HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 12

HOCKEY.

HARKING BACK MANY YEARS. (Br "Right-Halt.") . Messieurs, here comes the curtain! The final round of • the soven-a-sido tournar ment to be played to-day will closo hookey for tho season. " This season is tho first in which Knrori lias secured tho honour of being winners of the senior championship, lit was tho delegates ,of tho Karol'i, United, ancl Wc)Tington..Clubs .originally ed the Wellington ''HoiSliey Association, and tho games under, the association cominonced in 1893. Since then United have bren champions on ten occasions, whila Wellington, Victoria College, and Karori having held tlio honoursi one season each. Karori's position in tho championships of tho various years has been as follows: -1599, fourth; 1900, 1901 1902/ 1903, and 1904, third; 1905, fifth; 1900, third; 1907 aud 190S, second; 1909, third; 1910, second; 1911, on top. A somewhat noticeable fcaturo in tha doinps of the Karori Club, is that G. Davies, left inside representative man, has played for Karori ever sinco tho club's inception, and has also represented Wellington for a number of years. The junior grade competition was com> menced in 1900 with four teams, and, this season, thirteen loams competed. This year's winners, United, havo gained honours in 1900, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1900, and 1911. They wero runners up m 1901, and third in 1901 aud 1907, and from 1908 to 1910 the club met a reverse, and, in these three seasons wero low on tho list. The Government Insurance Club was formed in 1909, a.ud entored two teams, ono cach in tho junior and third grado competitions. At tho closo of tho 1909 season tho club's teams wero runnors-up in eacl), grado. In 1910 the junior team was once again second, while the third grado toam gained first position, which they were successful in again annexing this year. Tho juniors gained third position in their grade. Six shield matches have boon plavcd this season, Wellington winning five. I'ho Auckland-Wellington game ended in a draw for the first timo in tho history of shield matches. Tho best display o'f our local representatives this season was against Auckland. After that gamo their display agninst Nelson aud Otago was a long way bolow representative form. This is accounted for by tho fact that Wellington played men who wero suffering from injuries. Next season an A and B trial gamo, with players appearing in their proper positions, should bo introduced. • A sclicmo was laid liefote tho cxccutivo of tho Canterbury Hockey Association recently, tho upshot of which was that threa committees wero appointed—(l) A Financo Committeo, to go into tho question of finance, and how funds should bo raised to secure grounds, and also for tho yearly upkeep of tho same; (2) a Grounds Committee, to mako inquiries and inspect all available areas within a reasonable radius of tha city; (3) a General Committee, to attend to all tho minor details of tho scheme. That tho Bchemo is a foasiblo ono is recognised by many old Christchurch "sports," and providing it it adopted and the hockey players in general show that thoy mean business, thero is no doubt whatever but what we aro going to got considerablo assistance from tlio samo "old sports." But tho liockoy pinyers must bestir thomselvos, and prova themselves worthy of assistance, otherwise they need not expect nny outsido help/ One schemo for raising funds which seoms to havo met with a considerablo amount of favour is to hold a bazaar Tho scheme, if it receives the whole-heart-ed support of tho eighteen clubs in and about Christchurch, should provo a success, and is worthy of tho serious consideration _of the Financial Committeo. I fancy, judging by their previous experience, tho association will not look to any picture benefit performances to assist them in their scheme, for as far as tho Canterbury Hockey Association has boon concerned, they havo proved by no monni profitable. If a suitable ground is obtained by tho association, they will havo no troulilo in obtaining tenants for it for the summer months, as.l understand there will bo several of tho, cricket clubs applying for tho use of it. However, the association's executive meet, again next Wednesday ftho 2|'h instant), when no doubt some' valuable information will bo forthcoming from all tho committees.