Hockey Notes.

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 111, 16 August 1902, Page 25

Hockey Notes.

By Bully.

Hockey enthusiasts m the city ha\e been much exeicised in mind latch o\ei the decision of the local Association to cancel all representative and inter-club matches with the Canterbury Association and dubs affiliated, therewith, and speculation has been rife as to whether this extreme step is justified bj the facts of the case. Under these cncunistances, a brief lecapitulation of the facts that led to the lupture ma^ be m season . * • » On or about, the Ist June last it was brought to the notice of the local body (unofficially, but on the authority of a member of the Canterbury executive) that, the Southern Association was taking the necessary steps to registeaitself as the New Zealand Hockey Association, under the Unclassified Societies Act, with headquarters in Christchurch. The secretary was instructed to wnte immediately protesting against this action, and pointing out that the N.Z. H.A. should be formed only in the proper and usual manner, viz. by means of a conference of delegates representing all the Associations interested and suggesting that such a conference be held before any decisive steps were taken. All the other Associations in New Zealand weir© also communicated with, informing them of the state of affairs, a,nd asking for their opinion, and steps were taken to have the registration held over for a time. The next intelligence received was (per medium of the new spapers) that the Canterbury people had persisted in their effort®, and had succeeded m forcing the registration through in spite of this protest. This was* two months later, and duimg that time the communication from Wellington had been totally ignored, either ac being absolutely unworthy of notice, or else through a deplorable lack of courtesy and attention to business In the meantime letters had been received from the other centres endorsing hearty co-operation and support, in the future. Then, at the beginning of the piesent month, came a circular letter from the. Canterbury Association (their first communication since the beginning of the troublei) covering a copy of the rules and constitution of the new body, and setting forth Canterbury's claims to be the governing centre. * * * As an explanation of the secresy and doubtful practice involved, the extraordinary assertion was advanced that this questionable, course had been adopted because of a rumour being current in Christchurch that Wellington had intended to usurp the coveted oosition, and that it (the Canterbury Association) was not going to be left in the cold as w as the case with the Swimming Association. This, of course, is absurd, because if the local hookeyists had w ished to forestall the Southerners they could easily have done so on receipt of the. first intelligence. However, with this and with Canterbury's claims to the position, which are admittedly large, I do not intend to deal now. * * * The point at issue is that the Associations of the colony refuse to recognise a ruling body in the constitution and formation of which they have had no voice, and, the Wellington Association has written to this effect, and asking that the present registration be withdrawn, and the whole matter be reopened on a proper basis. Until this is done, the present boycott will to on. There is much dissension among the Canterbury clubs, over the unfortunate business, and the Association there is anything but a happy family, and has put itself in a still more unenviable position by taking the arbitrary, not to say childish, step of suspending for two years the delegate aforesaid who "gave the show away." * » • Scratch matches were played on Coronation. Day, between teams representing the Karori and United Clubs the) United ground), and between Wellington and Victoria College (on the Wellington ground). Each match was won by the same scores — four goals to two, tihe United and Wellington teams proving the winners in the respective games. Representative trial matches for both the senior and junior classes are to be held to-morrow in view of the approaching engagements 1 with Manawatu and Nelson. On Saturday week the United Club are sending a team to Carterton, to do battle with the local club. The United men are doing more than their share, of touring this season, and deserve much praise for their enterprise in this reepect.