AUCKLAND CELEBRATES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 988, 3 June 1930, Page 11

AUCKLAND CELEBRATES

THOUSANDS HONOUR KING’S 65 TH BIRTHDAY MANY SPORTS FIXTURES In spite of threatening skies and a keen wind, Aucklanders turned out in their thousands today to join with otl/ r r parts of Hie British Empire in honouring King George’s both birthday. Tho only official recognition was in the firing of the Royal Salute of 21 guns from the battery at North Head at S a.m., and in a ball to be given at Government House this evening, but citizens celebrated the occasion in their own way on racecourse and sports ground. The annual reunion of the King’s Empire Veterans in the Town Hall at noon took the form of a luncheon tendered by the Mayor and City Council, the Auckland Provincial Patriotic and War Relief Association and the Auckland Returned Soldiers’ Association. The opening day of the Auckland Racing Club’s winter meeting at EUerslio proved the greatest attraction and drew thousands of holidaymakers, but there were also many Aucklanders on the trains for Rotorua and for Hamilton, where the Auckland representative Rugby football team played Waikato. Railway traffic was ncreased also through many from the country visiting the races and coming to the city for organised sports. A. Rugby seven-a-side football tournament was played by the Methodist Bible classes, and a hockey seven-a-side and sports tournament played off at Remuera. Association football matches between Possibles and Probables f V Auckland representative honours a\ i between the Royal Navy team and Auckland attracted a good deal of attention from followers of the code. Bowling tournaments were arranged for Takapuna, Grey Lynn, Onehunga, Auckland, Hillsborough, Mount Albert and Ponsonby clubs, and golf was played on the Auckland, Maungakiekie, Pupuke, Everslie, Glendowie and Otahuhu ladies’ club links. The new course of the Auckland Cycle Club was brought into use for the first time this morning when a 13-mile handicap was contested, and followers of the motor-cycle sport were present at Henning’s speedway, Mangere, when Grand Prix speed events were run off. There will be few who fail to m.ako the most of their holiday by seeking recreation this evening at one of the many dances or picture theatres or attending the boxing match at the Town Hall between Johnny Leckie, V New Zealand, and Sammy Shack, of America. DOMINION’S MESSAGE ASSURANCE OF LOYALTY The following message has been forwarded by the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, for submission to the King on the occasion of his Majesty’s birthday:— “I beg to tender to your Majesty the loyal and most respectful good wishes of the Government and people of New Zealand on the occasion of your Majesty’s birthday and a renewed assurance of tlio unfailing devotion to the Throne of your Majesty’s subjects in this Dominion. We rejoice in the tidings of your improved health.”