HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14352, 23 April 1910, Page 10

HOCKEY.

ASSOCIATION MEETING. The Management. Committee of the Auckland Hockey Association met at the Amateur •''; Sports Olubrooin last ovening, Mr. H. D. Hill (chairman; presiding. The application , from the Wednesday Association (controlling eight clubs), for affiliation was granted. Application was made by tho College Rifles to play in tho junior instead.of senior grade. It was also mentioned that Y.M.CA. .would not have a senior team this year.. Owing to a limited number of grounds being available for to-day's matches, it was decided to limit, the time to one hour for each game. Ladies will play from two to throe o'-clock, on grounds 1, 2, and 3, after which the ground will bo' wanted for tho men.. The times and grounds arc advertised in to-day's issue. WEDNESDAY ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the executive of tho Wcdnos-' day Hockey Association was held in the Y.M.CA. Rooms last evening. Mr. G. Court, was elected chairman of the executive for the ensuing year. It was proposed that tho secretary bo instructed to write to tho Devonport Borough Council for permission to use two grounds for hockey. It was decided that the affiliation fees Ik> £1 10s, and entrance foes for each team 10s. Tho Wednesday competitions wore fixed to commence on May 11, entries to close on April 30. Entries for the Wednesday competition must bo in tho hands of tho secretary, Mr. G. Marshall, care the Imperial Boot Co., Newton, by the above date. It was recommended that .all Wednesday clubs should ' exclude Saturday players from their membership.- Tho' hon. secretary would like, to hear from any old players, of hockey, who will act as referees. It was decided that the next, mooting of the executive bo held at the Y.M.CA. at 7.30 p.m. .on May 2. The association now has from 130 to 140 players under its control, and has every prospect of having a successful season. LADIES' HOCKEY. Comment is made in the annual report of the Wellington Ladies' Hockey Association on the plan adopted to decide the ladies' champion team of New Zealand by . means of a tournament. Last .year Wellington wa sropresontod at tho tourney held at Napier, but it was impossible, it is pointed out. to send the best team, owing to the duration of tho fixture. Hope is expressed that in ' future a 'more feasible wav . of deciding the championship will be found. Tho committee, suggests, that it challenge cup on the lines of the Plunket; shield would prove more satisfactory. - - Women, in their ambition to be athletic, contend against innumerable difficulties. One of these difficulties, says Black and White, is skirts; a second is waists; and a - third—almost, ah insuperable one—is hair, including hairpins. Watch a girl playing tennis or hockey, and after a more than ' usually brilliant effort she invariably puts her hands to her head, as if she expected something to fall off if she did not. Ener- '' getic play is usually attended by dishevelment of the unruly locks and a shedding of hairpins that causes the pretty athlete.acute distress. Her pleasure in the game is marred by a sense of insecurity and a constantfear of consequences. No woman can wield a racquet "or essay a quick run with an undivided mind. Half her brain '?■ is occupied by the fearful surmise that her hair is coming down—a surmise, by the way, which is probably too painfully justified by tho fact. Hockey practice will be in full swing today at Remuera, and tho ground will be taxed to its utmost to accommodate all tho »teams.' ' ■' ". * '.. . ' > ■:. - : -. Club secretaries : are reminded ' that entries for the events to be decided #at the -Auckland Hockey Association's opening day ~. close to-night, and should be sent to the , secretary, of the Amateur Sports Club, or the United Asbestos Company. Entries for the cup contests of the Auckland Hockey Association close next Saturday. . " .." ■' */. ..' m ' ■ The Auckland Club has again, secured 'he Newton training ■ shed for * the season, and practices will tie held .every Wednesday, from seven to 8.30 p.m. Owing to,the*Devonport Borough, Council closing the:. cricket ■*- square on the North Shore grounds to winter eames this season, the Hockey Association has been unable to obtain a ground on the Devonport Domain. This is very unfortunate, and the members of the North Shore Club, which has a play.ing membership of 50, will have to cross the water every Saturday for their matches. The opening day of the Auckland Hockey Association takes place at Remuora ground next. Saturday, ana it should prove, a record in every way. The programme will open with the referees' race, starting at.. 2.20. This will be followed in quick succession by tho hockey players' 100 yds championship, ladies' egg and spoon race, teams' relay race, ladies' 75yds championship, and ladies' - and gentlemen seven a-side • tournament. The association, with their usual regard to ' patrons of the gams, are giving a large afternoon tea, and a splendid afternoon's amusement is promised. The admission-has been fixed at Is, and ladies 6d. The hockey season opened in Cambridge on, Wednesday (says our ce+tteSiMmdent), when a six a-side tournament whs held on Victoria Square. It resulted in the. Hautapu A team being victors, - for ' they • went right through without being beaten. The following are the results of the games, in ..the order played:Hautapu A (4) beat Leamington A (nil); ' Roto-o-rangi (2) beat Cambridge A (1): Leamington B (2) beat Hautapu B . (1);, Hautapu A (3) beat : Cambridge B (1): Roto-o-rangi (1) beat Leamingv ton B (nil); Hautapu A (4) beat Roto-o-rangi (nil). The final was.a_ very fast game, those who scored for the winners being L. Cubis, J. Martyn, and L. Gleeson (2). , . Judging by the number of teams which arc expected to take the field this year, hockey is making great strides in Wanganui, says the Chroniclo. This, however, is.not to be wondered at, as hockey is one of the best athletic games, and the young fellows of -Wanganui are beginning to recog- .- nise this fact. ,Last "year Wanganui's standard of hockey was of no mean order, as ' was demonstrated in the.' match against Auckland New Zealand's crack, players— which resulted in a draw. This year, this prowess is not likely - to deteriorate, for keener competition will make better players. The English Hockey Association has carried several proposals of alterations to the rules of hockey, which will come .into force this season. Following are the chief of them: — Off-side: When a player hits or rolls in the ball, any other player of the same team who is nearer his . opponents' goal- ■ line than the striker or roller-in at the moment when the ball is hit or rolled in, is off-side, unless there be at least three of his opponents" nearer to their own goalline than ho is. He may not'in-any way interfere with any other player until the ball has been touched or hit by one of his opponents. No player, however, shall be off-side in his own half of the ground, nor if the ball was last touched or hit by one of his opponents, or by one of his own team who, at the time of hitting, is nearer his opponents' goal-lino than himself. Penalty Bully: In relation to tho playing of a penalty bully by the offender, -it. is now enacted that "all- orifcsr players shall be beyond tho nearest 25yds lino in tho field of play, and shall not cross such 25yds lino or take any further part in the game until the penalty bully is completed. If during tho progress of a penalty bully the offender sends the ball over any part of the goal-line other than that between the goal-posts, the penalty bully must be taken again. The umpire will need to have quick and farseeing eyes if ho is to keep all the players under his supervision. There was much discussion, last season as to the powers of an umpire in whistling for time before allowing a penalty bully to bo taken. Tin's year he is given absolute power to extend the time , •itner at half or full time for the taking of i penalty bully. b ■