DUKE OF YORK

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1930, Page 8

DUKE OF YORK

ATTENDS RUGBY TEAM FAREWELL.

NEW ZEALAND RECOLLECTIONS

At n dinner given to Die British Rugby football team in London on tin eve of tlicir departure for New Zealand, at which Air T. AY. Wilford piesided and’proposed after “The King,” the toast of “Her Majesty the Queen, His lt'oyal Highness the Prince o. Wales, and o’tlier members of the Roy: Family,” the Dyke of York replied.

STATUS AND FUNCTION

“Since I last dined with you in 1926,” said the Duke, <f l undcrstam you have undergone a change in status if not in function. You were then r dining committee and you are now ai Association with an extensive membersnip of those interested in and connected with New Zealand, and desirous of promoting the interests of tlur great Dominion. In reading tin. rules I see that the objects of youi Association are to promote the interests of New Zealand commercially, socially, and in every other possible way. Well to my mind this is an amoitious undertaking, and one of' the admirable ways in which you show proof of it is to give a foretaste to cer tain of your guests here who an about to proceed to you Dominion oi that hospitality, Jthe wonderful extent of wh ( ich I learned for mvsel during my visit to New Zealand.

THE DUKE IN NEW ZEALAND

“The time I spent in your co<ntr; lias left with me a lasting admiratioi for its achievements arid its potentialities, and the most pleasant recollections of .the friendliness and the hospitality of its people, and also largely increased experience in tin realm of sport. There are few mun sport loving people in the world, am 1 can assure the representatives o; sport sitting at these tallies to-nigbi that whatever their speciality tiiey will find full scope for it .in New Zealand. They saw to it that 1 had iin share, and I did. “Fishing, from the big game fish oi the Bay of Islands, to the rather smaller trout of Lake Taupo and of Tongariro rivers, and of Lakes Wanaka and Wakatipn in the South Island; tennis in places, but especially at the admirable courts of the Hawke’s Bas Club at Napier. They even made n< a racecourse starter a£ Christchurch where trotting'races have a bigger hold on the public fancy than gallops. The Mayor of Christchurch at that time was Mr Archer. So far as I could gather lie disliked racing and went there only because I went there. Be had never been on a racecourse before, hut he started the second race. (Laughter.). “J am afraid they never let me stay long enough in one place to see a cricket match. (Laughter). But Mr Oilligan and his team 'have just returned to tell you of the fine side that New Zealand can put in the field.

THE NATIONAL GAME. “But over and above all sports,” eon. m red the Duke of York, “Rugby j football remains the most popular with j he Now Zealander, and with them we must include the Maori, for who does .ot remember the exploits of individual .Maoris who were members of the All Back teams which have devasted British sides in the past. Unfortunitely, it was not the season for footall when I was there, but that did not prevent the New Zealander from nlking about- his national game. (Laughter.) I remember a day spent in traversing the district of Taranaki from New Plymouth to Palmerston North. That special country is the centre of the whole dairy industry of New Zealand, hut it- is also famous for producing international footballers, and those whom perhaps more so—to 'ell me of that proud fact as they wore to tell of cows with incredible yields of milk containing unbelievable richness of butterfat. (Laughter.) “Tt is 22 years since the first British 1 n>i visited New Zealand and I would li'-e to f°ke this opportunity of warning the team to whom we are saying farewell this evening that they take I their football very seriously in New

Zealand. Whatever the strength of die side we are putting into the field hey will find themselves opposed by nen of splendid physique, imbued with i determination to win. After your games you will find your opponents make very fine hosts, as keen to give their visitors pleasure as they are to be able to beat them. To the members of the team I say I envy you vour voyage and I wish you the best of luck.”