HOCKEY TOUR

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 164, 20 July 1935, Page 7

HOCKEY TOUR

OF INDIAN PLAYERS UNNECESSARILY STRENUOUS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Last Night. The belief that the Indian hockey team’s tour of New Zealand was made unnecessarily strenuous is held by the eo-manager, Mr G. Gupta, who said he did not know of any other team which had to undergo such physical and mental strain. He contrasted their programme of 29 matches in ten weeks with the All Blacks’ 28 matches in three months and 20 days. There would be 29 All Blacks, but the Indians numbered 16. The team 'had to play three matches within a radius of 40 miles, at Hamilton, Morrinsvijle and Te Aroha. “Surely it would have been possible to allow the team to stay at Hamilton as the headquarters and send teams from there instead of all having to go to three places,” Mr Gupta said. He wishes to correct the report emanating from Christchurch that the team had been indulging in. too many extras at the expense of the Hockey Association. It was ia stupid and irresposible statement, he said. The team had not exceeded its rights in any direction, but had willingly paid many expenses that should have been carried by 'the Hockey Association. Another point was that no member of the team drank liquor; they drank a lot of milk.