HOCKEY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16806, 12 August 1925, Page 4

HOCKEY.

(By “Left Half.”)

The news of the week is the allocation of the Now Zealand ladies’ championship tournament to Poverty Bay. There will be a tremendous amount of interest - in the fixture, and the Association has already set afoot the preliminary arrangements.

There may be some who feel that without the championship tournamtarit Poverty Bay had a sufficient number of first-class matches in prospect, with the Nordcu Cup, the Lady Carroll .Shield, the Haapu Rose-bowl and tho Kcrckere Cup drawing numerous challenges in both the men’s and ladies’ divisions. It will be generally felt, certainly, that the Hockey Association lias undertaken a heavy programme; still it cannot bo argued but that the ladies’ championship, tournament is an attraction without peer in the hockey world, and that the Association did right, to accept it, having pressed so far with its application.

There seem to be few difficulties in the way of the organisers. Out of one consideration, which lay beyond the control of the Poverty Bay Association, that is, the postponement, of the decision on the applications, two further complications arise. The first, of these is that the tournament cannot be held, as was interfiled, during the school holidays, and the second is that tnc notice given to other associations is so short. It had been intended to give a full month’s notice of the date, but the failuro of tho New Zealand Council to conic to an early decision put that out of the question. These difficulties will be got over. The associations that proposed to send teams to the championship this year have all known that the notice might be short, and no doubt have had their selectors busy. In regard to the matter of finance, the principal obligations for immediate consideration arc those connected with quartering and entertaining the visiting teams. No doubt the greater number of the visitors will be billottcd, as before, and private entertainment will account for a good deal of their spare time. Nevertheless, a reasonable sum must, be allowed for the preliminary expenses, and the executive have not set, the figure too high at £SO. That sum should be easily realisable, and already arrangements arc in hand for giving the public something in the nature of a quid pro quo, in return for their subscriptions. The Association lias had placed at its service flic use of the Rose room at, Le Grande Lounge, and other offers of help will no doubt be forthcoming.

A detail that should be borne in mind is that tournaments such as this give ipeople mere encouragement to stay in Gisborne and spend money here. Last year, when the teams assembled at Nelson, it, was conservatively estimated that £4OOO was spent by Hie teams apart from the, thousands, that must have circulated as a result of the influx of non-playing enthusiasts. To secure a mQre local example, almost every shopkeeper in 1 own must hav;o noted how freely money moved on - the occasion of the last championship tournament at Gisborne. It was apt merely the lidded flow,of money that was noted, but the general pitch of healthy excitement at which the business of the townspeople, public ail’d private, moved during the period. * * * * The Poverty Bay selectors have put out another representative team, to defend the Norden Cup against the challenge of Opotiki. Thcrc_ arc but two alterations from the side which mot Wairoa, these being the transfer of .1. Pollock from inside right to.fullback, and the filling of the forward gap by a second Bnbbington, a, brother of that Babbington who did so well in the, AVaivoa match. McKay will work in closer touch with the centre.where Duncan holds his place to the general satisfaction (though he; declares lie docs not feel at home there). A re-arrangement of the halves puts Langhornc on the right and Fitzmaurice at centre.

A follower of field games and sports drew “Loft Half’s” attention the other day lo the general usefulness of Fitzmaurice, who"has represented the district in soccer and hockey, and also in rowing, besides gaining honors in Rugby, cycling, and other sports. He has a very line‘physique, and strips better than one would imagine; had he boon content to concentrate, ho might have gone a long way in any one of a number of athletic lines, blithe has not that temperament.

The AVairoa men’s team which was defeated at Gisborne on Thursday last was. it is reported, only assembled with some difficulty, as men’s hockey has not been doing well of late down that way. The ladies’ division is going very strong, however, and it, is confidently expected that the representative- team which will later play for the Lady Carroll Shield will give the holders a, hard game.