HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13485, 11 May 1907, Page 8

HOCKEY.

The opening of the hockey season takes place at "the Polo Ground, Remuera, to-day, when a sports programme and tournament will bo hold. Given fine weather the func- j tion should prove' most successful. The president of the association (Mr. William Coleman) will open the afternoon's proceedings by . presenting the new flag donated to the assocition by Mr. H. RoesGeorge, an enthusiastic, vice-president. , Exceptionally large entries have been received for all events, and handsome trophies will 4 - be presented to the winners of the -j various competitions. . i The sports will , commence at twenty minutes past- two o'clock sharp, with ythe 75yds Referees' Championship, then in order follow the , 100 yds Hockey-players' Championship, hitting the. hockey ball, final 100 yds Championship,. 75yds Lady Players Championship, . Clubs' Four a-sido Relay Race, and • senior and junior soven a-side tournament. During the afternoon thiro will . also be played a fancy-dress match between members of the ladies' and gentlemen's associations.: . . '',V • The teams representing the ~ ladies and gentlemen's associations will be as follows — Ladies' team: Misses Gannon, Dinnceii, Mclndoe, M. Alison, Dawson, Maitland, Boghley, Mrs. D. Gallagher, Misses M. Scott, Alison, and R. Taylor. Gentlemen's team: Messrs. J. Lepine, H, Brown, R. Benjamin, Gentiles, Wesburv, H. Alexandor, Lewis, Keeling, Moody, O'Halloran, and Coleman. , > • : ' The following players will.represent the various clubs in the relay .race: —Auckland: Mason, Kavanagh, Jessup, Hyman. University : Bands, Northcroft, S. Zirnan, McLure. College Rifles: R. Hesketh, "Cottons, H. Woodroffe, and Rutherford. Rllerslic:' Smith, Cunimingy Hayn, and Phillips. ; St. George's : Palmer, ! sX.Skipworjfch,i i Harris. Ponsonbv; .Price, Hogan, Murray,] and Young. Y.M.C.A.: McLean, | Campbell,'/ and Gladding.'- United: '1. Doyle, Johnson, Becca, and G. Miller.' j Training. College: A. Rowe, C. sCrispe, L. Mart, and• A. Webster. ■ • For the information of hockey players and their ' friends it might be - mentioned that, a train ; will leave Auckland station to-day at. ten minutes past, two p.m. and I Newmarket at twenty minutes - past ; two j p.m., arriving at Remuera at twenty-six minutes, past two p.m. There will also bo a good: tram service to the ground- . Afterj noon, tea will be'provided." • The flag which Mr. H. /Rees-George has donated'to the association is a particularly handsome piece of "-work, and the letters A.H'.A. are marked upon , it. Mr. ReesGeorge "deserves the .thanks of all Auckland hockey-plavers. • ' - ' „., • ; The Ellerslie ~ Club held a very useful practise last Saturday, several of the new members showing promising form. N. Hay and J. Smith, as wingers, gave particularly good exhibitions, whilst Hill and Norton, as forwards, and Philips and - Walker, . at back, showed up well. At a meeting of the club held subsequently ' Mr. R. W. Cum'ming was elected captain and. Mr. ,S. Nor- ; ton vice-captain! The ground } has been' permanently marked out, and .•the commodious shelter-shed seated and renovated. A large ladies' committee will' diepenso afternoon tea on Saturdays, and everything points to a successful 'season. Hockey has certainly caught on".-, at Ellerslie. ' -.The association this year will appoint all referees. Last season the Referees' A association appointed the referees for the various matches. ~ ■ j : i ; There will bo six senior teams competing this year, or two more -than last season. 4:; Mr. George Cow per,' (Tie Auckland delegate to the New Zealand Hockey' Association, has been appointed a member of the Management Committee of that body. Mr. Cowper is a very live delegate, find during, his season's - stay in Auckland he , played for the Auckland "Club and • won his representative cap. '■ " ' , 'V * ; The championship matches commence next Saturday. The association have decided to have three championship" grades this season. . - - # 'All entries for the championship matches [close' on Tuesday next with the secretary (Mr. A. E. Tattley, care of Sports Club). ' The Management . Committee of . the association meet, on Wednesday next at five .p.m., -when the, draw .for the three . grades ■will be made and the grounds allotted and •referees appointed. - ■ - .' The opening of the hockey season at Gisborne has been postponed until the 16tii inst., owing to the ground , not yet being in thorough playing order. - * The Wellington Hockey Association has only' lost two representative matches since its formation in 1899. One of, these wot to Manawatu last year (four to two). There have been several drawn games, however. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Hockey Association, the following officers were elected:—Patron, His Excellency the • Governor; president, Mr. Charles Lewis, M.H.R.; vice-presidents, Mr. D. Mahson and the presidents of all affiliated clubs; lion, treasurer, Mr. W. G. Garrard; hon. secretary, Mr. .F. F. Murray; hon. auditor. Mr. D. Hamber. •' . X, ; The Buller and Horowhenna Hockey As- [ sociations have been accepted by the New. Zealand Hockey Association - for affiliation. Hockey promises to rival football in popularity among players in Nelson this season, and each of the three town clubs boast 9 a' strong membership, the Nelson Club entering two teams for the senior championship. ... • ' . '' . *. The game is also very popular among theladies, and three now-clubs have been started this season, making a total of - eight ladies' clubs in the district. ~ S Hockey is the Canadian winter sport, but it. has received a . serious setback through the roughness that- is now characterising the game {says, an exchange). In one case Owen McCourt, of Cornwall, received injuries which resulted in : his death during a match between tho local ■ and Ottawa teams at Cornwall, Canada, on March 6: Bough play led to a fight, with sticks, and McCourt was struck on the head Iby Chas. Mason,: of the Ottawa team. ' Mason was arrested and will be tried, for manslaughter. I Several players were injured in the melee. The growing tendency to ' brutality in Canadian sports is causing a. loud outcry from press, public, and pulpit.