Cricket Club Celebrates Victory

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1949, Page 3

Cricket Club Celebrates Victory

A fitting conclusion to a successful season was celebrated on Saturday evening, when the Shannon Cricket Club held its victory dinner and smoke concert in the Drui'ds' Hall. Representatives of the Horowhenua Cricket Association and all clubs in the association's area, the Mayor, Mr. D. A. Fitzgerald, and former members of the club were present. Members of the club had gone to corisiderable troubleL to make the evening a success and their eiforts were rewarded when over 70 persons sat down to an excellent meal. Although it was the active members of the club who attended to the needs of their guests, they were very ably assisted by a committee of ladies, comprising Mesdames E. Spring, B. Harris, K. Thomson and G. McEwen, and Misses Otto, Parr, Spring and M. Harris. The duties of toastmaster were in the hands of Mr. R. S. Downes, a former president of the club, and prior to the commencement of the dinner he briefly outlined the early history of the club and mentioned that it had won the Hall Shield on, five former occasions. The following toasts were proposed with the usual honours: — "The King," proposed by Mr. R. S. Downes; "The Shannon Cricket Club," proposed by Mr. G. C. France (president of the Horo whenua Association) and responded to by Mr. J. P. McNeile (captain) ; "The Horowhenua Association," Mr. A. Seaton (president of the local club) — Mr. Broad (secretary of the association) ; "The Visitors," Mr. C. Mortimer (secretary) — Mr. Bartosh (Otaki) ; "The Press," Mr. R. Herbert— Mr. >T. S. Downes; "Absent FriendS," Mr. T. Roach. At the conclusion of the toasts, the Ma-yor, Mr. Fitzgerald, extended thanks ot the club for the invitation to be present and, on behalf of the borough council, extended a welcome to the visitors on the happy occasion of the club's victory celebratipns. He concluded by congratulating the local club on its success an dexpresse'd the hope that the shield would remain in Shannon for many seasons yet. Mr. Downes then called upon Mr. D. Harris, one of the real "pld timers" of the club, to speak. Mr. Harris extended congratulations to the present, boys and said that all the old timers would be very proud of them on this occasion. Mr. Harris. spoke of the club's activities in the years which followed 1900, when he first became a member, and recalled incidbnts and names of players; who [iWere.. staunch cricketers in those days. ' The smoke cbncert followed and this entertained' those present uptil ailate hour.,.