HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1551, 21 September 1912, Page 12

HOCKEY.

TBy , "Buh/T-off.'T THE SHIELD & WANDER LUSTThe Objective—Christchurch. The extinguisher will soon be placed on the Hockey candle of 1912, but, meantime, the yellow flojne still soars up brightly. The occasion, which lights Hie torch of interest, ie the meeting of our representatives with Canterbury for possession of the shield. There were those who said that we were tired of holding the Shield, but 6ince its departure such, a lull has occurred that its absence is being thought of with regretful memory. "So our best fighting eleven left on Thursday to endeavour to seizo it vi et armis, and have it up again in its ancient temple at "Wellington.. And the prospects are good top!

What is Canterbury's Metier? "Cleft Ash," writing in tho "Weekly Press," states that the holders of ■ tho Shield are apparently tired already. If such apathy does exist with them—then it would bo "in the best'interests of the game"—weird old tiresome saying—if they lost it. "Cleft Ash" goes on to say.that last Saturday a trial match was held in view of the contest with Wellington, and three of their representative team were absent. The rest of the team, according to report, took little or no interest in the game, the play being of a very desultory nature. i ■ Ono is honestly sorry that this lassitude has overtaken Canterbury. Let us hope that their match with Wellington will have a vivifying and restorative effect. Last week Canterbury dispatched a team southwards to play Otago and South Canterbury. During the last nine years Canterbury have won six games and Otago one, whilst two have been' drawn. It appeared this year that they would win again, but Otago played with' sq muoh dash that the final score (5 goals all) indicated truly the merits of the teams. Those who eaw tho Otago men here last year will remember with, pleasure their fine style of play. ; ■ Againsf South Canterbury, Canterbury just managed to win by i goals to 3. The game was even, but the southerners did not grasp the opportunities that offered. Notes on the Ladies' Carnival. After a week of merrimeut—not to say tense excitement—the Ladies' Hockey Tourney is over. Most of the competitors have now returned to their homes, but one and all agreed that a good time had been spent. These annual tournaments have become very popular. At a conference held after the tournament in Christchurch, the question of improvements, etc., was gone into. Aucklanders, ever prominent, were much in evidence. One of their delegates stateo that he had had obtained medical evidence to tho effect that a girl could nol play a week's hockey without injury t<. her health. Dear, me! What a state w< have fallen iilto! Truly the Empire it. declining when a week's snort will impair tho ' health of out fair hockey maidens.

Other —and as it eceras to 'the writermoro sensible delegates remarked that the. hockey tourney was looked forward to, and that if it were abolished ladies' hockey would die out. Why should it bt abolished? Another Auckland ■delegate raised a storm by stating that Auckland, being opposed to tournnmonts, would not accept a tournament were it offered. 1 This statement rightly met with much disapproval. Ladies' hockey in New Zealand does not altogether live, move, and have its entire being in what some humorists term tin "Queen City." But in spite of all this, the meeting de. ciiled to recommend Auckland ae tin venue for the next tournament. What i strange place we live in - or, rather, what a strango place Auckland .'is. Time was when the Aucklaiiders were champions, but since their little difference with the. oxecutivc of the New Zealand Ladies Hockey Association their attitude seems to have been one of "agin the Government." These Auckland "sports" apparently take up the samo attitude as tin I?od Fiaggere do towards the Arbitration Court. If the Court makes an award favourable—well and good, but if not— unwell anil bad. But to the tournament itself: HawlseV Bay are champions once more, and what ;i linn record they have. In the last tivi year? they have played 38 games, won ;!.">, lost 2, drawn 1, scoring 118 goals against Next on the list figure the ladies from Wnirarapu. They have persevered yeiu aflnr yer.r, and at last their efforts hav<. baen crowned with success. They played off with llnwko'e Kay in tho final, nnd i\>. a draw eventuated it was decided lhn( each team should hold the cup for six months. The Wellington Indies did not do so well as expected-. They were Ijrafen by both Canterbury and Hawke's Hay, and dii, not piny up to expectation*. Mfeos Lang ami Harris porfnrincil well, but Hit efforts of Ihe other members of the It-, were not sustained.