HOCKEY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 17 (Supplement)

HOCKEY.

Hockey has always been a very popular game with a large section of the sport-loving public, ’men - and women alike, and in South Canterbury, it has a large number of devotees.

The game was placed on an organised basis, as far as Timaru is concerned, about the year 1907, but at that time the controlling body was in Christchurch and the local Association was merely a branch. The game continued to prosper, and several teams, both ladies’ and men’s, engaged in the competitions. In 1910 it was found that hockey was in such a sound position in South Canterbury that control from Christchurch was unnecessary and caused much needles inconvenience. The local sub-As-sociation therefore moved to break away from the parent body, but the latter strongly disapproved of their action, and it was some time before Timaru had its way, and a local Association was formed.

From that time until 1914 the stick game progressed by leaps and bounds; and the year before the Avar seav hockey at its zenith. Then came the crash, and hockey players, in common Avith ail other sportsmen, Avent to join the colours. This Avas a bIoAV from which the game is only just beginning to recover. At the end of 1915 the junior competition closed and has not since been revived. Five-a-side tourneys were held almost every year, and resulted as iolloavs:— Men’s Shield, Ashburton 1911 and 1912; Cambridge, 1913-1915; Geraldine, 1917; Timaru, 1918-1919; Te Rangi, 1920; Geraldine 1922; C.F.C.A., 1923. Men’s Junior Cup—Geraldine, 1910; St. Mary’s, 1911, 1913; Temuka, 1914, 1915. Men’s Senior Cup —Timaru, 1919; Geraldine, 1920, 1922; C.F.C.A., 1923. Ladies—Ramblers, 1921; Stafford, 1922; Orari, 1923.