GORE FOOTBALL CLUB.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 400, 14 October 1884, Page 3

GORE FOOTBALL CLUB.

On Friday, Evening last alargejnumber of footballers* with, a few friends, met in Grant's Criterion.-. Hotel, Gore, to formally close the\ Season/ As has already been announced the weather on two consecutive Saturdays prevented the '• Club from winding up by a scratch match. , However, none will regret after the pleasant evening, spent, ;that the weather was such'! The president the, Rev. J. Hobbs, occupied the chair, and in a few opening .remarks, stated the object of the meet- • ing) i Hecalled upon Mr Brett to begin the programme by a pianoforte selection. ' ft is needless to say the piece was well • received; The Chairman then delivered ,;atf address. He said it gave him pleasure, tovbe president of the club. ±Lis duties had been very light indeed. He 1 then gave a short resume of the past rseason. The . club had played three matches, two of which had been won and the other drawn. He regretted 1 Laying b"een unable to attend them, as '"Ms diities would not permit. The ■members had attended ' practices regularly every Saturday With the exception/)!: two days;, the only accident that occurred, being to one player, who had 'since quite recovered. In conclusion he congratulated the club on the success it had.attained and trusted that it would be equally successful in future. Mr A. Treseder followed with a song "The 'Skipper's Flag," after which Mr Brett •again-. -favored the company with a pianoforte solo. This was succeeded by Mr Labatt singing — "Her bright smile haunts I"- me still." A speech by the yicerpresident, "Rev. J. N. Buttle, came next;; ;He was. glad that he was present, and was only . sorry that the club did tidtf have a chance of closing their reason by a : MitehY ;He commented on the unbroken record, and felt sure that few clubs had : arrived at such a. successful standing in their firct year. The players mtfst riot think that they could always keep up their record ; they might have to go, into 'larger towns, and so should riot remain;on their laurels. An occassional 'defeat would, however, be a stimulus to renewed exertion. When in other towns he had always spoken with pride of the club; and felt it an honor to be connected with it. He liked to see the good moral tone of the club kept up, and failed to see why ministers should not <take;par£ in such, games, as itwhuid in most cases fit them better for their duties. In conclusion ho also wished the footballer* as successful a season next year as the past had .been. Mr Palmer then sang in good' style— "No, Sir," whichMr M. Johnston followed by a recitation— !• The , Nancy . Brig." , .The most important^ part of the " business "of the evening then took, place. This was in the { Bhap'e' ? 6f an excellent repast provided by f hosjJ Grahti whose name alone suffices for a guarantee. When all had satisfied themselves with the good things, a very pleasant ceremony was entered upon. This •wras i a^presentation . to the secretary and 'treasurer of' the club, Mr J. H. C. Hunterj'o'f a" small gold pencil of neat design,suitably inscribed. Mr Hobbs^ on behalf of the members, niade the present, and in iaudatbry terms referred to the manner in which Mr Hunter ,had worked ; for; the club. Mr Hunter feelingly, thanked the president for the kinctly words with which he had accompanied the gift... The Gore Football Club was th : e first -in which he had taken any part,!:; and he was proud to have been-secretary and treasurer of it. His duties had beea* easy, the -.. committee working well Thej club had in a great measure /owed vtheir good standing to My vMaicpherson, the late deputy captain. In conclusion he assuryi^mem'that the G. F. C. would have a lasting place in his ! memory, and he would always value the gift as a token of the esteem in which his comrades had held him. T Tb.e, second part of the programme .was then commenced. It consisted chiefly of songs. Mr Eeiach, howeYef, began with a recitation—" Bernardo/ 4 ' which received spirited applause. Mr Symes;, followed with a song " Good Jlhein^Wine," and had to submit to an encore, when he gave "Jack's Yarn," in which the, company joined in the chortisV' Mr James Boy ne next came to the front ; and sung with his usual ability "Babiesyonour Block," which was received with such approbation that he had to sing again. He complied by singing Annie; of the Vale." those present ooining in the choruses. Mr F. Sayers then sang " Oh, Joe ! the boat's going' over 1 ," 1 which Mr G. Bonsey, followed with '* Gathering shells from the seashore." A recitation came, next by Mx Palmer—.'' Begulus before the Eoman Senate,"' which received vociferous applause. He was succeeded by Mr Simson, who sang "The Moon behind the Hill " in capital style. He had to submit to the inevitable encore, and sang "Brother's fainting at the door." MrE. Bonsey than sang "Far Away." Mr Tt Ambrose came next with "The Man" you don't meet every day," and, ' " being '•'"• encored, concluded the musical part of the programme by singing with good expression—" The Hat my father wore." After this Mr Douglas proposed the first vote of thanks: to the gentlemen who first i thought of the happy way of winding up the sieasorii He congratulated the club on its success, which not only secured to the players the confidence of the local public, but brought the district prominently before other communities, and so tendedto enhance the reputation of the Gore districts A vote of thanks was then proposed by Mr Hunter to the gentlemen •who with the exercise \oi their musical talents had made the evening so pleasantly. In proposing this he specially referred to Mr Brett, who had always been ready to help on such occasions^!. After a vote ' of thanks to the chairman the evening was wound up by singing " God save the Queen."