Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 1, No. 15. July 13, 1938

Women's Hockey

Women's Hockey

All those who look part in the Hockey Tournament at Dunedin are in agreement. I think, in that they received two [ unclear: distinct] impressions during then stay: the first, concerning the weather the second, all other aspects of the Tournament. Of the second, everyone has brought away the happiest [ unclear: i collection] of the first, the wondering thought, "How do they live though it?" The weather, in [ unclear: shoot] was shocking; the rain had turned the hockey fields at Logan Park into a [ unclear: quagmite] where any step might land player and ball into ankle-deep mud or water, and at the conclusion of each game, one mud-bespattered face and gym-froek was very like the next. When apologizing for keeping the Stick at Otago, the Captain of the Otago girls remarked. "But don't imagine we have given you nothing. Think of the mud, think of the liberal helping of good Otago soil you are taking home with you!" The chilly reception of the Dunedin climate, however, was soon for gotten in the [ unclear: warmth] of proverbial Scottish hospitality, Otago [ unclear: entertaining] its visitors royally with [ gap — reason: illegible]. Dinner, Picture Party, and Ball.

The form displayed by the women's teams win much the same as Iast year in Auckland, with Otago in the lead, closely followed by Auckland, and Canterbury and Victoria considerably further down the scale. "Salient" of last week, in speaking of Victoria's chances at the Tournament, announced: "The prospects of the women's team cannot be regarded hopefully." and so it turned out. The Victoria girls, in spite of their best efforts, were able to do nothing to [ unclear: refute] this mournful prophecy, the only consolation being that so inured to defeat have they become, that it can do nothing to spoil their enjoyment of the games. Joan Bacon's energetic defence work gained her the place of emergency to the N.Z.U. team but the remainder of the team [ unclear: return] to Wellington [ unclear: no] more distinguished than they left it. Throughout the standard of play was spoilt by the poor conditions.

The Hockey Tournament is an event in which the 'Varsity as a whole takes very little interest; its representatives do not gain the [ unclear: distinction] that attaches to participants in the Easter Tournament; yet of later years it has widened and developed until it has become what [ unclear: seems] an almost perfect form of University entertainment. Once, inclusion of hockey in the Easter Tournament sports seemed a desirable thought impossible, object; but so enjoyable and finished an event has the Hockey Tournament become, that all hockey players would be very [ unclear: [ gap — reason: illegible] to lose] individuality and then Tournament thus. Otago, [ unclear: acting] as hosts for the first time, ably cannot on what has now become the tradition of Hockey Tournament—to grow "belter and better."