NOT ENOUGH GROUNDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 15

NOT ENOUGH GROUNDS.

HOCKEY PLAYERS' PROBLEM.

ONLY ONE AREA IN CITY.

COUNCIL'S ACTION CRITICISED.

The decision of tlie City Council to allot only one ground to the Hockey Association this season is regarded by members of the association as a hard and unfair blow to the game. The association has over 500 men players to provide for, and with the season opening in a week's time it has not grounds for more than half the teams. At, the end of last season the association was unfortunate in losing it 3 old home at Remuera, leaving only one ground at Papatoetoe that it can call its own. The new lessees of the Remuera ground have granted the association the lease of three grounds there, and the facilities may be increased to four or possibly five grounds. Four grounds will accommodate the senior matches, leaving the Papatoetoe ground and the short-length one at Victoria Park allotted by the City Council for all the teams competing in the second, third, fourth and fifth grades. The association contends that the grounds available should have been allocated on some basis of the numerical strength of the games applying. "If that had been done we would have had no grumble," said Mr. E. J. Hewitt, secretary of the association, yesterday. "As it is, League football asked for 11 grounds and got eight, while hockey asked for seven and got one." There is a possibility of a ground, or perhaps two, being available at Onehunga, but at best these will not bo ready for use until June.