PRESENTATION OF SHIELD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15316, 11 September 1920, Page 4

PRESENTATION OF SHIELD.

As ;i mark of appreciation of theif efforts in the ladies' hockey tournament just concluded, the. Auckland team whs met in the Cosmopolitan Club this moruing and presented wijlh a. handsome shield by the Cosmopolitan Club officials and members. i The shield, which is nbouL 14 inches across each way, is of oiled riinu, with a silver shield similar in shape but 'on a smaller to the riniu shield. Inscribed on it are the words.: "Presented to the Auckland ladies' hockey toam by the Gisborne Cosmopolitan Club, as a memento of the 1920 visit to Gisborne. when" they were runncrs-up in the championship of tho ladies' hockey tournament." The shield was designed by Mr T. Haisman and engraved by Mr It. T. Seymour. At the- function there were present ihe members of the- Auckland team with ) their manager (Mr L. C. Kent), and Mr L. H. Norton, vice-president of the Auckland Association ; also a number of the Poverty Bay team and Poverty Bay Association members and supporters. Sir , James Caivoll presided over the attendance, which numbered about 35. !

Mr P. Collin (president of the Olub) outlined the objects of the impromptu meeting, and called on tho chairman to make the presentation. In an appropriate speech Sir James Carroll nferred to the .creditable performance put tip by the Auckland team right throughout #ho tburnamoat. The sporting nature of the girls was indicative of the metal of the British race fh fcho sterner sport of warfare, and the exhibitions of hockey presented to. the public' in the course g o( the tournament were such as to do "a groat deal in popularising this branch of sport. ' The public were indeed to the visiting teams for fostering the interest in the tournament,, and hockey as a sport, the excellence of the game being unquestioned. On behnlf. of the club he presented the captain (Miss Lamb) of the Auckland team with the shield, amiJst applause, and informed her that the Auckland team* could decide the jternis for its competition in future, or even retain The shield if they, so desired. ; Cheers were then given for the Aucklautl team, on the call of the chairman. manager of Zhc team (Mr Kent) said the moment was one of the happiest experienced in his lifetime, and he could hardly express his thanks for the hospitality of the Gisborne. people to his team. In fact he was beginning to fear that lie would not get them all. home. (Laughter.) He was proud of the success of the team in the tournament but felt at the same time that the Poverty Bay girls were, of a better calibre than his own team, and .their combination was superior. The treatment they had received on this occasion was such that the Auckland team would not keep away next time it wa s held here. (Laughter.) He knew when they left Auckland that the Poverty Bay team would be hard nuts to crack, but nevertheless he relied upon liis girls doing their best. Hjs team had * been interrupted in their training by the holding up of the Saturday fixtures, and also the fact that some of the girls, come from other parts of the district. Theu, again, the members of \he team who were college Students had : only just returned from holidays* shortly before they left Auckland to attend the tournament. He expressed admiration of the splendid fitness and performances of the Poverty Bay girls, and in their match against Manawatu on the firsfc day he thought the / combination of tho Poverty Brty team ] could hardly be improved l upon. The-' girls deserved 'he chajnpionship and congratulations of. the associations through- '. out the Domini- n on the splendid team that was marshal 'ed. His .girls had only one fear on Thur-day' J^ist. and that was that if Poverty B.- v were beaten by Canterbury they \vov'<l not meet Poverty Bay. The billet'-ig of his girls was splendid, to say I'm* least <jf it, and every girl was we.'l pleased with the ] efforts of their host? to fill in tho odd moments left unprovided for by the asso- < A "»j.-~..« ~je.~"~.i.. nn._ i l ' p ■

ciation officials. The -arrangements for billetnng wero such a?, conld not be improved upon 1 by uny association. He called for three cheers for the Poverty Bay

people and Hie Cosmopolitan Club, which, had done so much .towards entertaining, them, and the call was heartily responded to. Sir J w Carroll, on behalf of Mrs- E. N Swinnerton. then presented Miss Lamb (captain of the Auckland team) with a beautiful box of chocolates, draped in blue and white ribbon, and a floral bouquet in honor of their visit to Gisborne and success in the tournament. In making the presentation. Sir James Carroll referred to the pleasure caused by the girls and the pleasure it gave to those in whose homes they had been billeted. Mr Kent replied on behalf of Miss Lamb, and spoke in laudatory terms of the appreciation felt by the girls for the hospitality and kindness of the people in Gisborne, which did much towards making the stay enjoyable, and he said . all the girls would return to their homes ( with a warm 6pot iti their hearts for Gis- , borne and its people. (Applause.) The toakt -of the Auckland Association j was given musicaf honors, having been ; proposed by Sir James Carroll, and being replied to by Mr Norton, vice-president of the Auckland Association, who referred t to the pleasure it gave him to be present and the completeness of ths tournament arrangements and warm-he:' rtedness of the inhabitants. The Poverty Bay team well deserved the title of ti.o champion team in New Zealand. They (Auckland) ■were proud to be the ruimert-up to such a fine team. Regarding the final match his team had no regrets to make .or excuses to tender. The better team won, find the winners were of a higher calibre than the Auckland girls. Hr thanked those present for honoring the Associa- ; tion with the toast. ' Mr. Norton then proposed, the toast io the girls' champion hockey team (Pov-. erty Bay), which was responded to by Mr. H. A. Armstrong' (president of the association). Mr. Armstrong thanked tne Auckland team for the honor accorded the Gisborne girls. He agreed with, the former speakers .that they justly UeserveU the champioYiship. He was pleased to see Auckland secure the Lloyd Shield. In twenty years' experience he had never known a keener lot of girls than the Poverty Bay players. Right throughout the season it was no trouble to get them out to morning practice. He was satisfied that their keenness was the main contributory reason lor their success. Of course, he recognised that in a city like Auckland it would be harder to get the teams to practise, and to give them the same amount ol training as was given the local girls. The morning practices attended regularly had mauo the Poverty Bay girls so ftt. Mr. Kent then proposed a toast to the Club and members at the Hockey Executive, and paid a tribute to the com-, plotencss of the general arrangements. Messrs. T. Haisman and G. Jl. Buscke suitably replied. Mr. Buscke said the local executive had worked to a «nan, and the keenness of the girls called upon them to give their attentions to help along the sport. Cheers for tho Cosmopolitan Club, the

Poverty Bay team, .the Auckland team, and Poverty Hay Association, loliowed by the singing of Aukl Lang Syne, concluded the proceedings* . ,

Through the Kindness ol Mr. R. Morse, Mr. G. R. Buscke (chairman of tUe P.B. Hockey Association) went to the Arahura last night in the Harbor Board's launch, ami interviewed the irianagers of each •of the southern teams on board, and. each endorsed tlie expression* of appreciation already made during their stay in.Gisborne, aiul complimented the fessotiation on Ihe conduct of the tournament.