HOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16234, 20 May 1916, Page 5

HOCKEY.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. The entries received by the Auckland Hockey Association for this season's competition bring to notice mora forcibly than anything else the great effect on the game that has resulted from enlistments of players for active service. The total number of teams entered for all grades is only 24, as against 37 for 1916 t and 44 for 1914. As a matter of fact it is most unlikely that 24 full teams will be able to take the field, and some -clubs will find it very difficult to keep up the strength of their respective teams. j The elevation of Training College to senior rank will create interest, and the students i can be relied upon to take full advantage of. the compliment paid to them by the committee. The career of Edendale Old Boys in the second grade will also be watched closely, because it is recognised that this new club contains some promising players in its younger members. The Devonport grorvnd is not quite ready 'yet, but it is expected that it will be made use of from next Saturday. Recent advices from Trentham contain reference to the number of hockey players from all parts of New Zealand who are at present in camp, and a meeting of those interested was held last Monday. It was decided to make efforts to form several teams, and if possible enter in the Wellington Association competitions. An urgent request : for sticks has reached the local authorities, and it is hoped there will be a generous response. Any old player or other en- | thusiast who feels disposed to donate one or moTe sticks, or cash to purchase them, may do so through Mr. Parton, who has taken ; the matter in hand. It is possible that appeals will be made to business houses to make small donations for this worthy object. Altogether, about 30 sticks are urgently needed, and it .should not. be hard to collect them, considering -the object for which tne sticks are wanted.

PRIMARY SCHOOL NOTES. The pTimiry school matches played on Saturday were well contested, although the wins recorded in some instances indicate that the games were rather one-sided. This is not so, however, and the losers have no need to feel in any way discouraged. Savage, for Eemuera, was in a scoring mood, and notched six goals for his team. Jaggs, Stanley Bay, and Kusabs, Takapuna, were also in good form in the circle, the former scoring five goals, and Kusabs getting six in. This morning Edendale will make its first appearance. The team drew the bye for the opening day. In view of the fact that there is .a, bye every Saturday in A grade, arrangements have been made to play the team drawing the bye against a team from Technical College. This will not be an official match, but it is an opportunity _ that should not be missed. Besides keeping the boys in practice, it will cause them to meet regularly.