HOCKEY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13921, 27 March 1909, Page 9

HOCKEY.

(By "Sport.")

A\ ith the gradual cessation of summer games hockoyites are beginning to I'Kifc out their gear in preparation for the 1909 season. Elsewhere in the Dominion clubs are holding their annual meetings and big increases of membership are reported in every case. May this be the case in Taranaki.

The annual meeting oi me Taranaki Hockey Association is to be held during the next fortnight. The annual report and balance-sheet should be available within the next few days. As yet I have not heard of any of the Taranaki clubs having held their meetings, but these will probably bo hold during the next two weeks. Another month should see the commencement of the inter-club competitions; the earlier after Easter the better. The number of inter-provincial matches is increasing each year and these arc found to detrimentally affect the championship competition unless an early start is made with the latter. * "^

A motion to revert to a North and a South Division competition for the coming seasou is, 1 understand, to come before the annual meeting of the Tarnnaki Association. This is a step ill the right direction. With the present position the travelling inconvenience for players, both north and south, is* considerably. A diminution of the travelling inconvenience would be welcome, and it would also be in the best interests of the game, at all events in North Taranaki. Last year Hawera, with' one team, was the only club in the south playing in the competition. Opunake formed a club towards the latter end of hist season and I hear Manaia is to follow suit, so that prospects in tho south are brightening.

In North Taranaki a third team in Inglewood is spoken of. With these and Stratford, Carrington Road, and Xew Plymouth — the latter with possibly two teams — a good seasojj should be experienced. An endeavour should be made to form a club at Waitara this season.

A matter which should have the early attention of the Taranaki Association is the formation of a Referees' Association. I hope to see this matter brought forward at the forthcoming meeting, and a Referees' Association formed before the commencement of the club competition. The Wellington Hockey Association is endravouring to arrange for a roprepentative team to £o to Nelson at Easter time. Some of the members of la.-=t year's touringg team have been approached, and some have expressed

their willingness to make the trip. If the visit is m:«d»> (says The Dominion) it i* possible that the «team will go on to Marlborough and play a match with that association.

A NEW RULE.

In the "Rules of the Game of Hockey," issued under authority of the English Hockey Association, which have just reached the Dominion, a new rule is provided under the heading "Penalty Corner." It reads: "A plaj'er of the attacking team shall have a hit from any point on the goal line he may choose, and at the moment of such hit all the defending team (their sticks and feet) must be behind their own goal lino, also all the attacking team must be outside the striking circle in tho field of play." Hitherto any breach of a rule by the defending team inside their own striking circle has been potfalisod by either an ordinary bully or a penalty bully. In future there will be no ordinary bul'ies Inside the striking circle, but in their place will be awarded penalty norners. That is, the attacking side will be entitled to a free hit, from anywhere on the defender's goal lino. The penalty for a breach is thus made much mote real than under the old rule. It is expected that the now regulation will be approved by the New Zealand Hockey Association, and it will bo observed throughout New Zealand this coming season.