HOCKEY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14013, 18 September 1909, Page 5

HOCKEY.

(By "Sport.") . The M-uiauatii-WeHinglon shield challenge match is to be pluod at Wellington next Satuida.v, imt to-day as stated list we<«U. -Probably with this match the curtain | will bo rung down on the lfH» season in the dominion. Locally the hockey stick has been aside snnio weeks, and is nowgiving place to the eriokot bai and tho ; tennis racquet. From its most important aspoet. intor-ehrh- hockey, a distincUy amcesvtyl -Reason can be looked baefcr^on. In fact in tho puwber of oointjcting teams a record for Tarsnaki was •established, nine teams competing i for tho championship as against seven i the previous year. 'Hie alternating for- j tiunjs of the various teams wore followed with much interest and the season- | games provided several siUpri«s which naturally mado matters tho more interosti^fi. Tho wlutlesnmo keenness shown I in tho competition, in "tho sei U i-fi Ua ls and"" final ospociajly, by players And | sjwetators alike. IrA% 4 a -<ft">tiire- of- the I past* reason and augurs well for tho' fu1 turo> of tho groat stick gamo^-iu this , I district. In Now Plymouth tho formation-, of a third team did mnch for tho game and next season ovon greater progress is hoped for. For its population. Inglfwood, with its throo men's and ono lady's toim, night bo .formed a hookey strontrboW. In South Tarnnnki there is evidence of the growth of the game in thr formation of th^ Eltlnni Cluty. and the ro\ivnl of tho Opunake and Pihama Clifh*. Tho Hawcra Club, too,:should bo able next season to run two "teams. To 'rnistain biferost in tho gam* in the sonth-wostorn portion of tho jrovinoe, it would |>c w<>|| f,, r tho Tarawaki Association to consider the feasibility of irninffUTjrtin": a western division competition, at, in Hugh} footballs • ' - TJJe formation of a Taranaki Ifeferoesf' Association must come next se-i-son if tlio couipotjtiona arc to Iv- stiisfactorilv coiu?uct<"l* An oarh mmc \ next season Injfnro tho annual meeting of tho Hocikoy Afraorfflrtion should we n teforoos' association suecessfulls launched. Ajtot her nia*tor which should have tho consideration of all. ehfbs right i t\nn.f is the improvement of grounds for ■ next fceason. All ground* are- rapablo nf i muo^' improveiiK'iit. Bettor grounds J moan improved play and improved play I —the development of the science of tlio

game — is what is required. Now is the time to consider the question of ground improvements, and I hope the reminder will serve its purpose. Tho following from last week's Referee gives an idea of the .progress hocko> is making in New South Wajes:— •Corona and tho Hawke«bary Agricultural College match practically finishes tho season of 190&. And ft very successful season 1t has been. First and foremost Now South Wales has- won tho two inter-State matches,- and that, too, away from home. When tho llawkosbury Agricultural Colk'ge was in residence (bore were twenty-one toiuiis playing, representing ten clubs. ! As a matter of fact there are eleven dubs, but the Sydneians wore unable to place a team in tho field this year. Tbov will, however, have two tennis placing in lyiO. This season has' seen the start of the game in the country ilisttiots Tho llawkosbury Agricultural College now has two teams playing. A club is Ijoing formed at Arniid.ile, ;>nd will eoino into existence next yo-ir. Tho Arnudalo people anticipate that once tho game is started there it w ill spread up and down the lino. If so, all the hotter. Thoro is talk also of starting hocko> at Newcastle. So *tbat hockey players havo every reason to be pleased with tho progress of tho game. The state of affiirs now is a good di-jil different to what it was three years i ago when ih<> game started." The Now Zealand challenge shield shall be held by an association subject to the right of challenge by an affiliated j association, but is not to be called upon ! to play more challenge matches in the J season thai, the managing committee of j the New Zealand Association considers advisable, provided that an association, mooting the hoHo- -f ♦'■• <-'"'-l ' > t'y. ' course of its ci liii.ii> jisswi uuioli | !■>■■< ' shall have the right to declaim .eJiand to tho Now Zealand A~so- I eiiitioli, nli<l (o the <i.s.x<k iaiiim holding j the sliK-lW that such match shall also be a challenge match All challenge matches shall be played on the ground of the holders unless otherwise agreed upon. No challenge match shall be played after the last Saturday in Sep-tomlM-r, and not earlier than March 1. Ih all matches for the shield the referee shall be appointed by the Now Zealand Association. In the event of tho scores Ix'ing oven at tho conclusion, the play shall proceed a* follows: — After five minutes interval, quarter-hour spells shall bo continued until a scoro is registered, the teams to change 6nds each quartor-hour. Any dispute Arising in connection with the compct ivimib lor this shield shall be decided I)V the management committee of the New Zealand Association.