ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1854, 13 September 1913, Page 10

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

SAILING OF THE BLACKS. SEND-OFF AT THE SHIP'S SIDE. Farwvellect by a crowd of himdrcda, tho All-Blacks sailed for California by tlio Wiilochra yesterday afternoon. The twenty-three Rugby representatives of Now Zealand, with their manager, Mr. George Mason, of Ohistolmrch, wore "heartily cheered as tho boat drew- away from tho wliarf. • The vessel wa3 announced to leave at 5 o'clock, but she did not move off till about an hour later, and, naturally enough, protracted aaious drifted on into a scene of merriment. Graham, tho Otago forward, constituted himself fun-maker. "When you hear us whoop, to-night," ho said (doubling up painfully), "you may sing 'Everybody's Doin' It.' " Alluding to one whoso staturo suggested that he could speak considerably above a whisper, ho announced 1 : "Mr. Downing will say a few words to you after we get outside the Heads." "Cain," he continued, "was not able." ■ So on till at 6 o'clock cheers from the wharf for tli-o wearers of the silror fern, and cheers from the ship for the citizens of Wellington, mauo known that the Wiilochra was moving out. And to the ragtime of "Everybody's Doin' It," and tho tune of "Come Down the Wanganui," they glided out into the harbour and were off to the States.