HOCKEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 404, 12 July 1928, Page 10

HOCKEY

STIMULUS OF COUNTRY WEEK CHALLENGE SHIELD MATCHES BY KAKAU KUI The game of hockey throughout the territory controlled by the Auckland Hockey Association and the Ladies’ Association lias received a stimulus in consequence of the change of guardianship for the ensuing year of the White Horse Cup and the Provincial Cup. The former will be in the joint keeping of Rodney and Franklin, which have taken it from Waipa, the holders for four successive years. Waikato played consistent and meritorious hockey throughout the girls’ series, but i was a trifle lucky in lifting the cup j from Auckland Collegiate. Nothing is more in the interests of a game than that trophies should go the rounds of ! annual competitors. It precludes dis- j

suuMcu;uun claxu. rivalry. Taken all round, this year’s “Country Week” tournaments have been the most successful held for several years. Teams have risen and declined and new players have moved up into the front rank and old hands stepped back a pace. Only one thing has not changed, and that is the splendid spirit of sportsmanship that always pervades the tournaments. It occurred to quite a number of the visitors during the week that to all intents and purposes they were appearing in the last “Country Week’’ tourneys that will be held at Remuera grounds. The old area has been "headquarters” for so long that it is difficult to conceive of Country Week being played anywhere else. Expressions of regret at the eviction, and sympathy with the Hockey Asosciation. were heard in many quarters. Country hockey players have come to regard the Remuera grounds almost with affection. They regard a change of scene with many misgivings. Another place, they feel, will never approach the congenial “home of the game at Market Road. There is a suggestion that next year —if there is a tournament —it would be a good thing to start it a week later. This is considered likely to encourage more teams to come to town. There is the added advantage that there would be a few extra minutes of daylight in which to play protracted matches. WAIKATO’S CHALLENGE The next representative fixture will be the playing of the Auckland-Wai-kato Challenge Shield match, to take ! place at Remuera on July 28. it Auckland gives as gratifying an account of itself against the neighbouring challengers as it did on Saturday against the country representatives

Waikato will be hard put to it to wrest the much-desired trophy from ts present keeping. The Thames Hockey Association intends to send two teams to play in Auckland on July 21. They wall meet town elevens yet to be selected. EMULATING THE NORTH The immense value of Country Week in fostering the game in the country districts has not failed to be appreciated in other parts. At a recent meeting of the Canterbury Hockey Association a member held up Auckland’s achievements and suggested that the same sort of thing might well be done in Canterbury. The south is much impressed with the progress of hockey in this province. There seems no reason why a Country v\ eek should not be inaugurated there. THE GIRLS’ TOURNEY The South Canterbury Hockey Association has been granted control of the New Zealand girls’ annual tournament which will be held at Timaru, beginning on August 29 and finishing on September 8. The trophy at stake is the “K” Cup, which at present is held by the Ruahine-Dannevirke side, and which was competed for last year at Palmerston North. Entries have not yet closed, but it is expected that teams from Auckland to Southland will be competing. There is a possibility ot Canterbury sending two teams. CHALLENGE SHIELD A request from the Canterbury Association for information as to the date of Wellington’s match with Auckland for the Challenge Shield was discussed at the last meeting of the W.H.A. The letter added that Canterbury intended to enter a. challenge for the shield. The secretary said that it appeared that Canterbury wanted to play Wellington at Wellington, the match to be regarded as a shield match. If Wellington were beaten and then were successful in beating Auckland, the shield would then go to Canterbury. Members were agreed that this seemed to be Canterbuiy s idea. “There is really nothing wrong with the idea,” remarked Mr. c. &. Falconer, “but still there would be no incentive for us to go to Auckland and try to win the shield for Canterbury. It was pointed out that Waikato hao entered a prior challenge for the shield. Finally, it was decided to ask the Auckland Association to fix the date for the game with Wellington so that Canterbury might be advised ot the position. _________

SATURDAY’S MATCHES GROUNDS AND REFEREES Following are the details of the fixtures to be held at Remuera on Saturday aftein°Sen!or Grade-North Shore v St. Luke’s. No. I L V’ s l P;!"”riuy, Xo" 1150 p h ”' Mr. K. K. Mullins; Somerville v. Mount Eden, No. 2, 3.5 P- m -. 51 1\ R. Averv Somerville Colts v. Otahuhu, No. , n Mr. G. Waddingham; Train-ing-College v. University Colts, No. 2, 1.50 Dm., Mr. A. Williams; Epiphany, a bye. Secod Grade.—St. Lukes v. Somerville, No. 4, 1.50 p.m, Mr J. J. Ellison, Areta v. Wesley, No. 4, 3.5 p.m., Mr. I • Nicholson; University v Papatoetoe, rapatoetoe, 1.50 p.m., Mr. E. J. Hewitt, Epiphany v. Mount Eden, No. o, 1.00 p m., Mr. H. Donaldson. Third Grade. —Waitemata v. Training College, Victoria Park, 3.5 p.m., Mr. B. Cooper: University B v. Wesley A, victoria Park, 1.50 p.m., Mr. B. Cooper; Universitv A v. Wesley B, No. i, 0.0 p.m., Mr. A. Howard; Auckland Grammar v. Mount Eden, No. 5, 3.5 p.m.. Mr. A. Williams. . . , . . , Fourth Grade.— University v. Auckland Grammar, No. 6. 1.50 p.m.. Mr. C. Preston; Somerville v. Otahuhu, No. 9, 3.0 p.m., Mr. J. J. Ellison: Papatoetoe v. St. Luke’s, Papatoetoe, 3.5 p.m.. Air. E. J. Hewitt. _ Fifth Grade.—Auckland Grammar A v. Mount Albert A. No. 5. 10.30 a.m., Air. P. Fraser: Mount Albert O v. Auckland B. No. 6, 10.30 a.m.. Air. R. Avery; Mount Uden v. Auckland C, No. 9. 1.50 p.m.. Air. N. J. Ellison; Mount Albert B, a bye. GIRLS’ MATCHES Senior Grade. —Wesley v. Somerville No, 6, 3.5 p.m.. Air. D. Fraser; Eden v. Arawa, No. 8. 3.5 p.m., Mr. N. J. Ellison; Y.W.C.A., a bye. Junior Grade.—T.W.C.A. A v. Papatoetoe. Papatoetoe. 3.5 p.m.. Air. F. E. Carr; T.W.C.A. B v. Technical, No. 7, 1.50 p.m., Mr. A. B. Burton; Wesley v. Somerville, No. 8, 1.50 p.m., Air. R. Avery; Alount Eden v. Papakura, No. 3, 1.50 p.m., Mr. G. Waddingham.