HOCKEY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5484, 7 October 1929, Page 2

HOCKEY.

PLAINS ASSOCIATION MEETING. CLUB FINAL PROTEST. The main business at a meeting of the Hauraki Plains Ladies’ Hockey Association meeting at Ngatea on Friday evening was the consideration of the club final protest. There were present Messrs J. H. Nicholson (president) and W. Clifford, Kerepeehi; R. Muller and H. Aberhart, Turua; and H. Kerby and J. Miller (Kopuarahi. The Auckland Ladies’ Hockey Association wrote :— "No doubt you are already aware that one of your clubs (Kerepeehi) has appealed to us that a ruling - in. connection with the eligibility of Misp I. Small to play for any team affiliated to your association whilst she was an acknowledged registered player of a team affiliated to the Piako Association, be upset. My executive has gone into the matter thoroughly, and has carefully considered the evidence placed before it, and as a result I have been instructed to write you and inform you that my association has decided that your association in not upholding the protest lodged by the Kerepeehi Club against the playing of Miss Small in the Kopuarahi A team in July last, when that player was then an acknowledged registered player of the Paeroa Club, did not act in a proper manner. “My association supports the protest lodged by the Kerepeehi club, and requests that the matter be reopened by your association, as the Kopuarahi club had no right whatever to play Miss Small as it did. Mr Aberhart said that at the previous meeting no evidence had been brought forward to show that Miss , Small was a registered Paeroa player. Mr Miller asked what evidence had been forwarded by the Kerepeehi club to Auckland.

Mr Clifford said that the evidence had been placed before the previous meeting. The same facts had been forwarded to Auckland. He asserted that the previous meeting was out of order, as it was merely a meeting of delegates. There had not been a quorum of the executive present. Mr Kerby said that Miss Small was a registered Kopuarahi player, and the Plains Association had pot granted her a clearance to play for any other association.

Mr Clifford said that once a playerleft a district and resided for a fortnight in any other district she became eligible to register for a club in that district.

A letter from the previous secretary of the association, the Rev. E. Alexander, said that as far as he could see the position, Miss Small had not obtained a clearance from the Kopuarahi club, so was quite entitled to play for it until she became a financial member of another club.

A telegram from the Piako Association showing that Miss Small was a registered member of a Paeroa club was tabled by Mr Clifford. The chairman said that he had investigated the matter very thoroughly. On Friday afternoon he had got in touch with the secretary of the Paeroa club and had learned that Miss Small was not a registered member of any Paeroa team. She was not financial, and her name had not been forwarded for registration. Perhaps the Piako Association had entered her name on the register when she played in a team.

Mr Kerby said that the protest was out of order at the beginning in that it was not forwarded in time. Mr Clifford contended that the protest was forwarded on the Monday following the match, and if it was not properly received that was the fault of the associaion.

Mr Muller suggested writing to the Paeroa Club and the Piako Association and asking whether Miss Small was a registered player.

This was opposed by Mr Kerby, who pointed out that the result of the Paeroa competition might be upset if the status of Miss Smail was questioned. Mr Muller moved, and Mr Aberhart seconded, that the secretary write to the secretaries of the Paeroa Club, Piako Association, and Auckland Association to obtain evidence for next meeting, and also that the position be explained to the Auckland Association. —Carried. WAIHI V. HIKUTAIA. LAST SATURDAY’S MATCH. The Waihi and Hikutaia ladies’ hockey teams met in a friendly match at Paeroa on Saturday, the former winning by 3 goals to 1. Misses A. McPherson, A. McConnell, and C. Inglis netted one each for Waihi, and Miss G. Ellis secured the goal for Hikutaia. Mr J. M. Wrigley, Waihi, refereed. KEREPEEHI V. TUAKAU. In conjunction with the Oddfellows Lodge football match at Tuakau on Saturday, the Kerepeehi ladies’ hockey team also made the trip to try conclusions with a team there. The game resulted in a win for Kerepeehi by 2 goals to 1.