HOCKEY HITS.

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 44, 10 July 1915, Page 22

HOCKEY HITS.

[By Line-Out.]

THE only hockey matches played on Saturday were the exhibition games at the Patriotic Sports Carnival. -

The ground was very treacherous in places, aud interfered with the run of the ball, consequently, owing to the style of play selected by the teams, anything but a favourable display of hockey was submitted to the spectators. This was particularly noticeable when the men's senior game came on, for the crowd's attention was diverted to the football.

The Hockey Association had allotted a schoolboys, senior ladies and men's match.

The boys' match, which took place first, was between the Stanley Bay and' Remuera teams, and resulted in a draw. A few bright incidents marked the play, but the youngsters seemed unable to conbat with the ground conditions.

The ladies' teams were composed chiefly of Training College and Mtt. Eden teams. Unfortunately the worst of grounds were played on. A wet, sodden ground is bad enough, but when it is of a lumpy nature also the prospects of seeing hockey are remote.

The ladies did remarkably well under the circumstances. Training College won the day by three goals to nil, but that score does not m the ■least indicate the play. Mount Eden seemed! lost in the circle. They had the chances, but the conspicuous item of their play in the danger zone was an inability to. shoot.

A weakness Mount Eden's halfline was guilty of was playing too far back. This allowed the College forwards too much freedom in getting under way, and also hampered the Mount Eden full-backs.

Although the ground was in bad' condition for the men's senior match it was generally expected a better exposition of the game would have been witnessed. By sticking to the short passing game instead 1 of long passing the first trouble arose. Then for players with their experience several' forwards showed too wandering a disposition. This at once brought about confusion, and! it was no uncommon happening to see two players of the same team scrapping for the ball. The first half of the game was in University's favour, the second spell Areta's. The students gained a win by 4 goals to nil, and this can, be attributed to better circle work. Areta failed! dismally iinJsiid-e the coveted circle, audi the weakness 1 in this portion of play will cost many matches. So far as individual efforts were concerned, very few players claim mention. The winners' goalkeeper, Oockerell, had very few calls, but clearly showed he understood how to meet what came his way. Sloman was alone in the full-back line, his hitting of the ball in the air being a brightness of the game. Rennie and Bongard have the line honours. The latter is a rapidly .-improving player. Somers, in the centre of the forward line, stood above tbe rest. He passed! well, kept his position, and would have proved more dangerous had the inner forwards, Rowe and Mahoney, offered proper support. - The inner forwards both showed an inclination to travel right out of their (proper positions. Mahoney worked hard, but all to no purpose, owing to the methods referred, to.

Fletcher was given a run. on the left wing, but found a difficulty to maintain position, This is not to be wondered at from one so used to the centre of the field. Still, when he got the ball, it was always played to advantage.

Grice, right wing,' is a much imfuoved player. He put in some fine me runs, and knew what to do with the ball. He could easily have been worked to greater advantage.

Areta's forwards gave the impressioni of "the memory of what once was." The only players at all conspicuous, were Thomas and Moginie.

Both the wings, White and Preston, especially the last named,, seemed out to do a freeze only. It's hard to understand why the right is not worked more.

The half-line was poor, and offered very little assistance. Stainton was perhaps the best.

The full-backs, Ellison, and England, offered good dlefence, but were not seen in their usual mood.

It's hard to understand why Manning was ever selected to replace Baildon between Areta's posts. He was palpably weak ,and allowed the softest of shots past.

The referee® at the last meeting had a lecture upon the "penalty bully." The rule was fully discussed, and those present should now be fully acquainted with the interpretation of this all-important rule.

At the next meeting, the "obstruction" rule will be dealt with, and a full attendance of members is requested. This rule offers scope for plenty of discussion, and is one that is not too well understood. The Wellington) hockeyites are having a bad run. The game was greatly upset in the first place owing to the, war, and wet weather has added further trouble by causing a third postponement in succession. The response to the call for recruits in the Manawatu has been so great that it is extremely doubtful if enough senior players are now available to permit of the matches being played. Mr Cameron, secretary Hawke's Bay Hockey Association was a visitor to Auckland last week. Despite the upset caused by the war, the game is making splendid progress in his district. The young players have been given their chance, and show much promise. Sid.„ Bass,, who figured in the Auckland Club several years ago, is back in town. The prospects are that he may referee.

Auditorium. Thhs ; Italian section is unique, as it is the first to present in the actual colours of nature the particular training of the Italian cavalry, infantry and artillery, for the mountain fighting in which they hve been recently engaged. The Kinemaoolor operators, who were specially sent out from England to biograph sections of the Italian army at work have been all over the ground which the Government is using as a base for its attack on Austria. The country is rough, rocky and hountainous, and swiftly rushing rivers and torrents are frequent. It: can be imagined that the Kinemaoolor experts loaded with the heavy cameras and personal baggage had no light task in photographing Italy's war machine. As the great war film will show, they successfully accomplished their task, but admittedly they owe much of their triumph to the Italian Government, which courteously placed officers and . interpreters at their disposal and assisted to their comfort in every possible way. '.

Louise Mack, the celebrated authoress and journalist, who is about to commence an Australian lecturing tour, declares that the most unpopular foreign, writers in Germany are Maeterlinck, the Belgian dramatist; Gabriele d Anmunzio, the Italian poet and playwright, and Bernard Shaw, the briliant Irish wit and proEagandist, ~- The first two writers aye been assiduous in their attacks on Teutonisni, wihilie Shaw audaciously put his case in a well-known pamphlet that showed little tion for the Prussian military machine. That Germany is deeply sensitive of her loss of caste among these notable men is shown by the fact that an official cinema production was issued grossly caricaturing the three writers mentioned I ', and personally attacking them in a set of excctptionally vulgar and questionable verses. This precious effusion was screened' in the Antwerp Cinema Theatres lately, and was received with ribald laughter by an audience mostly composed of German soldiery.

German film-makers (says the "Bulletin," have a deep, wellgrounded faith in the world's credulity, judging by what the Copenhagen correspondent.--of the "Berliner Tageblatt" told his journal respecting picture shows in the Danish capital. The Danes, he said, are in the habit of bursting into nautical song when a British Dreadnought appears on the screen, which happens at least twice a night. "When the screen shows a tiny German submarine attacking one of the British giants," says the "Tageblatt's" reporter, "the public sits still; but the impression is strong and lasting. We are respected." The question is, "Do the Danes really suppose that German submarines attack Dreadnoughts in the presence tof specially-engaged kinematographers, or does the audience sit silent, appalled by the audacity of the fake?"