HOCKEY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15449, 9 May 1912, Page 10

HOCKEY.

By Bully. Tim season's matches will commcnco on Saturday next. On tho form of iae>t season it would Uj safe to predict a very interestuiy (fiiy's plav, (Jlago aud Hardware woro porhaivi rather unevenly makhcvl during most of la-st tut towards tho closo there were obvious signs of improvement ill the Hardware eleven, ;uxl as very keen attention has boon given to training in tho past few weeks, and there is an optimistic air about tlrs club's members, it will probaAilybo found that allrdwaro will extend anv club in tlio competitions. City and Union are, on |M|Kt, Hoil niatchol, mid tho contest between them is likely to be very close. University B mcot St. Martin's'in their first Senior match. It will be iiitorustng to r.oto how they compare with the Valley team, which was well in the van in last j car's championships. University A are drawn against Y.M.O.A. On last year's form this would he a great contest. But there have bevn changes in both teams, w|ki,|iit for tatter or worse will probably be seen on Saturday. In fact, this is so with all clubs. A number of players new to Otago will be seen representing various cltil.w, and for this reason it study of last year's results is not suflicicnt warrant for an opinion as to the present merits of the different teams. Wc must wait till Saturday.

Jt is open to question whether there arc nino teams in Duncdin whoso play is up to Senior standard. Ot couisc, it would bo unfair, as well as hazardous, to say thnt nny olio of tho nine are below thai standard; but if some of the teams are not just a littlo bit short of Senior prude, then wc must "ixj exceptionally rich in First Grade players. Sooner of later the as«ocialion will liavo to pick out six or seven teams to constitute tho First Cirndi!, and make entry into that grade a shade moro difficult than :it present, liy this means the real First Grade players would liehroueht together, and the all-round standard cf play improved. Tho improvement would be seen in Junior hookey ns well .'us jn Senior, as the reduction of Uie numbers in the First Clrado wouid increaw the numbers in tho stcond, and tho weakest teams in the latter eould ba placed in a Thirt? or Junior Grade. Then there would lw three stages to be readied by a player aspiring to represent his elub in the first eleven, and good play only would qualify him for promotion. Tlio re.sult could hardly fail to l>e belter hockey and cWr competition all round. It is but fair to say, however, that, there is no evidenco of any marked inequality in cither grade at present, but every prosjieet of good keon matches. Gymnastic seem to havo tho worst of luck in regard to byes. If any team has tc staJid out after an oIT-Satiirday it seems invariably to bo Gymnastic. Last wock tho grounds were not available for practice, and, us on quite it number of previous occasions, this club gets another holiday on the following Saturday.

Six tcaina arc in this year's Junior competition, tho number being one less than last yoar in conscqnenco of University's recomt e'even boing included in tho Senior Gituli-. However tho Senior matches may result, it seeniK as certain as such things wn be thai close contests will bo uonoral throughout the season amongst the Second Grade teams. And more even competition than that of last year is ncedod if wo wish to h'cc better Junior hockey.

For chronic chest complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, Is 6d. 2j 6d.—Advt.