Little Interest In Fijian Hockey Tour

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 18

Little Interest In Fijian Hockey Tour

In spite of a lack of interest by North Island centres, the New Zealand Hockey Association decided that the proposed tour of the Dominion by the Lautoka team from Fiji “should be encouraged” when it met in Christchurch last evening.

It charged its emergency committee with the task of preparing an itinerary and finding out whether such a tour was financially possible. It was also given the power to proceed with the machinery of the tour if it appeared a satisfactory proposal. Only two North Island associations, Whangarei and Wairarapa, were prepared to accommodate the Fijian team. Four South Island centres, Nelson, South Canterbury, Ashburton and Southland, expressed interest in the tour. The Lautoka team wanted to tour New Zealand between August 2 and 23, the secretary (Mr M. R. Good) said. It was intended to bring 17 players and New Zealand was expected to pay all internal travel and accommodation costs.

Indications were that the associations which had expressed interest were not prepared to face expenses of more than £4O for each game. That would mean that only £240 would be available to meet the expenses of the tour, Mr Good explained. “Could we not consider subsidising it in any way,” asked Mr J. Abrams. “After all we are here for the good of hockey and there has been no other outside interest in New Zealand this season,” he said. This was what the association was trying to get away from, the chairman (Mr R. S. Jenkins) replied. The Fiji Hockey Association wrote that it was aware of the impending tour of the Australian Universities team to the North Island and would be prepared to confine its tour to the South Island. The Afghan Sports Club in Pakistan wrote seeking an Invitation for the Banawalpur team to tour New Zealand next year. The team would contain a number of Olympic and international players. Mr Good said that New Zealand would normally Invite Australia to tour next year. The meeting decided to ask the club what terms it was prepared to accept. A request from the New

land Hockey Umpires’ Association that money be set aside for coaching umpires from the Rothmans coaching grant was referred to the coaching subcommittee for sympathetic consideration. Tournament Draw The following draw was approved for the Rothmans tournament:— New Zealand Challenge Shield —“A” Pool, first round: Auckland v. Wellington, Wanganui v. Nelson. Second round: Auckland v. Nelson, Wanganui v. Wellington. Third round: Auckland v. Wanganui, Wellington v. Nelson. "B" Pool, first round: Whangarei v. Otago. Canterbury v. Manawatu. Second round: Whangarei v. Manawatu, Canterbury v. Otago. Third round: Whangarei v. Canterbury, Otago v. Manawatu. Rothmans Cup.—First round: Hawke’s Bay v. Marlborough. Taranaki v. Southern Minors A. Otago v. Southern Minors B.