ROTORUA POST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20058, 3 October 1939, Page 4

ROTORUA POST

WELL-KNOWN OFFICIAL MR. THOS. FRENCH GOING SERVICES TO FOOTBALL ■Advice of his promotion to Rotorua, where he will take charge of the stock district, has been received by Mr. Thomas French, stock inspector at Gisborne. Mr. French will take up his new duties at the end of October, according to the present plans.

He will be much missed in this district, where he has heen a popular representative of his department and has taken a leading part in the organisation of Rugby football. He came to Gisborne five years ago, having previously spent four years at Hamilton, and 10 years at Wairoa in the service of the department. While at Wairoa

he was selector • and coach fbr 'the senior representative Rugby team, and in his last season the team won every game in a schedule of seven or eight fixtures.

During his residence in Gisborne, Mr. French has been as active in support ot the game, and has achieved almost as great a success, as when associated with Rugby in Wairoa.

He has selected and coached some fine district teams, and has brought many PoVerty Bay Players into the first flight under the All Black standard. His personality has been a leading factor in his success, which, however, is founded mainly upon a first-class playing record in the game prior to the Great War.

Besides selecting and coaching district teams, Mr. French has been selector and coach to Maori teams of international standard, and this year was appointed with Messrs. N. R. McKenzie and F. W. Lucas to select the North Island representatives in inter-island games.