiwi v.' Wttkatu. v Stoke v. United. Junior Stoke v. Waimai. Wakatu v. Federal. United v. Kiwi.