RUGBY UNION SECRETARY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 April 1941, Page 4

RUGBY UNION SECRETARY

MR. E. MCKENZIE RESIGNS. AFTER 29 YEARS’ SERVICE. (“Times-Age” Special.) The resignation of the secretary, Mr E. McKenzie, after 29 years’ service, was received with regret at the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Rugby Union held at Carterton on Saturday night. Warm tribute was paid to the endeavours made by Mr McKenzie to further the game in the district and he was unanimously elected a life member of the union.

Expressing his deep regret that Mr McKenzie had decided to sever his connection with Rugby, the president, Mr J. F. Thompson, said that Mr McKenzie had felt that, he was now entitled to a spell.

“The name of McKenzie is legendary in the Wairarapa,” observed Mr Thompson. He referred to the keen interest which the family had taken in Rugby. Mr McKenzie was known in the district not onlj r as a player but: as secretary of the Wairarapa Union and an official of the New Zealand Rugby Union. He held an honoured and notable position in the counsels of that body. Wairarapa was proud of that fact and it reflected glory on the union. Mr Thompson paid tribute to the work of Mr McKenzie as sole New Zealand selector, stating that when Mr McKenzie had selected his All Black teams he had ‘stuck to his guns’ in face of criticism. The success of the teams he had selected spoke volumes for Mr McKenzie as a student of form. He was also a member of the All Black team which had won world wide fame. Mr McKenzie, in reply, referred to the pleasure he had derived from his work and stated that he would continue to watch with interest the progress of the game in the Wairarapa.