Heeney’s Welcome Home

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 453, 7 September 1928, Page 1

Heeney’s Welcome Home

FULL PROGRAMME ARRANGED

Dates For Banquets Clash

(Special to THE SUN) GISBORNE, Thursday. pOMI' LICATIONS have arisen in connection with the series of welcome-home functions arranged in honour of Tom Heeney, who will arrive in Auckland on Sunday, after an absence of four years.

Auckland, Gisborne and Wellington hope to arrange banquets for the returning boxer, and other functions have been arranged in many places with the result that, if Heeney is to respond to every invitation, he will be extremely busy for a fortnight. There is a clash between the Wellington and Gisborne banquets, both having been arranged for September 17. Efforts are being made now to overcome the difficulty, which has arisen through the Wellington Boxing Association having prepared the welcome without first consulting the wishes of Heeney and apparently without considering the likelihood of other arangements having been made with him by radio. An Auckland sportsman, Mr. Gleeson, was the first to announce the intention of holding a banquet to honour Heeney on his return to New Zealand, and the Gisborne citizens’ effort in the same direction was next heard of. The Wellington enthusiasts must have been working quietly for, according to information now in the hands of the Gisborne committee, the Prime Minister and members of Parliament are to be present at the function arranged in Heeney’s honour in the capital. Unfortunately, September 17 is the only date that will meet the convenience of Parliamentarians and unless new arrangements can be made in Gisborne Heeney will have to forego either one welcome. or the other.

It is evident that the Wellington Association was not aware of the fact that the Gisborne Boxing Association has a tournament arranged for September 14, at which Heeney has agreed to appear in an exhibition bout. Gisborne’s acquiescence in Wellington’s tentative arrangements must therefore depend on Heeney’s acceptance of another date for his home-town banquet. In order to clear up the point the Citizens’ Committee has sent a telegram to Mr. Gleeson at Auckland asking him to fall in with a revised programme. In the event of all parties pulling together, Heeney will be faced with the following programme: September 9, landing in Auckland. September 10, Northern Boxing Association’s gathering. t September 11, Mr. Gleeson’s banquet in Auckland. September 12, leave for Rotorua aud Gisborne. September 13, arrival at Gisborne,

where he will attend the citizens’ banquet. September 14, attend the Gisborne tournament. September 16, leave for Wellington. September 17, attend the Welling-, ton tournament and the Parliamentary -welcome.

NO REPLY TO ASSOCIATION

The Northern Boxing Association this morning had not received a reply from Heeney regarding the cable inviting him to a social function on Monday.

MESSAGE TO DOMINION

HEENEY TO SPEAK FROM AORANGI From the moment when the Aorangi appears round North Head on Sunday afternoon Station IYA will be o& the air. A land line has been laid to Prince’s Wharf and from there the full scene at the arrival of .Tom Heeney back in New Zealand will be described. As soon as the vessel comes within reach a land line will he rushed on board and Heeney will broadcast his greetings to the people of the DominIt is expected that the Aorangi will enter the harbour at atyout 5 p.m.

WILL MEET AORANGI

PARENTS’ LAST-MINUTE DECISION (Special to THE SUN) GISBORNE, To-day. The near approach of Tom Heeney’s arrival back in New Zealand has disturbed the equanimity of % his aged parents to a much greater extent than anything else in his career, so much so, in fact, that in contradiction of their former avowals they made a last minute decision and left for Auckland this morning. Mr. Heeney’s presence on the wharf when the Aorangi berths will be a most effective answer to repeated assertions in American newspapers that Heeney’s return is due to the fact that his father is dying.

FIJI HONOURS HEENEY

FAREWELL BY GREAT CROWD (United P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) : SUVA, Thursday. - Tom Heeney, the New Zealand boxer, and his wife and three brothers were passengers for Auckland by the Aorangi this evening. During their brief stay In Suva to-day they were the guests of the Hon. and Mrs. Alport Barker. New Zealanders resident in Suva made Tom Heeney a presentation in the Town Hall this afternoon. He was hidden farewell by one of the largest crowds which has ever assembled on the wharf. Those present included seamen from the cruiser Dunedin, who performed a haka.