HOCKEY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 12

HOCKEY.

[By "Bully-off."] . SOUTHLAND OPTIMISTIC. A Holiday Effect. With tho senior championship placed beyond doubt by Victoria College, and tho representative team (which will pro'bably remain unaltered) chosen for tho remainder of tho challenge matclirs, matters in hockey circles are now (is, quiet as a farmyard pond. Tliero, is nothing now to till the mouthsoosf s tho Critics, and tho g:ood fighting club spirit is fast vanishing from tho Saturday gradis games.

All this resignation, tamencss, kismet— call it what you like—was written in letters of. grey over Saturday's struggles. Tito Kffirori-Collego clash was the only one that "moved," and oven'' it only moved with the motion of a centipede wearing an over-size in boots. At times, to be sure, the oentipedo took its boots ;off and ' hopped about a bit,'but never !for long. Insurance, and Metropolitan were a shade worse. This'was probably ; due to tils "holiday." United ■ -'and AVollLngtoii was' a; fine, slumTiersomo ' sort'of match. United'slfept resolutely ' during theJ'fljSfcV Wellington: ■ fiiiiihaged oAe'go&l. rThiii they toi wake up for a whiler-arery short while— and-ended by putting on six goals. A Little About Southland. For the second time in two weeks "Wellington will bo called upon to-day to defend tho shield. Southland is tho challenger, and (from southern accounts, at least) the local men will find- tlicin "hard." Tho challengers have been eagerly "waiting their turn, and tliey regard their chances "with that optimism and confidence which seems', to . lie part of the stock-in-trado of all'challenging teams. It is tho right spirit. In connection with the, defeat of Hawko's Bay, and'tho chances of to-day's challenges, a Southland paper says: "The intimation' that Wellington hail retained the shield by defeating Ilawko's Bay was weloomo news to Southland hockey enthusiasts, who would lmve been greatly disappointed. had it so chanced that Southland were deprived of their opportunity of gaining shield honours. Natur--1 ally the Southland team have looked forward to the tour, and during tho last few weeks liavo been training consistently, so that bo one should be more pleased than the team itself that the trip is to cventu-' ate." > In.reading this one quickly notices tho worlls "training consistently, and let the locals take head. • Tho practico obtained in club matches has been relied upon in the past—at least it was in the match 'with Hawke's Bay. This should never be. If Wellington are to withstand the tost in to-day's encounter their combination should receive a little—a big littleconsideration. A Southland writer issues a little advice thus: "It does not do to prophesy how things will pan out, or would it do to make Southland's chance appear to bo lesS than it really is. If Southland are to win it will mean that they will liavo to put thoir best info their play." Canterbury on Tour. The local association received a communication during tho week from the Canterbury centre. ' It stated that it was tho intention of tho Canterbury body to send a team on tour to play Hawko's Bay and Wanganui. It was asked if tho Wellington Association could arrange a match with the southern touring team, and to lighten tho burden of expense tho desiro was expressed that the iocal association would give a guarantee or a proportion of the "gate." A reply was sent to the effect that a match with a local team would be arranged but that the matter of a guarantee or proportion of the "gate" was out of tho question. > This is not to bo wondered at, for similar requests from Canterbury have always been refused by the Wellington Association. When a Wellington representative team has been oil tour in the past tho local association has never "felt tho pulse" of other associations on the matter of finance. A team on tour should meet its own expenses and the action of the local association -is justified. About Wednesday Players. Tho paramount match of next week's Wednesday ovonts will be between Petone •and Hereawa. Should Ilereawa bp successful over Petono another round will result. Otherwise, the senior Wednesday I championship is placed beyond doubt. The following is the position of teams to date:— ■a p. 49 £ a £ .J s •• \i I i J-.d Pcton# ,3 5 -3 0 15 Pakcha A i 9 5 3 1 13 Hereawa >9 3 0 3 12 Kai Mai .9 4 0 5 8 Artillery 9 2 2 5 0 I'akeha B 9 0 0 9 0 \ Ladies' Club Figures. j The positions of senior teams in tho championship are as follov i ti c 5 ■" d riv s S & S ''1 Is SS'B PJ ? o >3 ifn u<j ft Kamblers A .... 11 11 0 0 42 i 22 Sirens U 7 2 2 ,'ls 10 1G St. Augustine's 11 7 3 1 22 12 15 Girls' Col 11 G 5 ;0 30 15 12 Vic. Collogo ... 10 6 4 1 20 H 11 Col. Old Girls 10 3 7 0 G 22 G : Hamblcrs B .... U 1 10 0 II) 35 2 Gregg's U 0 11 6 0 50 0 The dates for championships to bo held at Wanganui have been altered from August 30 and September G to September 11 I and 20. , 1