HOCKEY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8665, 4 July 1906, Page 4

HOCKEY.

NOTES. (By HALF-BACK.) Lancaster Park was hardly fit to play on on Thursday, and play in the majority of games quiokly developed into a mud soramble. ' The exception, was the game between Sydenham and United. Although played on the worst ground the performance of the Sydenham team, particularly in the forward division, would have done credit to a representative eleven. There were plenty of spills and some of the men, seemed to nave a failing for skating (not always on their feet), but the Blue's front rank worked remarkably well, more ©o at the commencement of the second spell. On the general play the winners proved themselves immeasurably superior to their opponents, and their decisive win was due more to the etick play and position of the front rankers than to laxity on the part of the United backs. Smith stopped repeated shots at goal, some of which he could not get out of the way of. In the first spell he was a regular target for Free, and one of his lightning shots rising, hit the United goalkeeper on the head. O'Brien, the United right back, put in an enormous amount of work, and undoubtedly prevented the score from assuming a more formidable appearance. He was against three good men the whole of' the game, Tolerton, Hulbert and Free, but kept the attack at bay when many another man would have chucked up the sponge. During the whole game United only had four or five chances and Bull, Campbell and Co. were equal to them. The United, defence had absolutely no chance of withstanding the forward rushes of th&ir opponents in "the second half, and three goals were scored in quick succession. The method of attack was not new, except in one particular, the left-handed play when going full speed. From Hulbert or Tolertom the ball would pass right aero® to Howieon. or Harrington, and back to Free. So quick was the passing that. the United backs had little or no chance to turn quiokly enough to do anything. The attacking forwards are to be congratulated on their performance, and also on the fact that they made good use of the width of the ground. The difficulty of arranging for> a thoroughly representative South Island team does not receive sufficient attention at the hands of those in authority. If the North v. South Island fixture is to be continued it is only right 'that players from Nelson, Dunedin, Wesfcland, etc., 6hould have a chance of selection for the South Island eleven. The only way by which this can be satisfactorily managed is to play a series of interprovmcial South Island matches before selecting the representative team. Because the game is not in euch a forward state outeide of Canterbury it does not follow that there are no better individual players. Two years ago the South team had Cassin from Nelson playing right inside. When he went on the ground at Wellington he was a total stranger to the play of the other South Island forwards, and with a nervousness that waa natural under the circumstances, performed disappointingly. In Nelson hockey he was the pick of the forwards, but the »&leotors might as well pick local President's men as select outsiders whom the rest of the team will not see until they get to, say, Wanganui. The styles of play are different in different centres, and some men take more than half a game to adapt themselves to the play" of their fellows. The dates for representative fixtures are not finally settled yet but Canterbury will probably play Otago during the present month, Wellington will play here about the middle of August, Auckland are expected to come south the same month, while the inter-island matoh has been arranged for August 2, at Wanganui. Concerning inter-Island hockey the following from the pen of " Bulger," in a recent Wellington "Evening Post" ie not without interest., although it . shows a provincial spirit that should not exists — " At the last meeting of the New' Zealand Hookey Association the question of continuing the North versus South Island annual match was discussed, and it was decided to obtain opinion, from the various affiliated associations on the point. Evidently the bulk of these bodies are in favour of retaining the fixture, as advices from Christchurch show that Mr Frank Pope, of Wellington, has been appointed selector of the North Island team for this year. Although the Council has not definitely decided where the match' i© to be played, the probabilities are that Wanganui will be chosen. The ■ actions of the Council are not, as a general rule, above question, but should that body finally decide upon playing the game in Wanganui, they will reach the very summit of stupidity. Were hockey as widely supported by both active players and the public generally as is cricket for instance, the Council would be in a position to order the aame to be played on the various entres by turn, and to play it upon odd days. But when bitter experience has taught it that unless the-conven-ience of the actual players is made the really vital matter the game is spoiled on account of the teams being anything but representative, one would imagine that it would attempt to mend matters. The conditions under which teams are got together in the two islands differ very widely. A South Island eleven is composed almost entirely of Christchurch players, as the game has not spread in the south to anything like the same extent as it has in the north. Up here the game is scattered all over the island, and the only chance of getting together a representative eleven is to fix upon a town which is readily accessible to all, which Wanganui certainly ie not. Then again, whenever the match takes place in Christchurch, Thursday is invariably chosen as the day of the game. This means that northerners have to arrange to leave their work for about four times as long as would be necessary were Saturday the day, and it further means, that co ■ far as Wellingfon men are concerned, ; the selector is met with many refusals ! to join the tour. It ie to be ardently hoped that the Council will be prevailed upon to make Wellington the scene of the game, and I am given to understand that the selector is using his best endeavours in this direction." The recently-formed Avon Ladies' Hockey Club has decided to hold practices on every available Thursday during the season. Ladies wishing to join the club can obtain all information on application to the honorary secretary, Miss D. Lusty. The club will hold a social at an early date. The North v. South Island match, the annual intei'-island fixture promoted by the New Zealand Hockey As- . eociation has been fixed for August 2, and will be played at Wanganui. A sub-committee of the Otago j Hockey Centre has been set up to wait upon the Otago Rugby Union with a vi-ew to securing a ground for the in* terprovincial -hockey nratoh against Auckland on August 4. The sport of ! hockey i« making some headway in Dun- ' edin. there being how over 200 players ]

of both sexes taking part in the game I every Saturday afternoon. The standard of play is not yet very high, but is certain to improve with' outside competition).