HOCKEY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143839, 13 July 1912, Page 8

HOCKEY.

(By/‘Circle.’O

The selectors have chosen the following team to represent Taranaki on the : coming tour-.—Stevens, Curtis, Lightfoot, Tvl. Harris, Hopson, J. Harris, iiriost. (Inglewood), Sargent, Sage, Fryer (Mawera), Power and Bennett (Kapotiga). The older, players have bee'u wisely retained and the combination is indeed a formidable one. The forward and back lines are the strongest and.no doubt the ’halved will greatly improve with representative practice. It is just possible that a practice game will be played at Hawera on Thursday next. Owing to tiro Auckland team having to go to Christchurch for its. Shield encounter the proposed match against Taranaki has been abandoned-. The Taranaki Association is trying to arrange a match with Auckland at New Plymouth on the return of the iteam.. . The two New Plymouth Saturday teams have, now had, four games, Sc. Alary’s winning two and Egmont two. To-day they are holding a combined practice and next Saturday will probably meet for the fifth time., A, good healthy rivalry exists between the clubs and liyth sides have’ recently, been strengtuened by the addition, to their ranks of ex-representative players from other provinces. . , 1 The Auckland) team, which will be the first challengers against Canterbury for the' Shield, will leave home on Sunday night, play a friendly game with ■Wellington on Tuesday and the challenge match at Christchurch bn Thursday'next. The team is as follows: Goal, W. Allen; full-backs, H. B. Speight, and E. E. Jacobsen; halfbacks, L. G. Eobinson, D. K... Porter, V. C. Kavanagk and M. Ali>on; forwards, C. N. Jacobsen, J. Mahoney, F; E. Mason, N, E. Jacobsen, J. B. Eeynolds and E. W. Barry. In the opinion of the writer, and of ex-representa-tives who have been spoken to, it is the strongest team Auckland has - got together and Canterbury will have to be a very hot eleven to retain the shield. Under the heading of “A Eoform Wanted,the hockey writer in the New, Zealand, Times contributes the following notes a neat the last shield' match when Canterbury defeated Wellington. He; saysl he Canterbury team, ctousidered collectively, AVas a powerful combination ’ and reflected great credit on the selectors tor the choice they had made. But there are points ‘about the display of the -team which, though it is with great reluctance they, are "mentioned; here, cannot but awaken in the ardent follower of the game" the gravest tears for its future welfare. The controlling body in Canterbury—and with all due respect the fault, too, in a great measure, lies with the referees—are allowing objectionable tactics, for, which no provision but a penalty is provided in'the book of rules, to go unchecked, and judging by the increase which has taken place in such tactics it will not bo many years (if the referees do not keep a strict eye upon them) before they will spread to other districts. Should that occur* .hockey will -then be as dangerous a game as could possibly be imagined. In giving publicity to such opinions as these “Hoquot” does not wish in any way to exaggerate the case or to decry the victory of the Canterbury • team over Wellington. The writer acknowledges that-on the day . the better team won, but as for some of the tactics employed, no impartial follower would' for, a moment restrain himself from expressing his resentment. The amount of deliberate . obstruction , indulged jn by a great nuraber of the Canterbury .men, the intentional tripping of -a Wellington player by an opponent when making for the" attack, the unnecessary “hooking" of sticks cither ‘in the field

pf piny or in the circle, and the total disregard of a player's head, feet, or knees when controlling the ball, bring discredit upon the win. A rather peculiar part of the whole affair is that in conversation with" some of the visiting players after the contest it was learned that they were greatly disappointed at the- way the referees ; had penalised them, which, in their opinion, was quite uncalled for! Hence the reasonJor tho warning above, because it must he patent' to. any of the: ■spectators present that, if hockey were allowed to be played according to the Canterbury men’s ideas, there would bo a great number of accidents to be recorded after each Saturday, afternoon's matches, ‘ Let the controlling body of hookey in Canterbury, where the evils complained of are said to be-rife, take the matter of reform in hand .without! delay, for it: is indeed a serious matter, , and with .the. assistance, of the referees they should be able."in the course of a season to eliminate the defects so prevalent in the present style of' play, which thenceforward would be on, much' the same footing as.that of other associations which abide by the rules as set down for the, safe control of a game that bids fair to become a great factor, in building up the physical well-being, pf the younger generation of New Zealanders- ' : ' Considerable , discussion has arisen; rey centljr in hockey ciroleshas the result' of a ruling given when the hall was not stopped motionless on the ground from a, corner hit. At'a meeting of the international Hockey Board, held; in London a, few weeks ago, the .Question:arose and the rule was altered ’.to i-'fead: ‘That no goal can he scored from a corner • hit unless the . ball has ; been Stopped (not nccessarily.’^yhotionless),^’ ■ etc.. Referees should fake notice of the inclusion of the words “not necessarily motionless." At the same" time; hitting at a flying, hall is noli permittedthe penalty remains-a free hhit.!, The penalty clause in relation to corner hits now ’ reads; ‘ ‘lf any. player ' when the corner is , hit' out*, without attempting 'to'stop the-ball, takes it flying hit at goal,, the umpire’’ shall award a free hit to the defending team. 1 ’■ ladieFhockey. . The Whakatita-Papakura match was not played mu Thursday owing, to the Inglewood team considering it, best to postpone on account of the rain. It will be played next Thursday. . . . The second round of fixtures in the northern division of the Taranaki Ladies’ Hockey Association is now completed. The holiday question has been the cause of at least four matches not being played, and* so it is hardly fair to publish how the teams stand. As matters are at present Whakatika and Reform clubs are leading, l although both, ■ and Ngatimoru and Papakura too, have yet to play'matches. ■ , ; The Whakatika team vent down to the Reform players at Eltham lait Saturday by five goals to two. They fully acknowledge their defeat, although they appear to have good cause to complain at the condition of therEltbain ground, This particular playing area is, never very first-class, and the heavy rams before the match did nob tend to decrease, the number of slippery patches. The players, and referee too, were to, be. more pitied than envied, and all were more or less nmd-caked when the game finished. The Eltham players are sport-

ing enough, but the condition of their , ground has been the cause of adverse - comment beforehand the least they , can do is to put it into decent 'playing fbrder, 1 The Taranaki Ladies’ Association; through no fault of its own, is deficient . ■ in fund" 'and,'; in - view Of the intentioii) ’ to send a team to compete at the championship tournament at Auckland, is setting out to improve its condition. At its last meeting all affiliated clubs v were askhd to promote some social func- : ■>: :tion towards the association’s finances. . A. deputation of two from the 1 local club waited on the Royal Pictures’ pro* prietary, and Mr. Crust very generouslygave up a night for the association. Tuesday, the 23rd. was decided on, and ■ the ladies , are doing their utmost to Unsure a bumper house. , .