HOCKEY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2577, 11 August 1909, Page 6

HOCKEY.

CITY HOCKEY CLUB

A special meeting of the City Hockey Club was held at the Royal Hotel at 7.30 p.m. yesterday to consider the action of the Poverty Bay liocKey Association in transferring three members of the Kia Kaha Hockey Club, recently disbanded, to the West End Club. There was a full attendance of members, and Mr. I. Grinlinton, vice-cap-tain, presided. The following resolution was carried unanimously: “That the City Club strongly protest against the action of the Association in (1) making the shield competition four rounds; (2) passing all the available members of a disbanded club as members of the runner-up unbeaten team, and that if the resolution is not rescinded this, club will have no option hut to withdraw from the competition.” It was decided to send a copy of the resolution to the Hockey Association.

HOCKEY ASSOCIATION. The meeting of the Hockey Association, appointed for last evening, lapsed for want of a quorum. TO-MORROW’S MATCH. There is to bo one hockey match at Victoria Domain tormorrow, that between the Y.M.C.A. and City teams, commencing at 3 p.m. (Notes by “Circle.”)

The chief topic of interest this week in hockey circles has been the action of the Association in agreeing transference of the three Ivia Ivaha players to the West End team. Whilst the action was perfectly legal it must be admitted that a very bad precedent has been established thereby, and that an error of judgment was committed by the chairman in giving his casting vote in favor of it. Had the application been received earlier in the season there would nave been nothing to object to, hut to allow' members of a club that has, up to the time of its disbandment-, .met all its engagements with other clubs, to join another club when there are only three matches to play to complete the competition, is an unwise policy to adopt. It is to be regretted that the trouble has arisen at this juncture, but it is not the Association that is to be blamed so much as the members of the disbanded club, whose ‘action, palpably because it was riot a race., reveals what poor ‘ ‘sports” they really are. Considering they have already played one match in the concluding round, they might ha% 7 e "played the game” and stood to their colors, instead of “throwing up the sponge” to avoid being placed at the bottom of the list. However, as they decided to disband, the “unclubbed” members, who were still anxious to participate in the game should have abided by the fate of their club and stood out of the remaining matches, instead of in a body seeking to join another club’s team. By doing so they would have avoided all unpleasantness that been caused by their action. It is not as if hockey was the only game they play, as, with one exception, they are all footballers as well. It is rumored that one or two. of the other clubs intend to withdraw from the competition as a protest to the action of the Association- in allowing the transfer, but I hope this will not eventuate, as it will only cause more trouble, and nothing can he gained by it. Probably it would mean the breaking up of the Association for the season, and the resignation ■of the president. ~ . t The Association evidently hoped to overcome the matter by extending the competition into four rounds. . This is most undesirable and unnecessary, as the competition would have concluded on the 30th August, which is quite late enough considering that there are at least two representative matches to be played and the teams to be picked. It would he much better to rescind tho resolution and have the question more amicably discussed.

THE AUCKLAND TOURING TEAM. (Per Press Association.^ AUCKLAND, August 10. The Auckland Hockey Association’s touring team left this evening by the Main Trunk express, en route to Invercargill, the furthermost part to be visited during the southern tour. The first match will be played at Wanganui on Thursday. The team, while not the strongest that might ho sent away, such good men as Mason, Jacobsen, Speight, and Allen being unable to obtain leave, is still a good side, and is expected to give a good account of itself. Mr. H. D. Hdl accompanies /the team, which is as follows : Goal-keeper, Bloomfield; full-backs; Sherrill’s and J. Baker; half-backs, Badham, D. K. Porter, Kavanagli, and Allison; forwards, Murdoch, Mather, Barry, L. Prime, Young, and Smythe.