HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

Waipa Post, Volume 36, Issue 2144, 14 April 1928, Page 5

HOCKEY ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL MEETING. MR J. T. NORTH ELECTED PRESIm. DENT. The annual meeting of the Waipa Hockey Association was held'in the Momona Rooms on Thursday evening, last year’s president (Mr W. Hebden) occupying the chair. ANNUAL REPORT. The balance-sheet and president’s report were read and adopted. The report is as follows: — It gives me great pleasure in presenting to you again the annual report of the association for the past year. You have heard the balance sheet read showing the balance of £5 3s 4d. A very successful season was again experienced last year. Four men’s tjrams, Paterangi, Waratahs, Ramblers and United competed in the local competition for the Empson Cup in which Paterangi won again for the 4th year in succession. The result of the Ladies’ competition for the Rose bowl saw Otorohanga Ladies’ Club winners for the 2nd year in succession. At the country week held last year in Auckland Waipa was again successful in winning for the 4th year in succession the White Horse Cup. Every member of the team is to be congratulated heartily for the performance and great praise is due to the captain of the team, Mr Douglas. The Waipa Ladies’ put up a very creditable performance in the provincial tourney held in Auckland _ last year. Through this Miss L. Chirney was selected to represent Waipa in the Auckland Ladies Provincial Representative team which played at Palmerston North.

We, as an association, are justly proud of Bert and Len Spiers whose performance last season resulted in their being selected in the New Zealand team which toured Australia. I think this is the first time any members of a country team have been selected to represent New Zealand, and in Hns the Waipa Association have cause to be proud of the performance of these members.

We also cannot overlook the performance of Leo Karl and Tom Finch who were selected in the AucklandCountry representative team competing in the New Zealand Challenge • Shield.

Three matches were played against Wffißato .two of which Waipa won. Two of the matches were played in Hamilton and one in Te Awamutu.

We also played Piako at Morrinsville and were defeated by 4 goals to

A Waipa ladies’ and men’s team visited Taumarunui and played matchers against King Country, and later on in the season a return visit was made to Te Awamutu. We also had a visit from the newly-formed Te Kuiti Hockey Club when an enjoyable match was played against a junior Waipa team. We have many promising . young players in the sevei’al clubs who are making rapid* strides towards making first class players and it is to be hoped that if circumstances permit our entering for the White Horse Cup this season that some of these lads v/ill have every opportunity of being selected in the representative team for the 1928 season. In concluding I wish to thank all officials and those gentlemen who kindly gave their services as referees and trust that the 1928 season will be a prosperous one. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: —Patron M G. 0. Jourdain; president, Mr J. T. North; vice-presidents, Messrs C. J. Spiers, H. C. Rainey, W. J. Hebden, G. Finch, sen. and T. H. Davis; secretary and treasurer, Mr A. Turrell; auditor, Mr W. J. McGivern; delegates to the Auckland Association Messr's Allison and W. Newsham and Miss R. Sparling; grounds committee, Messrs C, J. Spiers, C. Davis and C. A. Finch (re-elected). It was stated that Otorohanga Ladies’ Club desires affiliation with Waipa for the third year in succession. A STRONG PROTEST The meeting discussed the position regarding affiliation with Waikato Association, and eventually, on the motion of Messrs C. J. Spiers and H. C. Rainey, the following resolution was carried unanimously, and will be sent to the Waikato, Auckland and New Zealand Associations: —

“This annual meeting of the Waipa Hockey Association views with apprehension the reported intention of the Waikato Association to compel Waipa to link up actively with it, and respectfully lodges its objection. The Waipa Association urges that it be again allowed to affiliate or associate with the Auckland Association, thus entitling Waipa to compete for the White Horse Cup, which competition it has won for the last four years in succession. It would respectfully point out that the existing arrangement has been a very pleasant one in many ways, and apart from territoriality there is little in common between the two bodies. We advance the suggestion that Waikato would be best serving the interests of hockey in the province if it sought, and is granted, permission to retire from the position of a parent association, and assume the status of a sub association affiliated to Auckland. There ai’e more advantages to all players in the province by this action than by any other step. We cannot see any practical benefit or attraction to those act;,, ively associated with hockey in Wai-' pa, or indeed in Waikato, by any, other course. If Waikato persists in,, its present intention it ■vyill Waipa from competing again for popular White Horse Cun. or indeed f participating in the Country Week, tournament that is the Mecca of most provincial nlayers. Sub-associations, including Waikato, would still have facility for inter-association contests. We ask that these reoresentations be carefully considered.” Before the meeting closed a hearty vote of thanks was accorded _ last year’s officer’s (especiallv the retiring secretary, Mr C. Arnold Finch), and the usual compliment to the chair terminated the meeting.