At the beginning of the season, that is to say before the commencement of cup matches, the Hockey Club was nothing if not optimistic. We were told, in the strictest confidence, that the first eleven expected to win some matches this season: that they would win their match against United, their first game; and that the Senior Cup would soon be adoring our trophy case. Needless to say, not one of these expectations has been realised: the Senior eleven has not won any matches; the United just managed to pull off a win against them, and the Senior Cup seems no nearer the trophy case than it was at the end of last season. The theoretical knowledge of the first eleven is, however, good: in fact they pride themselves on the way they use their heads; but if they could only learn to use their hands and feet—! The backs, too, should try at times to hit the ball hard, and towards their own forwards. But let us hope that before the season is over the first eleven will make a daring attempt to emulate the example of the III B team.

Individually the first are a very good team. it is true that we have lost J. A. Ryburn (of the "Class by himself"), and D. Watson, a 1906 Wellington representative both of whom have decamped—the former to attend the Theological College at Dunedin, and the latter to study medicine at Edinburgh. But we have Skelley again at the helm, Pope's "knee" does not at present prevent him from taking an active part in the game, and from the freshman we have C. H. Strack, who is a decided acquisition to the forward ranks. The other members of the team are men who would not be unworthy of a place in any Senior team, but there seems to be a need for that "homogeneous entity" which last year's June Spike accused III B of lacking.

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The Junior teams have done excellent well. The members of these teams attended in force at the hockey lectures given at the beginning of the first term by members of the first eleven, and we can attribute the successes of the three Junior teams only to the aforesaid excellence of the theoretical knowledge of the game possessed by the Seniors.

The second eleven has put up a record which might, to use the words of their captain, be described as "hefty." They have so far won every match played, and should finish near the top of the Junior competition. The forwards are very willing and have good combination, but they would do well to obtain some degree of efficiency in shooting a little of the Seniors' antipathy to the use of their hands.

The III A team, under the guidance of Rex Mason, are batting along with a grim determination, and an everlasting grudge against the Ground Committee of the Wellington Hockey Association. They have so far fortunate in meeting comparatively weak teams, but the time may come when both backs and forwards and will need their best efforts to stave off defeats. As is the case with the teams above them, the forwards seem on occasions to lack eyesight sufficiently keen to direct the ball straight and true to the goal; they are fast and can take the ball up to the circle, but as soon as they get there they seem to become paralysed. The backs are a very sound lot.

The III B's have been playing under most remarkable conditions, and the results have been equally astounding. In other words, the team contains eleven men, and has they intend making a bold bid for the third-class cup; at least they deserve the very fullest credit for every success they gain. They are willing, young, enthusiastic, and above all "spots." They have a good scoring line of forwards who are not afraid to shoot hard, and their backs have shown themselves as safe as any in the third-class competition. To defeat teams which were last year two of the strongest in their class, is indeed a meritorious performance. May they continue in the their victorious career!

At the Annual General Meeting of the Club, held in the middle of March, the constitution was altered to provide for the election of life members. The Meeting elected, as the first life members of the Club, G. F. Dixon, the Club's founder, and J. A. Ryburn, who was been a active member since 1903.

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We are hoping this year to have a match with the Otago University Club. This match was first suggested at Easter, when members of both teams took up the idea with enthusiasm. We have so far heard nothing definite from Otago, but we believe that they are making every effort to send up a team during their winter vacation. If there is no chance of a game being arranged this year, we hope that a series of annual matches will be instituted not later than in 1908.