VARSITY TEAM

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 535, 19 May 1933, Page 4

VARSITY TEAM

VISIT TO ROTORUA WELCOME DINNER GIVEN f v v 6 LAicE HOUsE • v A 5 BptEL = - iREPRESENTATXVE GATHERING A party of 23 members of the visiting, ^Australian University RiigBjp f od'thkil team arrived in Rotbrii^'ljy car from Auckland shortly after nodn yelterdhy and after being conveyed to the Lake ' House Hotel visitfed ' ^ numbhr of the ' attractions of the f tbwri. Early in the aftCrnbon the ■ pafty visited Whakarewarewa whete ' thhy W'ei'h conducte'd roiind thfe si^ [ of the reserve by Maori guides and ; 'they later visited the Government f Grounds and the Blue Baths: . At the

.baths the visitors witnessed swimming demonstrations by W. Whareaitu and other Rbtdrua swimmefs a'gairist 'whoih itiefiibisfg of the tSafii alsoraced over f our lengths of the bath. In tlife early eVehing a welcbnie dll.* /ner was -held at Lake Hbuse Hotel, 'where several Rotorua residents, -who in years gone by had attended var':ious universities and in seme cases 1 beeii pfohiihent in university foot)ball circles, attended to extend h'os- i pitality to the m'emberS of the team The chair was taken by Mr. T. S. Eo1 bertsoh, presidbht; Rotorua Rugby i Sub-Uiiiony and other officials of the uiiion present were Messrs. W. & Henderson (secretary) , A: db Luen (vice-presidbnt) ; Mr-Hendersony and L. A. Dixon, Among the ex-studenfe : of universities pfes'ent were Majtir t I ' Dansey (captain first, varsity teaili t) : A-^stralia, 1906), Dr. S. H. Hay (full- ' back 1906 team), Dr. H. Bertram ".(ex-Glasgow player), Dr. W. S. Wai- : lis, Mr. L. Clarke (ex-Canferhuiy College) , Mr. W. L. Wisemah (Aii'ei land)> 1923 team, and Mr. H. Hamil-

ton. ' Rugby Unlon Welcome Speaking on behalf of the Rotorua Rugby Union, Mr. T. S. Robertson > welcomed the visitors to Rotorua dnd \ said that he regretted that the time | f br the visit was so short. He hdpfed ' that the visiting team would M j their fair measure bf luck in th |

matches to come. ' ] Mr. J. A. Gunther, manager of the j team; said that they had seen soAe | "of the most remafkable sights it was j possible to see. It was the first Aus- \ tralian 'Varsity Rugby team to visit i Rotorua and they had never previous- 1 ,ly met the Maori and after meeting j them would go away with the hap- : ■piest of recollections. Replying to the managef 's toast on j (beh'elf of the ex-students bf the uni- | '•versities and people of RbtbrUU Major j R. Dansey welcomfed the visitors to | Rotorua. He had pleasant recollec- 1 1 tions of the 'varsity teur to Austra- | lia in 1908 ahd they had memoriesof j the wonderful player Sydney had j then produced in Nigei Parker. Major Dansey said he was glad that | the present team had been able to visit Rotorua. Rotorua being att uni- j \qtte pla'ce he felt that when thfe# | tors returned to Sydney they sh'oiild j use every endeavour to include Ro- | 'torua in their trips and in addition ; endeavour to arf aiige a match against i -a Rotorua team during the next tour, | Concluding, Major Dansey hoped .• the team would. enjoy the visit and ^ cartv away many happy recollections ■

of Rotorua. Captain Replies The captaih of the team, Mr. A. Kennedy said when visiting the place | ;which, he said, he was pleased to ah- | breviate "Whaka," he had sbinefi® j spattered on his clothes and this he j would proudly take back. He thought j it would be an excellent idea to in- j • elude Rotorua in the tour. i He thanked those who had arrang- ; ed their trip to Rotorua. Later in the evening the visitors \ 'were welcomed by the people er j 'Ohinemutu at Tamatekapua^ attend- « (ed a dance at the Majestic Ball- 1 ';room and finally were given a recep* j ton by the people of Whakarewarewa • ;rewa.