ENGLISH HOCKEY GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2215, 30 July 1914, Page 2

ENGLISH HOCKEY GIRLS

IMPRESSIONS OF OUR FAIR VISITORS. . The Executive Committee of the New /ieaktud Ladies' Hockey Association, the hostesses 'who will have as their guests during their stay in Wellington the members of the English Ladies' Hookey- Team, and a large number of hockey players and other interested spectators wore all 011 the to rueet tue steamer that brought across from Australia the visiting players' from t'lie other side of the world. To lad.y hockey players t-hs visit is oils of. the keenest interest as for the first time in their lives they are placed faco to faoe (the privileged ones) with the opportunity of pitting their strength, resource and experience of the gamo against t'hat of the English player's. Miss Gaskill, the captain of tho' team is the daughter of Professor Gaskill, a celebratod zoologist and Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and her home.is at rsownham, Cambridge. So far, iiie members of the team appear to'have enjoyed themselves immensely, and are keen, to make , the most of their opportunities of seeing the Dominions across the sea. Fresh-faced, alert, and trim, tile team is certainly ono that from its appearanco 'rocommends hockey-playing girls as a pastime. n -n lO • courso a conversation, Miss Gaskill remarked that when tho invitation to visit Australia and New Zealand was first placed before the Eng- | ash Association it was provisionally ac--1 cepted with but a faint possibility <4 the actual sending of a team abroad being entertained. Up till then it had never been done, 6avo privately, and sever so far away as this. By degrees 'eleven names came in,'- some of t'heEe fell out, and finally the team of fourteen was made.up and started upon its y/ay. Coming from various parts of England, they had had 110 chance of playing togot-her, and when the first match was played, in Western Australia, 011 a very warm day, and on ground harder than they had over played 011 before, they were perfect strangers to 0110 another's play. That, the victory should havo been theirs—three to one— was quite a surprise to them and since then their record, as hockey players in this country will probably know, has been ail unbeaten one. 1 While in New Soujth Wales matches were played every other < day, but as they were doing no travelling this was lelt to be no strain, although the team lolt the Australian winter (one of the coldest that has been experienced for some time) an uncommonly warm'one. Hie .rules, of the . All-England Women s 'Hockoy Association do 'not allow prize competitions or trophies, the stimulation of tno game itself, the satisfaction of a clever pass cleverly taken, and converted into a goal by a shot that beat ail able opponent, tho spirit of good-fellowship and of emulation be--1!!® ? l "'° sufficient to fire players with the. determination to do their best. Miss baskill does not think that there are' any special dangers attached to hockey that are not met, with in other games, nor 'does s'ho think it tod strenuous, provided a girl is . fit and healthy'.. Anyone would suffer' who, fitted physically for a very mild form of sport,' played such a game, but then that was owing to,r own misuse of judgment. While they -arc; ,'in Ne\y, .Zealand-.the team intends to eeo- as -much of tlio country as possiblo and will visit the Wjutomo Caves, Rotorua probablv, and as many ' of the beauty places in the "CUth "land:as possible.- New Zealand will finish their, tour, and after that they go their twn ways, some to visit japan, ..the Straits Settlements, and Australia, before returning to England. After Parliament had adjourned yesterday afternoon the Prime Minister field u reception of the English visitors in the Cabinet room, and very cordial little speeches -of welcome were made tup president of tho New Zealand Association, Mr. Wilford, introducing them to the I'rimo Minister. Mrs. Massey and Miss Massey. wore present, Miss Goates, vice-president, members of tho executive committee, a. ;d the various - hostesses with whom the players are staying. t Mrs., and Miss GawitJi (Masterton) are in Wellington and are staying at Caulfield House.