Women's Hockey

Prospects for Women's Hockey are rather brighter this year, although the club membership is still small. Regular play does not begin till next term, but practices in the Gym, on Monday nights show that some of the newcomers will prove useful members of the team. Moreover even the in-experienced ones appear to be enthusiastic and, under the paternal guidance of Max Christie and other members of the Men's Club, have begun their training by nocturnal running round Kelburn Park.

Only five of last year's team are playing this year, but fortunately several old V.U.C. players have returned to the fray. With Vesta Emmanuel as half-back, and Betty Fraser and nettle Stubbs to strengthen the forward line, we have the nucleus for a fair team. The full-backs are an unknown quantity as yet, although, among the freshers, Winifred Tow-good shows promise of being a dependable player. Margaret Wallace, a former, C.U.C. player, is a welcome addition to the club.

If the number of beginners is sufficient, it may be possible to enter a Junior as well as a Senior team in the Saturday games. Any other students who wish to learn to play hockey should leave a note in the rack for the club secretary. Betty Rider.

There will be a practise for all players on Saturday, 29th. Watch notice board for further announcement.

Hockey Acquisitions

In C. A. Sharp, a former Rhodes Scholar, the Men's Hockey Club has gained a player whose experience and skill should be of much value. A Southland representative. Sharp has had considerable hockey experience in England and India.

Buchanan, a Canterbury College "Blue" for the past two years, should prove another useful acquisition. Souness from the Wesley Club and Hetherington, a Canterbury Junior Rep., are other men who may find places in the senior team.

So far no attempt has been made to finalise teams, but good material is available for sound Senior A and Senior B sides.

Of last year's seniors, all are again available except Eggleton (now at Canterbury). Williams (in Auckland), and Pitt (now on his way to teach the Rarotongans hockey).

Competition for places will be particularly keen, especially amongst the halves. As in previous years, only the wing forwards should occasion any difficulty. Teams will be chosen after the final practice next Saturday when it is hoped to measure the strength of teams with out-side clubs.

There are still vacancies in all teams to be filled. Those in doubt about playing—and of course all those who intend to play—are urged to attend at Karori Park next Saturday without fall.

Harriers

The college Harrier Club held its first run of the season from Weir House on Saturday, 15th April. After Mr. G. C. Sherwood, vice-president and coach, had officially declared the season open, about thirty runners were started off in two packs. The trial led to the top of Tinakori Hill and back to the starting point [unclear: da] Anderson Park and Salamanca Road.

At the conclusion of the run, the club members were entertained at afternoon tea by Mr. R. D. Bradshaw, warden of Weir House and a vice-president of the club. Mr. F. D. O'Flynn expressed the appreciation of all for the generous hospitality of their host, and thanked him for the assistance he had always given to University harrier activities.

The run on 29th April will be from Wadestown. All members and others who wish to have an afternoon's exercise are asked to meet at the Wadestown tram terminus at 2.15 p.m. sharp.

Old Students' Day

By 95 games to 84 in the aggregate, each team having won six matches. Present Students defeated Past Students at tennis in the annual contest for the Eichelbaum Cup last Saturday.

In the top singles F. H. Renouf defeated H. N. Bums 6/3, and N. G. Foley, B. W. Brock and R. Thawley, playing second, third and fourth respectively for the club, also won. But Present Students lost the last four singles, and interest was consequently maintained until the doubles results were known.

Besides the players already mentioned, Present Students were represented by P. G. Pasley, I. F. Bowden, K. J. McNaught and F. D. Christensen. Past Students were represented by the donor of the cup, Mr. S. A. Eichelbaum, and Messrs. H. N. Burns. C. E. Evans Scott, H. R. C. Wild. C. H. Hain, T. Foden, R. St. J. Beere, and Batten.

It is interesting to recall the fact that Col. R. St. J. Beere was a member of the first tennis team to represent V.U.C. at Tournament. That was in 1902, and the other men in the team were Messrs. F. P. Wilson. H. P. Richmond. J. Graham. F. A. de la Mare and A. J. Will. Mr. S. A. Eichelbaum himself was treasurer of the infant club away back in 1905. Mr. H. N. Burns, now better known as secretary of the N.Z. Lawn Tennis Association, was secretary of the V.U.C. Tennis Club in 1925.—L.B.S.

Softball at V.U.C.?

Will softball—that variant of baseball that is so rapidly attaining popularity—find its way into Varsity sport? It cannot be denied that an afternoon at softball is good entertainment, both for players and onlookers. Nor should one scoff at the game as only glorified rounders. It is a game full of action and skill, calls for quick thinking and fitness, is amusing and exciting, and does not take too long to play. One thing noticeable about it is that a duffer or novice can have a stimulating afternoon's fun and exercise just as much as the expert.

Someone may feel inclined to found a club at V.U.C. That it will not be long before the game is played by students is a prediction confidently made. Baseball is popular in Australia and the way it has won favour in England is surprising to the man who imagines it is a purely American game. Lacrosse, that popular Canadian pastime, was started in New Zealand, only to dwindle and die. But softball has become so firmly established (there are several thousand players in New Zealand at present) that it is unlikely to meet the same fate.

Farewell!

Leon Pitt has already departed for Rarotonga and Bruce Brock is leaving shortly for Auckland. The Tennis Club thus loses two of its keenest members and the Rugby and Hockey Clubs suffer too. .

B. W. Brock was a Tournament representative at tennis in 1937 and L. K. Pitt has represented V.U.C. at the Inter-College Hockey Tournament. Bruce was a nippy half-back for the Senior B Rugby team and Leon a fast forward on the hockey field. Their styles at tennis were among the most attractive in the club.

Two capable and popular sportsmen, they leave behind many friends at V.U.C. who wish them well.

Table Tennis

Formed only last year, the Table Tennis Club had an encouragingly successful first season, and for this winter is proposing to enter teams in the Wellington Table Tennis Association's competition. So far twenty-four students have expressed their desire to play inter-club.

The club possesses two good tables and an energetic committee. Table tennis is so inexpensive a game to play and provides such good fun that the club should soon be one of the most popular in the College.

Rugby

The most powerful sports club in the College, the Rugby Club, will this season have the satisfaction of having its best men playing senior football from the outset. By many other football followers in Wellington, too, the change will be welcomed, for it is not so many years ago that the Varsity side was the most colourful fifteen in local Rugby.

A decade ago University fielded such backs as F. Noble Adams, J. D. Mackay, F. S. Ransom, R. H. C. Mackenzie, E. T. C. Leys and J. H. Ruru. Mackay, Mackenzie and Leys gained All Black honours, and Ruru, a brilliant player who met an untimely death, was a Maori All Black. Then, too, there were such forwards as P. Martin Smith, J. Platta Mills, O'Regan, Blacker, Burns, Diederich, and Wens.

Last season there was much satisfaction when Burke, McNicol and Eastwood represented Wellington, but in 1929 no fewer than ten V.U.C. men played for the province. Going further back, we find that in 1922 eleven Varsity footballers gained the selector's nod. The previous year a V.U.C. footballer. G. G. Aitken, had captained the All Blacks against South Africa.

But 1928 was probably the Club's greatest year, for the team was studded with talent and the senior championship was won for the first time. This feat was repeated in 1929, but in 1930 we occupied bottom position. Three years later came relegation to the second division of the Senior A grade, and we have been struggling to regain senior status over since. Now we are again to start the season with a team in the top grade, and all Varsity sportsmen wish the players well.

—L.B.S.

Hockey

Various matters of moment were broached (and left at that in some cases) at the annual general meeting of the Men's Hockey Club, attended by some 40 students. One of them was the question of obtaining permission to practice on Kelburn Park on Saturday mornings before competition matches begin; another was a proposal to amalgamate with the Training College Club; another was to enter a team in Senior B grade composed partly of old-timers and partly of promising colts; and yet another was to form a purely Weir House team to play in one of the lower grades.

Chairman D. Beresford lamented the days when the club flourished with eight teams. But that was when a certain massive Club Captain was wont to grab freshers almost literally by the scruff of the neck, thrust sticks into their apprehensive hands, and make them play a game which they probably knew not at school, but which they soon came to enjoy.

Frank Walker is Secretary again, and Alan Dixon, whose father, G. F. Dixon, is Patron, succeeds Frank New combe as Club Captain. New combe has, been one of the club's finest workers and, as captain of the seniors and of the Wellington representative team last season, no mean player at centre-half as well.

But this club, one of the oldest at the College, needs players for 1939. Outfitting is cheap and the game itself is not too difficult for a fresher to learn to play reasonably well in quite a short space of time. So if you are in doubt about what winter pastime to take up, try hockey. Frank Walker or Alan Dixon will furnish further information. Notes can be left for them in the letter rack.

—L.B.S.

Massey's Tennis Victory