HOCKEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8776, 4 July 1914, Page 14

HOCKEY

(By “Bully.”) It is pleasant to know that sometimes one’s work is appreciated. On Tuesday “Bully” received tho following unsigned telegram from an up-country town evidently with reference to the TinitedMetropoliten game“ Hockey reporter. ‘New Zealand Times-’ Must congratulate you on yesterday’s report. Splendid account. Very interesting.” To his unknown friend "Bully” returns apprec.ative thanks. The Wellington Ladies’ Association has invited Horowhenua to play here on Arbor Day (July 15th). The English women’s touring team will arrive at Sydney on Monday. . They are to play in the inter-Stato tournament at Sydney from July 10th to 14th. Tney leave July 25th for Wellington, arriving here on ,J:he . 29th lust. They will play their initial game two days laterThe Hawke’s Bay Hockey Association has done a foolish thing in overriding tho committee in whose hands is the arrangement of tho itinerary for the ladies’ tour. The decision to play at Hastings instead of Napier was given on the casting vote of the chairman. (Mr <j. 11. King). A special report to the “Times” of the meeting stated that Mr King, in discussing tho question as to where the Hawke’s Bav representatives would play tho English team, said that the financial question should not influence the decision, as all the receipts had to bo pooled. He admitted that beltctf gate money could be obtained m Napier, but gave his casting vote in favour of Hastings, as he considered the giound bettor there- It is not to be wondered at that Mr King’s remarks should have caused a great deal of just resentment in Napier, it being considered '•that the best financial results should bo striven for, provided other details do not constitute too great a drawback. The drawback that Mr King considered was good enough to warrant alteration of the itinerary hxed by the •Wellington committee was that the Hastings ground was better. In this instance, the Hastings ground is admittedly better, it being larger than the Napier one. hut it is not so much better than the Napier ground to warrant the alteration. The Napier ground is at •pres-ent la excellent order, and has been used for all the big. hockey- matches since (and including) the New Zealand ladies’ tournament m 1909 It is was good enough lor the" Dominion tournament it is good enough for the English players. Mr King admitted that better gate money could be obtained in Napier, but said that that should not influence them. How delightfully impracticable. If the Napier Association’s attitude were adopted generally the English tfem would soon be in a nice predicament. No. The game, from a sound, business-like, common-sense standpoint, must be played on the ground where it will provide the greater attraction and draw the bigger gate. In any case the Napier Association could have .saved itself tho trouble of altering the -itinerary because the powers that ho in . the head centre here have decided, that the match will be played at Napier the easting vote of the Napier body's chairman notwithstanding.