ONEHUNGA ORPHANS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1053, 18 August 1930, Page 10

ONEHUNGA ORPHANS

CHAIRMAN'S TRIBUTE Addressing the Onehunga Orphans’ Club on Saturday evening, Vice-Presi-dent Bro. E. V. Sutherland, who occupied the chair, drew attention to the number of native-born New Zealanders who had earned world-wide fame in a variety of walks of life. It was remarkable, he said, that of a population of 3,250,000 such a large proportion of the Dominion’s sons should have achieved distinction overseas.

In the field of science and lea'rning lie mentioned Sir Ernest Rutherford, a Nelson boy, who was today \ tlieworld s greatest authority on physics, ! and Professor Hunter, an old Onehunga boy, who was now a lecturer in one of America’s leading universities. The late Anthony Wilding, born in Christchurch, was the world’s champion tennis player, and Bob Fitzsimmons left Timaru to fight and beat the best of the world’s boxers of his day, just as the famous All Blacks, under Dave Gallagher, beat Britain’s best on the Rugby field in 1905. Grimmett, the greatest living bowler of the day, was another Canterbury boy, and Lieut. Sanders, the North Sea hero, hailed from the Waitemata. Chichester and Kaye, acknowledged champions of the air, are both New Zealanders, the latter’s father being a resident of Mangere. McConachie in billiards and George Price in the art of training racehorses were both world’s champions. Mr. Sutherland ascribed these results largely to the foresight of Edward Gibbon Wakefield and his associates of the New Zealand Land Company in the selection of the pioneer settlers whose descendants today, he said, represented the very best British stock in any part of the world. The club’s orchestra, under Bro. J. Lighton, played selections from “The Bohemian Girl,” “The Merry Widow,” and the overture from “Rhine Fel.” Bros. A. Keatley and A. Watkinson played a flute and clarinet duet, and Bro. A. C. Tucker’s songs on the violin were heartily applauded. In “Moments with Gilbert and Sullivan,” Bro. Karl Atkinson told delightful stories ot the great librettist, interspersed with appropriate operatic solos. Other contributors were Bros. L. Honeycombe, A. McElwain, J. Halford. J. O’Kane and “Kardo.” Bro. Percy Williams, president of the Paeroa Orphans’ Club, suitably acknowledged on behalf of the many visitors the chairman’s cordial welcome.

It was announced that vice-president Bro. J. E. Green would have charge of/ the gavel at the club’s next meeting on August 20, when the programme submitted will be of a typically Iris’* character.