HOCKEY HITS.

Observer, Volume XXXV, Issue 50, 21 August 1915, Page 22

HOCKEY HITS.

[By Line-Out.]

ANOTHER ladies' championship has been decided, and for the first time Mount Eden have the coveted honours. Throughout the season the champions have shown consistent form, and from a series of nine matches emerged Avithout defeat. The biggest check received was in the first meeting Avith Thistle and the second test with Training College. The players recognised the value of maintaining and mastering the play of their respective positions. This enabled them to adopt a game of the solid rather than brilliant order. Perseverance has been the keynote of their success. In glancing over the records of Auckland's ladies' hockey, it is seen the first championship was Avon by Wapiti in the season of 1903. The following year Wapiti again won, after a great match with Kopana. In 1905 a new team, Moana, made its appearance in the competition ,and caused considerable surprise by defeating Kopana, which team in previous seasons had disputed the season's title with Wapiti- The meeting of Moana and Wapiti in the final is a match ever to be remembered. As the Moana player was about to shoot for goal the whistle sounded time, and once again Wapiti were champions. The triple victory gave them the ownership of tbe cup. This proved the winners' last year in the Icompetition, and, still retaining the cup, the ladies' championship was left without a trophy. This state of affairs did not last long, for one of the finest supporters Auckland's (in fact, the Dominion's) hockey has ever had (Mr Rees George) secured the banner now fought for every year. At last came Kopana's turn for championship honours, and in 1906, after three games with Moana, they defeated their worthy rivals in a very certain manner . The Onehxtniga team had been knocking for the honour for several seasons, and,

fitfange to note, it is to 1914 the only team with but one championship to its credit. The crack Moana team gained the honours in 1907 and 1908. The following year a new team in Rangatira appeared!, and gave us the brightest hockey ever seen in the local ladies' section. The season's honours easily fell to their lot. In 1910 the Avay Avas not so easy, for Arawa made their claims felt. That championship final was the greatest ever played, and it is a pity that the same public interest could not be evinced nowadays. The field was thronged Avit'h spectators, in places four deep, and an exciting, and interesting match resulted in' victory for Rangatira by one goal to nil. This crack team was coached by Harold Mather, one of the finest players New Zealand ever saw. That season was the passing away of Rangitira, and, with the new teams in the field, the prospective champions of 1911 were well concealed. The final was fought between Training College and Ao-te-roa and! ia no uncertain manner the College team proved victorious by 5 goals to nil. The College team followed' up their success during the next three years, and a welcome change came with Mt. Eden's AvJn this year. The season's champions have a very fine record. On the carnival day they won the seven a-£|ide tournament, and also captured the relay race and ladies' championship sprint. The various matches under the Auckland: Men's Association were continued last Saturday, wins being secured by University, 3, v. Areta, 1; Auckland 4 v. Mount, Eden, 2. A ray of hope was held in some quarters that Areta Avould account for University, and although the students had a somewhat reorganised team, it did not prove a combination of total strangers. The students' position as champions for the season Avas already assured, and their ambition Avas to improve their record of championship points. Anthough by no means an exposition in any way pertaining to a high standard, it Avas nevertheless very interesting. The heavy rains that set in made the ground very slippery, and players experienced difficulty in maintaining the perpendicular. The most pleasing feature of all is that although such adverse conditions prevailed the ground did not cut up. An improvement to the Areta defence was the inclusion of Mackie as goalkeeper. It is rather regrettable the ex-Pomsonbyite has been lost to the game during the preceding portion of the season.

Another new face with the wearers of the black jerseys was third "grade player Robinson, who took Moginie's place. The colt shaped very confidently for his first appearance with the big guns. The players, generally speaking, do not call for individual comment. "Oh, yes, just the customary," was the remark of a Mount Eden player as he entered the pavilion at the conclusion of the game with Auckland. "We finished two short of the opposition in goal hunting, but it Avas a fine game to play in." The remark bore out the contest very well. In the early portion it looked as though Auckland were on a goal hunting expedition that University secured against them the previous week but Jupiter Pluvius had a say in the contest and proved a good friend to the purple and brown clad boys of the mountain suburb. , Auckland's game was just the thing when operations started, but when the elements' became so unkind the style of game required alterating. It Avas then matters became more even. Mount Eden team was almost a memory of "what once was." The new men included. Davies of the second grade in charge of the net. Although he got a nasty knock on the knee early in the game he played splendidly. In fact, it was the best 'goalkeeping the team has had this season. Although King tried centre-half at the start, it was found more profitable for him to return to, full-back and allow Till the half-line position. . The forwards included Johns and Hunt of half-back fame, and they did very Avell in the new places. Auckland's best were the redoubtable J. Baker and Sloman. At half Steele was always conspicuous, while forward Osborne and Snedden claim mention. The examination o freferees is a question that has aroused considerable interest among members of the Association, and at the last meeting the subject was very fully discussed. The efforts to secure a high standard of refereeing in Auckland have long occupied the minds of the leading officials, and it is now only too evident that in setting so severe a test no mistake has been made. The general meetings of the association lend candidates valuable assistance in theory, and the rules are exhaustively dealt with through lecture and illustration.

If Britain, with her Fleet still intact, her Army fast gatheing strength, gave any heed to the Kaiser's suggestion or peace., she would be a® false to her friends a® she was faithful to Belgium a twelvemonth since.—Christchurch "Sun."

The Empire is waking up to the fact that it is fighting the most thoroughly organised nation in the world and no one has done more than Mr Lloyd George to make the British public understand that this war cannot be won on please principles—Wellington "Dominion.