NO MATCH

Southland Times, Issue 25310, 13 June 1935, Page 8

NO MATCH

INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM GORE AREA UNDER SNOW DISAPPOINTING DAY A mantle of snow, six or seven inches in depth, robbed some 700 enthusiasts at the Gore Showgrounds yesterday afternoon of the opportunity of seeing in action the AU-India hockey team, a combination which has electrified New Zealand sportsmen in the spectacular way that the famous All Black team did in 1905 on the other side of the world. Advice was received in Invercargill about 8.30 a.m. that the match between the visitors and an Eastern-Northern team had been cancelled owing to the playing area being so heavily covered with snow, and local players who had intended taking part in a curtainraiser werj communicated with by the officials of the Southland Association and acquainted with the position. Shortly after 11 o’clock, however, it was announced that the match would take place and a search for the players to travel to Gore had to be made. Practically a full team was recruited, and the players, together with Mr F. Hinton (the referee appointed for the main game) and several local enthusiasts of the sport left by car for Gore. The state of the ground and the fact that isolated snowfalls were still taking

place had occasioned much anxiety to the Eastern-Northern Sub-Association but the weather gave every indication of breaking as the morning advanced. A party of unemployed men was engaged to shovel the snow from the goal-mouths and side-lines, while the ground was raked with a machine in an attempt to improve the playing area. Considering the conditions, the attendance was quite satisfactory and keen disappointment was expressed, when, on behalf of the local sub-associ-ation, Mr C. C. Holland (representing the New Zealand Association) announced from the stand enclosure at about a-quarter to three that the main match would not take place. He explained that the sub-association officials had endeavoured to do their utmost to keep faith with the public, but unfortunately the elements were right against them. No one regretted the position more than did the executive of the sub-association, added Mr Holland, but as a slight recompense the Southland colts had agreed to play a “comedy” match against the EasternNorthern juniors. . A score or more schoolboys had in the meantime been busily engaged in trying to clear the ground of much of the snow. As if in carpet runners, it was rolled towards the side-lines and considerable energy had often to be expended by each party of volunteers. The task, however, was too formidable and it would have taken two or three hours to make the area at all playable. A Times reporter who inspected it found himself sinking ankle deep into the soft snow, and had the match been played on the ground it would have developed purely into a "game of hide and seek with the ball. Several of the Indians lent a hand with the shovel and snapshots which should prove very interesting to their friends in their homeland were obtained. In the meantime selections by the Gore Band supplied the only bright notes in a dismal afternoon. A nearby playing ground was then used for the “comedy" game, but the grandstand and ground speedily emptied. Some congestion occurred at the ground gates, for the officials there were handing back admission tickets. The players in the scratch game simply ploughed through the snow, and on countless occasions the minutes ticked by as the ball had to be dug up from the snow. The Eastern-North-erners, who proved adepts at scooping the ball through the snow, were victorious by six goals to nil. The /.11-India team are expected to arrive in Invercargill this afternoon and will be accorded a civic welcome at the Post Office Rotunda at five o’clock. UMPIRES FOR MATCHES METHOD OF APPOINTMENT. REQUEST FOR CHANGE. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, June 12. At a meeting of the New Zealand Hockey Association to-night, a letter was received from Mr Behram Doctor, manager of the Indian team, asking that some change be made in the method of appointing umpires for matches in which the Indian team played. Mr Doctor suggested that the as- ■ sociation select six umpires and allow the Indian team to choose two of the six to act. The association’s method is to appoint one umpire and allow the i Indians to select any other from the A i grade umpires in New Zealand. It was decided to reply regretting that this • procedure cannot be changed.