N. W. RUGBY UNION.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 219, 13 October 1893, Page 7

N. W. RUGBY UNION.

A Promenade Concert was held in the Aratapu Hall on Saturday evening ; it having been arranged by the Rugby Union to provide an opportunitv of handing over the various trophies won during the season just closed. There was a large attendance of both sexes, and a very successful meeting was held. The programme consisted of dances interspersed with songs by several gentlemen. Mr M. O’Connor, President of the Union, presented the Challenge Cups to be held by tb e winners till the opening of next season when they will revert to the Union. The Matthews Challenge Cup he presented to the Kopuru F.C., winners of the Senior contests, aud in doing so said the Club deserved the trophy by their o-ood work, and they had also rendered great service to the Union by their aid which materially assisted the W.R.U. in holding its own in one @f the chief centres of the Colony. The Mitchelson Challenge Cup he presented to the Aratapu II as winners of the Junior contests. He congratulated the Juniors upon their play and said it would have been very severe upon Aratapu had both trophies gone away. Mr J O’Neill accepted the trophy on behalf of the Aratapu Club and began what promised to be a very neat speech, but he came to a big word and was staggered. He however, stuck well to it and pulled through, game to the last, and wound up by calling for three chews for the Wairoa Biagby Uniofi.

Mr O’ Brien, Vice-captain of the Kopuru Club in a few words thanked the President for the Senior trophy, and called upon the Secretary of his Club, Mr Molloy, to finish up for him, which that gentleman did. In conclusion thePresidsnt acknowledged the generosity of Messrs E. Matthews and R. Mitchelson in giving the Union the trophies jus I presented. Mr A. E. Harding, Vice President of the Union, next came forward and in a few appropriate words presented ? epresentative caps to those who had won them. He was glad of the way in which the Juniors had acquitted themselves and he felt sure that some of them would find places amongst the reps of next season. The reps, that went to town taught Auckland something in forward plaj' for neither he nor they had ever seen such a fine display. He accompanied the team to town and could say that their whole behaviour was good. He felt proud of them in the field, but he felt prouder still when he went to the train to see them off on their return journey, and knew that they had conducted themselves as men and gentlemen.