HOCKEY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 78, 8 May 1914, Page 2

HOCKEY.

CONTROL OF THE GAME.

AN AUCKLAND ATTACK.

It is evident that there is strong feeling in northern hockey circles regarding the methods of the Council of the New Zealand Hockey Association. When the telegraphed report of the annual meeting of the association, and of the defeat of the motion to change headquarters for the ensuing year from Christchurch... to Wellington, wks received in Auckland, Mr L. H. Norton, chairman of the Auckland Hockey Association, had some comments to. make when Approached on the matter.

- THE AUCKLAND VIEWPOINT. Mr Nbrton stated that he could not "believe that the voting figures of eight for the change and sixteen against indicated the actual feeling of the various affiliated associations. Indeed the Auckland Association had "been advised of strong support by five associations, representing, with its own, 11 votes, and it could only be assumed that some of the delegates who were given a free hand in the matter were influenced by * the . remarks of the chairman of the meeting, and by the general denial of . bungling in Connection -with the. proposed visit of an English team made by .the president and members of the committee/ ' Before moving in the matter ..the Auckland Association had considered it tvery carefully, and. was fully conviitiged that in the interests of the . game*-throughout the Dominion, a ehange of headquarters was absolutely essential. It was felt that the present committee had not the; confidence of the associations which is/ essential if the game is to maintain its position in the ! "~ sport of the Dominion. But even apart from this, the position of Christchurch was altogether too isolated for the majority of the and for this reason alone the time had'arrived when Wellington ■ should be considered as the only possible centre. The Auckland Association had always endeavouredito eliminate any qiiestion of north versus' south, but the fact that the game yfasy progressing , twice as rapidsly -in the North Island;; as - in. the . south was significant. Notwithstanding. that . tho, south , was the first to adopt the game, therev were now approximately two-thirds of the affiliated players in /the North Island; and it seemed safeYto say that this proportion is being and would be maintained. QUESTION. OF DELEGATES.

• - Although no notice of motion was .necessary -to effect -the change. (continued Mr Norton), the Auckland Association y advised the New Zealand Committee, but of courtesy, that it had instructed its delegates to move in the matter. , From presa reports i t would appear {that i the; motion was decided on the'question of the failure to bring out the English team this season,* and the reported remarks. of the: president (Mr E. Nordon) •were sd misleading, that it was>.not.dif-, ficult to understand how some of the delegates were possibly misled. The chairman made much of the point that the, Neyr Zealand "Committee not only i granted £5 towards the expenses of the Auckland delegate to visit Christjchureh. to v re-open 1 the question, but that: the. members: of the committee had personally guaranteed £IOO for the tour. "What are the actual * facts?" said Mr Norton. "The committee in the first place actually refused io receive a] delegate frojn Auckland, notwithstanding that that association lad stated: tliat it felt" sure the matter Tvas capable -of easy arrangement, and the conference was only granted when , Auckland'pressed the matter. The New Zealand iCominittee apparently thought So little of the matter that there was no ?uorum to meet the delegate at the conereniee, and; it had toi be postponed until the following Monday, when the secretary again had great difficulty in getting the requisite five members, and at least one jnember who was in . town did not think it worth while to attend after the Auckland delegate had jouraacyfed 600 v miles. At . - this -■ time the tour had been definitely'-abandoned by the New Zealand Committee, which admitted; its failure to find a minimum amount of £SOO and a maximum of £7OO from all the affiHated Jassociations, although Auckland had guaranteed £IOO, Wellington £75, Hawkers Bay .£75, Canterbury £IOO, Nelson £SO, Waikato £SO, and Wairarapa £SO. Canterbury guarantee was put up the night the New Bealand Association abandoned the tour, the latter body not troubling to find out . "what the 'Canterbury Association was doing in the matter. ; "LACK OF BUSINESS .ABILITY.'' At the time the New' Zealand Com mittee abandoned the tour, and cabled England accordingly, it had not itself guaranteed £5, let alone £IOO, and the reason that the £IOO was put up by the members of the committee was because the Auckland delegate, who committed his association for " £3po, did so on the strict understanding that the New Zealand Association found the difference between approximately £9OO, which was to be guaranteed by the affiliated associations, and £llOO, the estimated total cost of the tour, as far as New Zealand was concerned. Indeed, from the very outset the New Zealand Committee failed to grasp the problem, and showed a lack of business- jability that was utterly surprising, to say the least. The tour "was abandoned when it should never have been abandoned, and after the Auckland Association had reopened the matter and practically given the New Zealand Committee the means of successfully * conducting the tour, even though not one penny was taken at any of the gates, the New Zealand body again let the matter slip through its fingers, and this when the English team had been got together and reported by the secretary of the English Council as '• 'a very strong combination, comprising seven internationals, and all the rest either divisional or county representatives." It was eer.tainly unfortunate that the English should leave; its request for an English guarantor so late,'but even so this did ' not in any ; way. excuse the New Zealand governing body. THE BANK GUARANTEE.

The request for this guarantor reached the New Zealand Committee through Mr Eliot Davis, of Auckland,

who had arranged the tour in England. In. sending the request to the New Zealand Asseciation, Mr Davis asked whether, with the guarantees in hand from the different associations, the committee could arrange a bank guarantee for £750 (the amount asked by England), pointing out that such a guarantee would have to reach the English Council before January 24, the day the council was to meet to receive New Zealand's reply. Notwithstanding that the question of this guarantee being .made before January 24 was absolutely essential, the next thing Auckland heard was that the New Zealand Committee had -cabled offering a bank guarantee on April 1. Auckland, in protesting, offered the committee a bank guarantee there and then for £3OO out of the £750, but notwithstanding this the governing council failed, either through indifference or inability, to raise the other £450, and so the English Council, put of courtesy to New Zealand, cabled that' 'it regretted its inability to get a sufficiently strong team away.'

"NO EXCUSE."

"Personally," went on Mr Norton, "I cannot find any excuse for the New Zealand Committee, and such is the opinion of the Auckland Executive. If the N"ew Zealand Committee had repliedYto Mr Davis before cabling England offering a guarantee in April, when it was insisted on in January, the full guarantee would have been arranged in Auckland, and the English team wjuld now be embarking for New Zealand. 'lt is entirely New Zealand's loss, and ®fevNew Zealand Committee, having been returned to office, should eohgratulfiflpbi|s6lf; on its good fortune. We must tal&r-'it, however, that hockey players are e&S^lgoing. '' While. ths sew Zealand Hockey Association has* so -signally failed to get the Englishfefih ont," Mr Norton concluded, "the New Zealand Association- (frnth'. headquarters at Wellington) hasi completed arrangements for the Visit of an English ladies' team this season, showing what a little enterprise and-' 'enthusiasm will do. Good luck to the ladies!"

THE SEASON'S PROSPECTS.

The proposal to move the headquarters of the New Zealand Hockey Association from Christchurch to Wellington received' little support from the annual meeting of delegates to that association. On the contrary, the meeting expressed its . appreciation ; 9,nd; confidence in last year 's executive • l?y an overwhelming majority. Tp-morrow (Saturday) the C.H.A. competitions will commence in real earnest, and .1 would predict keen contests for the various grade premierships. Sydenham have a first.-class chance of recovering the position they held two; years ago. The personnel of the-club 's two senior teams has been the .subject of. much discussion. The following teams have been selected: — Ai'team: Goal, .J, RoJbbj,backs, W. Skelton; and G. Sherwood; halves—J. Pageoe, I). Shell, W; Duffield; forwards —W. R. Patrick, E. Hulbert, H. Tlirop, S. Hawkins, S. Holland. ' B team: Goal, T. Butterfield; backs, P. Berry and C. Bowden; halves —O. Butterfield, A. Hall, E. Skelton; forwards—G. Hutchings, J. Hamilton, E. Cummins, J. H. Jacobs, E. Ballinger. These teams will undoubtedly surprise many players, who have claimed to be able the Sydenham Club's team. The. A team will only have five of its last year's team in the same team this year. \ *■ Chambers has debided to retire from the game for tlie piesent, but it is pleasing to note that his old partner, ,G. Sherwood, will again be out this year. Every member of 'the-Sydenham Club's A'team, with the exception of Robb, has earned his representative cap. Robb has his South Canterbury representative cap. The club's strength may be gauged by the fact that such players as J. H. Jacobs and C; Bowden are only able to secure a place id their B team. Robb, W. Skelton, Duffield, and* Holland have earned their' places in the A team, while Patrick and Sherwood hav6 decided to don the blue and black halves again. Hawkins gives way to Patrick as right wing, but takes up the new position of left inside in the same team. E. Skelton,' last year's A goalkeeper, will play half -for the B team. Hamilton, Jacobs, Hall, "and E. Bowden have all had to"* accept; positions in the same team. The Sydenham A team should win the senior competition, with their B team and U.R.C. fighting hard, for second place. At the last meeting of the' Executive of the C.H.A. a : letter was received from Harry Oram, of Kaiapoi, asking for records of matches, etc., in he had done service. It is gratifying to know that our old players, although not actively participating in the game,, still retain their old interest in the -sport. The matter of the various sports bodies having direct representation on the Domains Board also received consideration at the last meeting of the C.H.A* The-view taken —viz., that the C.H.A. will support the Rugby Union on the condition that each body nominates one member —is, I think, the proper course to take. However, I now understand that it will be impossible to secure direct representation this year, as the Government had to nominate its members before the end of April. I understand" that Dr Levinge is to be asked to especially look after the interests of the various sports -bodies. Thp following have been appointed a Junior Representative Selection Committee:—Messrs N. B. M'CallUin, 1 W. C. Bishop, and T. Hughes. These jfentlemen should give the junior players every satisfaction. ~, : The interest and enthusiasm' shown by the newly-formed Star Clujl puts some of the older clubs to shame. It is to be hoped that the interest row so evident will be retained. I would take this opportunity of wishing the Star Club a successful season. I understand that there is a possibility of Hay not playing for a week or two yet, owing to reeently-rje ;eived injuries. Parton is to play centre half for U.R.C. this year, and he should strengthen their defence considerably. Several of the teams will be short on account of the military camp at Kowai, which will not conclude until May 16. Sydenham will, in all probability, have to withdraw their Fifth Grape team, owing to the loss of many of last year's juniors* .