FOOTBALLERS MEET SOCIALLY

Chronicle (Levin), 22 August 1946, Page 8

FOOTBALLERS MEET SOCIALLY

WANDERERS CLUp'S FUNCTION Reviving their popular social functions after an intervai of nearly 20 years, the Wanderers Football Club and supporters gave, on Saturday evenirig, at the -Hokio Maori meeting house, a compli1 mentary dinper to the members of che Wanderers junior team on winning the northern division championship. The long supper table had been tastefully decorated and was well laden with refreshments.' • Mr. H. Jacob, an ex-All Black and one-time captain of the .Wanderers team, welcomed those present and proposed the toast of "The King," which was-honoured by th,e singing of the National Anthem. The toast to "The Junior Team" was proposed by Mr. Jacob, wh,o said that it was a great thing fo see the jupiors playing such excellent football as they were such young players. He said that it was che right way to form a club by building up the junior teams, as in a few years' time these players would pass on to senior with that experience behind them. In conclusion Mr. Jacob wished the team every success in the future, and hoped that they would win the junior ehampionship when they met the southern winners, Waimeha, "In the final. In reply, Mr. H. Ropata, captain of the junior team, thanked those responsible for the dinner and said that the only way the team could repay them was to win the ehampionship. In proposing the toast to "The Coach," Mr. H. Ropata, on- behalf of his team, thanked Mr. J. Bond for his excellent work, and presented him with a standing chromium ash tray as a token of appreciation from the team. The toast to "The Old Wanderers" was proposed by Mr. R. Jacob, who said that although he did not play for Wanderers he most eertainly would have if he had been jn Levin. He then thanked the persons responsible for the funciion and extended his best wishes for the future. Mr. J. Sciascia responded, saying that in the old days there were only two teams playing- in the senior grade in this district, Wanderers and Hui Mai, and on one occasion when a representative team was chosen- . to play for Horowhenua, fourteen Wanderers men were included in it. Mr. Sciascia then produced some old photograplis of - various Wanderers teams and representative teams from the Horowhenua district. Much interest was displayed in these old prints, for included in one of a representative team frpm Horowhenua was the present Gov-ernor-General of New Zealand, Major-General B. C. Freyberg. Mr. Sciascia then wished the junior team every success in the future. Mr. P. McLeavey proposed a toast to "The Ladies" and thanked tnem on behalf of everyone present foi the way in which they had helped .to make the dinner a success. Between the toasts the time was passed with the singing of Maori and old football songs, and hakaE by the members of the junior team At a suitable moment Mr. H. Winiata presented Mr. and Mrs. Boyc with a beautiful hanging wall mirror as a token of . appreciation foi allowing the team to change anc wash in, their -r.ooms after the match es. "