HOCKEY TEAM'S TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20332, 13 August 1929, Page 11

HOCKEY TEAM'S TOUR.

AUSTRALIANS IMPRESSED.

"A WONDERFUL EDUCATION."

ADVANCING STANDARD OF PLAY.

Mombers of the visiting Australian hockey team are leaving New Zealand by the Makura this evening taking with them the very happiest recollections of their tour, and leaving behind them many firm friends.

"Wo have had a wonderful reception everywhere, and tho hospitality has been great," said Mr. W. Rothwell, manager of tho team, yesterday, and in this tho captain, Mr. T. Leo, heartily concurred. "Every orio of us has thoroughly enjoyed himself," ho said. "We have seen a lot of tho country, and it has been a wonderful education. Everywhere we went people could not have been kinder and more hospitable. Tho players have been really impressed • with New Zealand, and somo aro even thinking of making it their future homo."

Mr. Rothwell said that naturally they would like to liavo won tho test match and taken tho Manning Memorial Cup back with thern, but taking tho tour from start to finish they were quite satisfied with tho team's performance. Considering tho condition of the ground they gavo an excellent exhibition in tho final test. "We know more about wet grounds now than wo did a month ago,"'ho smilingly admitted.

Sportsmanlike Congratulations. "Wo are quite satisfied that tho Now Zealand team was two goals better than our team on the day. Wo have just received a cable from tho Australian executive asking us to convey their congratulations to tho New Zealand Association on retaining tho cup, and hoping to bo able to keep it in Australia when New Zealand visits us in 1931." Tho Australians have played 11 matches while they have been in Now Zealand, won six, lost three, and drawn two. They have scored 31 goab and have had 21 recorded against them. Mr. Kothwell revealed tho interesting fact that negotiations are now taking place between tho New Zealand and Australian Associations with a view to securing a visit from another Indian team or a Continental team to both countries within tho next two years.

Mr. liothwell has twice previously piloted Australian teams through New Zealand, so 110 has had exceptional opportunities for making comparisons. He finds that while the standard of hockey has certainly improved in Australia, it has also decidedly improved in this country. Evidence of the advance of the game on the other Bido of the Tasman is to be found in tho fact that Western Australia, the latest State to come into the Australian Association, won the infer-State carnival held at Perth last month.

Referees Well Organised. One of many points with which Mr Rothwoll and Mr. Lee have been favourably impressed during their visit has been the thoroughness with which referees are organised right through the country. They find the referees here organised as well as the actual players, and were very pleased to see so many enthusiasts willing to give up their time to assist the game in this way. They paid a tribute also to New Zealand sportsmanship. The spectators gave them wonderful receptions, and treated them most impartially, being just as anxious to cheer the visitors as to cheer their own men.

Not only had the Hockey A&sociation been most geDerous and hospitable, but also people who had no direct connection with the game had placed their cars and their time and their service at the visitors' disposal. Other kindred sports, and particularly tho football codes, had given every assistance throughout the tour in placing their grounds at tho disposal of the hockey associations. The press of the Dominion had given generous space to their doings in a way to which they were hardly accustomed in Australia, whero hockey was apt to be overshadowed by football in the columns of the press. Costly Sydney Grounds.

Some of the difficulties of getting together a team for such a tour as this were pointed out by Mr. Roth well. The players have to pay their own faro to and from New Zealand, and although they are ill© guests of the New Zealand Hockey Association while they aro m this country most of them aro sacrificing their wages during the time they aro away. Even school-teachers with tho team aro having pay deducted by the Education Department.

Ono of tho greatest difficulties confronting hockey in Australia is tho securing of suitable grounds. The visitors have been impressed with the good quality of the grounds available for hockey in Now Zealand. In Sydney as much as £175 is paid in rent for ono ground for 18 playing Saturday afternoons, and £lO5 is paid for another. Yesterday afternoon the, visitors had a most enjoyable launch trip on the harbour, arranged for them by tho courtesy of tho Harbour Board, through Mr. H. B. Burnett, a vice-president of the Hockey Association. Tho outing further added to the 6tore of pleasant memories that the j Australian hockey players are taking with them as they leave this country.