HOCKEY.

Waipa Post, Volume V, Issue 207, 25 April 1913, Page 3

HOCKEY.

OPENING OF THE SEASON. 'The opening of the hockey season took place in Bockett’s * paddock on Wednesday afternoon. Teams from Leamington, Pirongia, Paterangi, and Te Awamutu took part in a 7-a-side tournament, some interesting and exciting games being witnessed. The Pirongia club, which has only recently been formed, although defeated by Te Awamutu C team, put up a very good fight, and, with a little more practice and experience, the players should give a good account of ■ themselves. Afternoon tea was * provided by the ladies, and enjoyed by all. Mr S. A. Empson, president of the Te Awamutu Hockey Club, in declaring the season open, welcomed the visiting players, and hoped the hockey season would be a successful one. The forming of an association.among the different clubs would place the game on a much better footing than in the past. '* Following are the results of the different games: — FIRST ROUND.

TE AWAMUTU D (0) V. PATERANGI (i). .

Te Awamutu D: C. Edwards, Jack, Finch, Warner, Vile, Stewart. Bonnar (captain). .

Paterangi: J. Sing, A. Sing, G. Johnstone, K. Johnstone (captain), R. Gordon, C. Mackay, Fowler.

• These two teams were very evenly matched. K. Johnstone played, a good game for Paterangi, scoring a goal in the second spell. Edwards played well for the home team, saving his side on more than one occaaion.

TE AWAMUTU C (3) V. PIRONGIA (0). Te Awamutu C: F. North, T. Davis/Verner, L. Davis, Duncan, Robinson (captain), Shepherd. Pirongia: Chalmers, Finn, Wingate, Mullis, T. Jones, C. Moon, Given. Shortly after play started, Robinson, with a fine run, scored for the home team. Finn and Chalmers put in some good work in the first spell. Robinson shot two more goals in the second spell. Pirongia missed several chances through hitting too hard. Special mention must be made of the play of Pirongia’s full-back TE AWAMUTU B (3) V. LEAMINGTON A (2). Te Awamutu B : Solomon, Knight, Moeller, Allright, Selby, Stewart, Parker (captain). Leamington A : T. Reily, R. Chambers (captain), J. Chambers, A. Smith, F. Hicks, MV. Williams, A. Mann. From bully-off Knight carried play to Leamington’s territory, a free hit being awarded the latter, when, from a good passing rush, Reily shot a goal. Shortly after' the same player . added another. Leamington were passing much better than their opponents. Solomon and Parker were playing well for the home team. The second half opened wPh a fine dribble by Stewart, who took the ball within a foot of the net, but lost it. Good play by Selby ended in the latter shooting a goal. . Through hitting too hard the home team lost some good chances. By a clever hit Stewart added another goal for his side. This made the scores even, but as Leamington had conceded Te Awamutu two corners the latter were,declared the winners. TE AWAMUTU A (2) V. LEAMINGTON B (3). Leamington B : Faulkner, Chambers (2), Mann, Kingdon, Fitzgerald, Beavis. Tc Awamutu A: Sutherland, Reekie, Douglas, C. Davis, Taylor, Johns, L. North. From bully-off Leamington, by i good passing, scored a goal, j Davis was instrumental in taking j the ball to the other end ot the field, but North lost a certain goal by hitting too hard. Play was of an even nature in this spell. On changing sides the local men put more life into their play. Johns passed well to Davis, who shot a good goal, the . former shortly after adding another goal to the home team’s * SECOND ROUND. TE AWAMUTU B (i) V. PATERANGI (1 y 2 ). From the bully-off even play ensued, the ball travelling up and down the field. Paterangi were hitting too hard, otherwise they would have scored several times. Parker took the ball the length of the field, from which Stewart shot a goal. Moeller (full-back) saved several certain scores, but on one occasion, to save his side, he conceded PateLrcuigi a corner, which won the Fmatch for them. TE AWAMUTU A (i) V. TE AWAMUTU B (0). For some time after the bullyoff even play followed, neither side having the advantage. was conspicuous by his following up, being well seconded by Shepherd. From the cpmer Johns shot a goal, this being the only score. Douglas and Reekie were noticeable for their solid defence. * FINAL. PATERANGI V. Tfi AWAMUTU A. Play had no sooner started when the home team carried play into the opponents’ territory and Johns shot a goal. Paterangi rallied, but Johns was back

again and added another goal. On changing cuds, Paterangi swept down the field, bin Douglas sent them back. Several free hits were given against the home team for off-side, L. Noith being the principal offender. A thiid goal was shot by Johns just before the call of time. Messrs S. A. Empson, W. Johns and E. Faulkner acted as referees and gave every satisfaction. The visiting teams were entertained at dinner at the Cafe Royal after the tournament and were welcomed by the president, Mr S. A. Empson, who referred to the splendid success which had attended the opening tournament. He was pleased to see such a large attendance of the public, as their presence and support would make hockey prosper. In outlining the life of hockey in le Awamutu since its inception three years ago, he was pleased to state that it had been steadily growing in the right direction, and all present would be pleased to hear that an association was being formed round this district, which he was sure would not only benefit hockey in Te Awamutu and surrounding districts, but in the whole of the Waikato. When the championship for the White Horse Cup was decided, next June, he hoped to see the new association to the fore.

Mr R. Chambers (captain of Leamington club) congratulated Te Awamutu on the formation of an association, and hoped that they would be successful in winning the White Horse Cup. Although they had driven eighteen miles for a game of about 20 minutes, they had thoroughly enjoyed their visit, and hoped that when Te Awamutu visited Leamington they would be able to return their hospitality. Mr Finn, in returning thanks on behalf of the Pirongia team, said that they had played that day more with the idea of gaining experience and learning something in regard to hockey, and he thought that what they had learnt that day would be very useful to them. He congratulated le Awamutu on the success of their opening day. Mr Johns (captain of Te Awamutu club) said they had a hard fight to win, and he congratulated the visiting teams on the wav they had played. He thought a word of praise was due to the ladies for the manner in which they had provided afternoon tea. With the forming of an association hockey would be placed on a much better footing, and the matter of travelling would be easily overcome. Pirongia had the making of a very good club, and he trusted that next year they would have a still larger number on their opening day.

RASTUS AT THE HOCKEY MATCH.

[CONTRIBUTED.]

Wall, I swan ! I wouldn’t a believe it if I hadn’t seed it myself. Last week When I was a-lookin’ at the polo games I made out it would be better that terrortorials or cadets or .skouts or eny o’ them things the boys is compelled to do. If they could only all play polo it would train ’em to chase Japs or Chings or other thing that might land here to eat us up or take our country or drive off our cows. I ses to myself, I ses, give every mother’s son a pony and hockey stick and turn ’em loose together in Taylor’s biggest paddock. \ They’d all turn up at roll call, you bet, from A to Z —K’s and all. There is only one thing ’ud stop ’em —not emit" ponies. That troubled me some tryin’ to get over the pony scarcity. But I see the boys ’ave done it. They do without the ponies and run—get off the mark quicker and stop sooner and some of em can run down the field near as fast. One feller, he could’nt stop himself and ran right through the goal and took it with him, but the doctor beats the speed limit like he does with that renowned car of his. You think he’s going over somebody, but he don’t. Its a marvel how he steers. I think he ran short of gasoline once, for he laid out flat during the smoke oh. Dug got a rap on the knuckles to start with, the first goal took him unawares and he got savage. He treated that bit of leather something shameful time it come near him afterwards. Then it stayed away and he grumbled cause he didnt have nothing to do, but that was Billy’s fault —Billy and Len and some half a dozen others kept it to themselves up in one corner of the field just in front of the audience —showing off it looked like. My word can’t they do something with the polo ball when they get it going, then pokes it with the point of his stick like a feller does at billiards, and Billy, he hits it most of the time the way you don’t expect. Them fellers from Paterangi was the runnersup, and they weren’t far behind neither. Its a pity the goal ain’t an ought o’ mattick one that catches the ball all on its own. If it had been the Paterangites would have one, no I mean won —don’t be funny. The field was a varigated one. There was blue and white, and red and white, and rainbow, and long pants, and short pants, and many times just ! no pants at all but garsps. The umpire must be well up in it to pick the winner in a crowd like that. The best fun was the afternoon tea provided by the her-hockey-ites. That’s • w’ere I scored. I expectit to pay at the gates, and I got a double shock when they took me in for free cakes and tea,

| and me and a lot more girls and j women made sad hash ol that i afternoon tea, so that the plavers ! didn’t get a look in at all. I’m guin’ agon, and 1 won’t miss the tea neither.