HOCKEY NOTES

Free Lance, Volume XIV, Issue 722, 2 May 1914, Page 22

HOCKEY NOTES

By Bully-off

LAST Saturday saw the opening of tbe hockey season in Wellington, so far as the male element are concerned. . Grounds were heavy and rain actually fell, both before and while the games were in progress. However, the hockey, player is an enthusiastic and all contests were completed. The display of hockey was uninteresting, but as no sensational form was expected for these initial matches, no one was very disappointed. Karori, Metropolitan, and Wellington all succeeded in registering wins in the senior championship, and the "also started" division "were M.Y.M.1., University, and Insurance, while United had a bye. The surprise of the day was the crushing defeat (5 goals to 1) of University, last year's' champions, by Metropolitan. Does this indicate that University changed their luck also when they changed their name from Victoria College ? Certainly they can boast"Victoria" no longer. Whatever it may be, they were decisively beaten. I didn't see much of this 1 game, but once when I did happen to glance that way I noticed College attacking strongly. Their forwards lost the ball, and the advantage was lost completely, the play travelling. right to the opposite end of the field and Metropolitan scored. This was sufficient to show conclusively that University's defence is weak. Sheeran, who scored four out of Metropolitan's five noints, seemed to be in good form. One goal I saw him score was a very creditable effort. * * * * Striking incidents in the WellingtonInsurance contest were few and far between, unless you count the stunning blow Cameron, of the latter received on the forehead from a lofty shot by Griffiths of the opposing team. Fortunately the collision between Cameron's nut and the ball had no serious effect—you see, there are advantages of being hardheaded —but all the same it might have "been serious indeed. This was not a singular instance of a flying ball. Riqht through the game there were rising shots, and even the referee was ducking and dodging as if he expected at any moment to stop the ball with his toppiece. I do not say that players were purposely lifting the ball, but there was that tendency, and the referee —I don't know him by name—should have checked it. Hockey strokes are supposed to be made along the ground, and we don't want to wait until there is an accident before suppressing obvious danger from lofty strokes. This is just a word in season. To hark back to the game proper, both teams made a very poor showing. Wellington bad the better of it, and were superior in field play, but when they reached the circle, they were every bit as bad and ineffective as Insurance. They were in the latter's circle times out of number, •and apparently might have been there as many times more, and all they could secure was a wretched goal. This partly was due to Hunter's very fair goalkeeping and also to' Wellington's poor scoring ability. Such forwards as Fauvel, for instance—l select him because lie certainly should have placed! - a goal to his credit in at least one case—evidently couldn't score if in the circle the whole game. It was all very disappointing, especially from such a fine stamp of players. Perhaps when they get into their stride they will do better things. Griffiths, Victoria _ College's left wmg last was playing for them, and showed an occasional flash of good play. 9 Reed, mostly conspicuous by his absence last season, was playing inside, and Murrell, a promoted junior, now and again showed promise as bully. The backs seemed very .fair. Hall, oentre-half, would do

well to us© a little more judgment—and more despatch as well —in placing the ball to his forwards. Three players stood out in the Insurance team. They were Robbie, right wing, Cameron, right full-back, and Hunter, goal-keeper. The others were willing enough, but they lacked the finer points that make hockey both worth playingand watching.' How many players who go out and play this scientific game Saturdaj'. after Saturday ever give it any careful study? few I should say, judging from the display given by the Insurance—and Wellington : —players on Saturday. Robbie gave glimpses of his last year's dash on the right wing, and once in the isecond spell had real hard luck in not scoring. Cameron is a clever little back, and puts up a very solid defence considering his size. Hunter didn't have a great deal to do in goal, even though Wellington were at- . tacking for three parts of the game, but what he did he did well, clearing the ball out of danger every time. * *! * * The Karori-M. Y.M.I. go was also a tame affair. The latter played pluckily, but there were too many experienced players, in the Karori ranks. An indication of the one-sided, condition of the play was that within five minutes of the end, Karori were 5 and M.Y.M.I. .1. Two goals to the latter in quick succession evened things up somewhat. A noticeable weakness in Karori's forward line was that the right wing and inside made few openings for the left flankers, even though the latter gave them several chances. This won't do, especially when there is such a clever player as Loader on the left wing. * * * « Commenting on the fact that the Wairarapa Hockey Association had instructed its delegate to the New Zealand Hockey Association to support Auckland's proposal that the headquarters be shifted from Christchurch to Wellington, the Christchurch "Sun" remarks."the report came as a surprise to those interested in the government of the game here. Little or nothing has been heard of any discontent existing in any of the various centres, consequently the surprise is greater." The writer in the "Sun" has unconsciously struck it. The New Zealand Hockey Association, as represented in Christchurch, has been dozing so long and so well as to -"hear little or nothing." "Bobby." Yates. the clever young Hawke's Bay representative full-back, who played a sterling game against the Wellington Shield team last year, is now in Auckland' playing for the Ponsonby Club. Efforts are being made to resuscitate the North v. South Island match. There is no doubt that this match, olayed annually, would awaken much interest. There would be keen competition to get into such a team, as at present the highest distinction a hockey player can attain is to win a place in his Centre's representative team. A North v. South contest would bring the best players together, and would have the effect of raising the standard of hockey. The matches would be played in different centres each year, and everyone would thus benefit. They, should also prove a great draw and a source' of revenue to the New Zealand Association. The balance-sheet of the Auckland Hockey Association (men) shows a credit balance for the past year of £18 8s lOd. The total revenue was £365 17s. Amongst the items of expenditure is £72 17s 7d for interest. A married men's team is the latest in Napier. This team is expected to take the field with a wood array of old and true sports. The Auckland hockey season doesn't commence until May 16th.

under way before the season is half over and the players are thinking of their summer frocks. The last two Saturdays some of the teams have turned out for practice, but even the keenest player will soon grow tired of this. ~ Two acquisitions to Wellington hockey this season are Miss Terry, from Wairarapa and one of the cleverest centre halves in the Dominion, and Miss Hunt, from Otago. Both these players have thrown in their lot with Ramblers, and they will no doubt compensate the blues for their less of the Misses Harris, who won't be playing this season. University are also expected to be well represented this year. Syrens and the other clubs will probably be much the same as last year. . , Wellington is to haye the honour of playing the first match of the tour against the English team. This will be played, according to provisional arrangements, on Saturday, August Ist. A new departure at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Ladies' Hockey Association the other evening was the handing over the secretaryship to a mere man at a fixed remuneration of 15 guineas. The excuse for the change was business experience. Ladies filling the position in the past have never received any salary. Are< we .then to presume woman's business experience is nil ? However, the new" secretary, Mr. A. - W. Manning, no doubt will have enough work to do during the coming English tour to earn the amount agreed upon". A Hawke's Bay correspondent writes that the coming visit of the English ladies' team is bringing out many of the old players. One club—the Napier club —is so keen that in case only one test match, New Zealand v. England, is played and " that one in Wellington, it is thinking of coming down to Wellington in full force to see the contest. While here, the club would be pleased to play games with any of the local clubs. The secretary has written to me to that effect, so it would be worth while for some of our leading clubs to communicate with her and ti;y to arrange a visit from these enthusiastic Napier girls. An. invitation would probably decide them' to come.