HOCKEY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 28 April 1937, Page 9

HOCKEY

CHAMPIONSHIP COMMENCES ONLY FOUR SENIOR TEAMS NOTES ON THE GAME While the standard of play in one senior game at the Botanical Reserve on Saturday, when the 1937 hockey season commenced, was quite fair, the fact that there are only four teams in the senior championship and for a while it looked as if there would be only three, leads one to wonder whether hockey is falling off in Nelson or whether this is one in the cycle of lean years. Last year five teams competed in the championship; this year there are four; a year or two ago there were six. Neither United nor Wakatu found it possible to field senior teams this year. The association then interested itself in the matter and endeavoured to promote a team from players remaining from these two clubs, together with other players who were available, with the result that a team took the field on Saturday which was called the Combined team. On what lines this team will continue will be decided fit a meeting to-night.

An encouraging feature is that there are several new players from other centres playing and among these there may be talent for the representative team.

The Teams. This season finds little alteration in the ranks of the Federal team, one addition being a forward, Bestic, a new player from Auckland. As this is practically the same team that has been so successful for the last two seasons it looks as though Federal will, by being able to 'keep their team together so well, play a prominent part in this year’s hockey. The team showed quite good form on Saturday in defeating Waimai, though one or two of the forwards were wandering badly and were tailing behind sometimes when an attack was made.

Stoke, last year’s champions, have lost two forwards to Waimai, but otherwise have kept the same team together. Saturday’s game did not give a real indication of theii' strength or weaknesses. The forwards worked mainly as individuals and most of the thrust came from the right. V. Allport seems to be as prolific a goal-scorer as before.

There are some changes in the Waimai team as compared with last year's. The inclusion of the two ex-Stoke players should strengthen the forward line. The half-back line did not impress on Saturday but may improve. The team’s showing as a whole was creditable, and it cannot be ruled out as a contender for championship honours.

The Combined team had the material for a tearh which would need to be reckoned with when welded into a unit. There were two new players .(Horrocks and Mac Murray) and it is understood that an ex-Timaru player is seeking a place in the team. Most Financial Association “Though I am not certain of my facts, I am almost certain we are now the best and most financial hockey association in New Zealand,” declared Mr W. H. Wilson when presiding over a meeting of the Manawatu Hockey Association. In a space of a few years, he said, the funds had been built up from £f> to over £SOO. Last year, from a queen carnival, the association received over £l5O, yet did not reach its objective. It was only a few years since a sum of £SO would have seemed a godsend to the association. Australian Tour Mooted A definite invitation has been received by the New Zealand Hockey Association from the Australian Hockey Association for a team to visit them this year. According to present arrangements the team will leave New Zealand about the middle of July and be in Australia for six Saturdays, playing in Queensland. New South Wales and Victoria. In addition, the New Zealanders will meet other State teams in Sydney on the occasion of the inter-State tournament.

Replacements in America There is evidently no argument in American hockey circles regarding the replacement question. When the Australian women’s hockey team last year defeated an All Los Angeles side by 7 goals to nil Los Angeles was represented by no fewer than 22 players—ll dif-

ferent players in each spell. The idea evidently emanated from the American football game in which replacements are frequent throughout a match. A suggestion at the International Conference of women’s hockey teams by America, that substitution of players be allowed, was unanimously voted out Another Indian Tour That Dyan Chand, a star player of the Indian hockey team which toured New Zealand last year, was reported in English newspapers as attempting to arrange another tour of New Zealand by an Indian hockey team, was men tioned at a meeting of the Manawatu Hockey Association. In an interview while at the Olympic Games, Dyan Chand spoke of New Zealand hockey and its progress in terms of high praise. Unofficially, said Mr Wilson, New Zealand was rated third in the world as a hockey country. Should Dvan Chand succeed in bringing out a team selected and captained by himself, the sport in this Dominion would x’eceive another great inspiration. Possible Visit of British Team It is anticipated that a British team will compete in the All-Australia women’s hockey carnival, which is to be held in Brisbane this season. Mrs E. J. Davy, the honorary secretary of the Australian association, is expecting word from England shortly, for the invitation was enthusiastically received by those officials, who attended the international tournament in Philadelphia last October. The date of the interstate games will be from 24th to 31st July.

Encouraging Correct Style A speaker at the meeting of the Manawatu Association said that with adequate finance, the association must this year apply itself to encouraging the correct style of hockey. After seeing the Indians in action last year, players must realise that a change of style must be encouraged, and to this end the grading of teams might have to be revised. It was the association’s function to foster hockey in the schools, and he was glad steps to that end had already beep taken. Manswatu’s Insurance It was pleasing that the insurance scheme, of which the Manawatu association was the pioneer in New Zealand, was now the envy of other associations, said a speaker at the annual meeting of the Manawatu Association. The wisdom c r a policy of nicking haste slowly had been amply proved. The insurance levy for the coming year was fixed at 2s per member

Enthusiasm in England Certainly there is no doubt about the enthsuiasm behind women's hockey in England. There are no fewer than 2000 afliiiated clubs; the season is packed tight with school, county, national, and international evnts. Suitable grounds arc. as usual, a problem, and as much as £2O is paid bv girls’ clubs for pitches for use on alternate Saturdays. The cost of constructing a field suitable for hockey, with a rubble surface similar to that cf lawn tennis hard courts, is more than £IOOO. This type of surface is becoming more popular than grass.m a country where weather conditions are always unreliable. England has been selected by the International Conference as the site for the 1939 world tournar-"nt. FIXTURES FOR SATURDAY Saturday’s hockey fixtures have been drawn up as follows: — Senior Federal v. United-Wakatu, Reserve No. 1, at 3 p.m. Waimai v. Stoke. Stoke, 3 p.m. Junior Federal v. Stoke, Reserve 2, 3 p.m. Waimai v. Boys’ Brigade! Reserve 1, 2 p.m. Wakatu v. Tahuna, Pioneer Park, 2 : p.m. Women’s Rewa v. Kia Ora. Pioneer Park. 3 p.m. Iluia v. Wakatu, Reserve 2,2 p.m. Schools Stoke v. Auckland Point, Reserve 2, ; 1 p.m. Central v. Ilampden Street, Reserve | 1, 1 p.m.