RUGBY SOCIAL FUNCTION.

Shannon News, 10 June 1927, Page 3

RUGBY SOCIAL FUNCTION.

f PRESENTATION OF DEWAR’S IMPERIAL TROPHY The smoke concert held on Tuesday • ill* the Druids’ Hall, Shannon, by the . Horowhehu'a Rugby District Council was well attended, .despite the wet ■weather which prevailed The gatheiing was. a representative one of boti Pakeha and Maori Rugby football players and supporters and a pleasant ovfehing was soent. The .concert, wao arranged for the purpose of the Presentation of Dewar’s Imperial trophy to the Council, after which it was presented to the winning team in the la keha—Maori game. Opportunity ■ also taken to present a miniature of t e. trophy to Mr W.Moymhan on behalf of-Mrs Moynihan, widow of. the late Mr Rewi Moynihan, who captained the Pakeha team which won last seai. i - cup is not only beautiful, but most ginal and unique, being a full-sized silver football, mounted on a black polShed stand. It is a splendid piece of craftsmanship and was much adorned. Mr J. O’Connor, president of the Council, presided and associated with him at the head of the tables were Messrs Caldow -(representing Dewar’s), J. Casey (secretary), T. Hob-son-(Mavor of Levin), R. Downes, W. Movnihaii, J. Robson, J. Procter, w. N; Anderson, T. Wriglov, J. Bimmer. - M. Winiata, F. Robinson, and C. Hunt

- and' H. Jacob (captains of the Pakeha and Maori teams). After the toast of the King had been honoured Mr Downes, m the absence of the Mayor of Shannon (Mr E. Butt), who was unable to be present owing to the indisposition of the Mayoress, proposed the toast of the watu-Horowhenua -Rugby Union. Mr Robinson in returning thanks on behalf of the Combined Unions, said that ai- " though they had not beeri working long together, the. amalgamation up to the present has been quite successful. -Separately Union had done good for both bodies, it had made them more keen, especially Horowhenua. They have laic .themselves out to play better football, and to get as many men as possible into the Combined Union representative nr ‘ teen. He -believed that this year the Horowhenua Union would have one os. the strongest teams they have ever hail. He urged the players to train so as to enable dhem to uphold the reputation or last year ’s unbeaten record. On being called upon to present the beautiful trophy donated by Dewar s to the-Horowhenua Rugby District Council, Mr J. Caldow was received with rounds of applause. He said jt gave him tremendous pleasure to be present, but he expressed regret that one of his principals was unable to me, ■present to make the presentation. ..He expressed the _hppe - that. the trophj would be the fiiuesans of furthering Rugby in tbe Union. Some would saj that the trophy had been given as ah advertisement,; but he could assuie them that it had been donated for the purpose of encouraging good football with the hope that the game would be played in the proper spirit. ; Thp cup was tc be played for in Levin, Qtaki, . Foxton and Shannon year about, and he J sincerely hoped that this spirit would j , not be permitted to lie dormant whereever the match might be played and that they would all rally round to see that this did' not happen. Next year he hoped the Maoris would win and thus the donors’ with would be fulfilled by the cup going around. In conclusio/ he trusted that the trophy would be the means of Rugby going forward m Horowhenua.' Mr Casey, replying, asked Mr Caldow to convey the Council’s sincere thanks to the donors for the beautiful trophy, which was something unique, and not. to be afraid to inform his principals bow much the Council appreciated the donation and to tell them that it would be cared for for many years to come. He went on to say that the people in the Old Country who manufactured the trophy, knew that it was being contested for between pakeha and Maori teams, arid a point worth remembering in regard to this was the fact that such things as this helped to bring the peo pie of the British Empire together. He said" he felt a big responsibility and as one of the committee, he expressed the hope that they would all co-operate and full justice be done for years to come. / • , . ' Mr M. Winiata also expressed thanks to Mr Caldow. He said the trophy was a great asset to the Unicn, in that las*, year’s match was a good one, but this year’s game was better. Prior to the game on Wedntsday he had not been satisfied with the play this season and ' he had told both teams that the public wanted to see good football. He was . pleased to say both teams gave a good display and he congratulated the play ers of both. (Applause). . Mr. W. Hannan, in proposing the health of Mr Eimmer, referred to the ■ valuable work he had done in using his influence to get the trophy. He line done a lot to foster Rugby in Hor< - whenua and with this in mind he had decided that -the trophy should be com peted for between pakehas and Maoris, thereby bringing out that spirit and keenness which was so essential to good

football. ' , - Mr Eimmer assured them he greatlv appreciated Mr Hannan’s remarks. He did not think all the good words were exactly true, but nevertheless lie had spoken his feelings. It was as a result of a remark made by Mr M. Winiata that it was to suggest that the trophy be competed for by the Pakeha v. Maoris. Therefore, he did not thin a it was right for him to accept piaise ' ■ for being the originator of the suggos- - tion. There was no doubt it was the best possible purpose the trophy could be played for. There was only one out- • standing game this season and that was . last Wednesday. 'Hunt was to be con- ' gratulated on his win and the Maoris - for the strenuous and capable game they played. He expressed the hope that Jacob would turn out next season, as rumour had it that this was, his last, season, because lie would like him t>. lead his team to victory. He would not like to see him finish his earee;without his na,me on the trophy. ; ; (Cheers). * donors, which was proposed by Mr J. - W. Procter, Mr Caldow congratulated Mr Hunt, captain of the Pakehan, oh

winning the trophy. He expressed the hope that it would be the means of increasing the Council’s revenue, thus enabling them to improve their grounds and further Rugby football generally Prior to the presentation of the miniature cup to Mr W. Moynihan, on behalf of Mrs R. Moynihan, the chairman said that since the death of Mr ■Rfcwi Moynihan it was the first occa- 1 rion they had met to spend a convivial evening and it would not be fitting to do so,'without paying a tribute to his nemovy and he asked ail present to •itaiul and observe a minute’s silence. Mr T. Hobson, in handing'over the trophy, said the donors had seen fit to hand over a miniature of the trophy to the late captain’s wife to keep for all time. He said they were all in accord with the spirit of the donors. He feelingly referred to the late Mr Moynihan’s prowess on the football field, saying he was a man one was proud to know and whom it was an honour to know. All their feelings would go back to the time when the trophy was first won under his captainship, with the wish that he could to witness other games. Mr W. Moynihan, in returning thanks, said he did so with mingled feelings. He congratulated the don>rs for the unique trophy and-thanked I lie Horowhenua Rugby District Council for the respect shown his late brother and the Moynihan family by hav ing the presentation made in Shannon. His family would appreciate the trophy very much. He thanked them for the kind remarks about iiis late brother. , Other toasts honoured were “The First Winners: the 1926 Pakeha team," proposed by Mr H. Jacob, lesponded to by Mr T. Moynihan; “1926 Maori team,’’ proposed by Mr Robinson; “1927 Winners of Trophy,’’ proposed by Mr O’Connor, who handed the trophy to Mr C. Hunt (captain), which was responded to on the latter’s behalf by Mr Robson; “1927 Maori team,’’ Mr H. McDonald; “The Referees’’; “The Entertainers. ’’ and the “Press.’’ During the evening vocal, elocutionary, conjuring and musical items were rendered by Messrs 11. Jacob, C. Cronquest, W. Tohu, J. T. Bovis, W. Noad, 11. McDonald, Hayden and Thurston. There was also a Maori haka led by Mill. Jacob.

Mr S. I arsons played the aeeompani merits. '