CANADIAN RUGBY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 178, 14 August 1937, Page 16

CANADIAN RUGBY

PKNEER VISITS KTW ZEALAND GAME .ON UP GRADE A guest of the Wellington Rugby Union at.Athletic Park recently was Mr. Geqrge Dewe, of Edmonton, Alberta, who is visiting New Zealand after an absence of 25 years, Mr. Dewe for some years has been closely connected with the development of Canadian Rugby and during the course of his visit he intends to meet the New Zealaiid Rugby Union as a representative of the Csmadian Union to discuss the possibilities of reciprocal tours. Born in 1862 in England— his alert appearance belies his age — he arrived in New Zealand in 1874, lived in Invercargill for eight yearS, and then in Christchurch until 1912, when he left for Canada. Since then, he has seen the 1924 and 1935 All Blacks in Canada. As a sports enthusiast, Mr. -Dewe has worked particularly hard in the interests of Rugby and cricket in Canada. He played cricket regularly for the King Edward Park Cricket Club until he was 63, and later he continued his interest in the game by forming a business men's club which regularly held challenge matches with the Mayor and city cOuncillors of Edmonton. The matches created much interest. Politically, he knows the Social Credit Premier of Alberta (Mr. William Aberhart), whose policy swept the Farmers' Party from power two years ago and won 56 of the 63 seats in the Alberta House of Representatives. "As is well known," said Mr. Dewe, "Mr. Aberhart has had a merry innings during his career. He is gifted and a good speaker, either in the open or through the radio, of which he makes great u§e. Before I left Canada he gave me a letter and parcel for the Prime Minister of New Zealand, and I delivered it. to Mr. Savage at Palmerston North about four months ago." Although he is greatly interested In Rugby and cricket, Mr. Dewe is also interested in women's basketball in Canada, qnd particularly in the Edmonton Gtommercial "Grads," a remarkable organisation which has, in the last 21 years, played 445 games in Canada, America, and Europe with no more than eleven losses. The Grads side has played 25 games at the Paris, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, and Berlin Olympiads hnd has won them all and the team indisputahly. holds the world's championship. ' Despite the act that the Grads play the North American game „of flve aside, it is possible that the team will visit New Zealand in 1940. As a representative of- the organisation, Mr. Dewe will meet the executive o£ the NeW Zealand Basketball Association to discuss the possibilities. During the week-end he was taken for a motor drive 'by association members. - Mr; Dewe will return to Canada after lecturing in this island. He has been in . New . Zealand for several months and during that time has had rather invidious distinction of bemg the first overseas- patient at the new ■Kew Hospital in Invercargri1.