HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 9

HOCKEY.

.-.-' THE CHALLENGE SHIELD. (From Our Special Correspondent.) Hastings, September 24.. Local hockey enthusiasts nro still indignant at the mamler in which tho Wellington Association has treated Hastings over their challenge for tho banner.' statement made by tho chairman of tho Wellington Association, and published in Monday s issue of The Dohin'ion, a member of tho llawkc s Uay Executive expresses surprise at the statement "that the local association did not-know that Hnwke's Bay desired to play for tho snieW. "The Wellington Association," continued that gentleman, "admits that it was mtormed by the Now Zealand Hockey Association 'that they would havo: to play Mauawatu, Poverty Bay, Hawke's Bay, und Thames,.and it certainly did not require much consideration to infer fron\ this'information that Hawke's, Bay-desiredla game. Tho raero fact that one or ; two of the Wellington.team were out of town,is a ra.hetrivial excuse to .-.ffer'ns the reasonwhy an important challenge match should bo put off, cspeciaUy ns (by tho postponement) the challengers could not get a match this season. Surely in an'association of some hundreds of players men could bo found.to fill the placesof the absentees. ;Tho fact that fourWellmgtbn representative players were absent did not necessitate a postponement of their match with Wanganiii a fortnight ago. Tho real reason probably lies in the openly-expressed intention of Wellington hockey players to, play no moro matches for the shield'this year., Tie sore point with us is, however, the looseness of the rules governing the Challenge Shield matches. In 1908 our association sent m a challenge in accordance with tho rules early in tho season, but no .notice whatever was taken.of it, cither by tho'New. Zealand Hockey Association or the Auckland Association, the then holders f of the shield. In 1 tho, present Reason Hawke s Bay, again challenged, and, notwithstanding the tact that their challenge was the first received in compliance.witb the -rules, Taranab, Manawatii. Wellington, and Thames were given priority, and tho Hawko's Bay match was set Sown as tho last 'of the season. The the .Wellington As-socmhon in Manawatu match on a week, notwithstanding that the Wellington Association had been informed bf Hawke's Bay's challenge, and knowin- that, in accordance.-with- the.shield rules, no match can bo played after. Sahirdw.hcptember. 25, naturally appears to the-Hawke s 'Bay players as an attempt to hold tho shield bf avoiding matches. Tho result.of their action is that for the second.year in succession the Hawko's Kay Association aro debarred from competing ? for the shield, after sending;on a challenge/ It appears to our association that it is huVl time that the New Zealand Association drew up new rules with a view to every challenger, having a match, -..'•.