LYTTELTON ALL BLACKS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18342, 27 March 1925, Page 13

LYTTELTON ALL BLACKS.

PARSER AND DALLEY WELCOMED HOME.

Last night Lyttelton had an eagerly looted it opportunity of welcoming buck to the Port its own two representatives in the All i> (mm, Messrs J. H. Parker and Vi". IJnllcy, both of whom were born and bred in (hi seaport, and whose parents Ft ill reside tlir-rc. A large crowd gathered at the ra.ilwuy station on the arrival of the train from Christchurch, and the two footballers were given a public welcome from, the steps of (lie overhead bridge. The Mayor (Mr W. T. Lester) said it, was a. considerable time since the population of Lyttelton had had such an opportunity oi snowing its ep.Wm for two such worthy citizens as they had with thcin (hat night. He would not announce their r.amca, every t'hi'd in Lyttelton knew them, and had it not been for the epidemic restrictions the youngsters of the Port would have been present in full force to welcome "Jim" Parker ■md "Bill" Dalley. He wished, on behalf of the citizens of Lyttelton, to extend to Messrs Parker and Dalley a real hearty welcome buck to (heir home town. He was sure no part of the Dominion watched the career of the All Blacks with more interest than Lyttelton. The spirit of sport was one of the finest in the world. He was pleased to 68V that the only one of the two who was old enough at the time, Jim Parker, had also heard the call of Empire in. the late war, and he had dashed away just as readily as he had joined up with the All Black?.. He could tell Messrs Parker and Da!)cy that (ho chief interest in Lyttelton, especially among the young folk, when the names of a team appeared in. the paper, was whether "Jim" and ' llill" were selected. He concluded by expressing pleasure at. seeing the. two Lyttelton boys back in good health, and able to carry on with their civil occupations. <.

Cr. M. J. Miller expressed pleasure et inking part in the welcome. Both men had been born in his neighbourhood, and he had watched them from boyhood. Lyttclton felt proud at having two representatives in the All Blacks on their record-breaking tour. Ho wished them and their parents long life and happiness. Mr W. 1\ Foster also spoke. Mr G. Payne, representing the Canterbury Rugby Union, said that after having travelled with the All Blacks ipv eight months, ho felt inclined io tell the people of Lyttelton that instead of calling the New Zealand team "All Blacks," they should call them "All "Whites." At times the team had been up against it, as at Newport, when, with five minutes to go, and with the score 10-8 agninst them, Svcnson got over and scored and turned defeat into victory. Some of the English papers had described the Now Zeaknders as a team of opportunists. That was i;ot correct—they were rather a team of anticipators. The speaker gave instances to support his contention. The behaviour of the team had been splendid.

Mr W. Toy welcomed Messrß Parker and Bailey home on behalf of the various sporta bodies in Lyttelton.

Mr'J. Parker, after some persuasion from the crowd, replied, thanking those present for their welcome. It was good to be back, and after all thero was no place like home. It was at the West Lyttelton school' where he and Dalley learned their first football. Mr Dalley aJso replied, and said ho wished to take the opportunity of thanking the pooplo of Lyttelton for the fine presentations made to Parker and himself before their departure with the All Blacks. Before dispersing tlu crowd gate choeie for the footballers, and for thoir jwrerts. Footballers Entertained. At the Club Hall later, Messrs Parker and Dalley were entertained at a -welcome hojn« smoke concert by the sports bodies of Lyttelton. There was an attendance of fully 300, and the Mayor (Mr W. I. Lester) presided. After the loyal toaflt Mr W. Toy proposed the toast of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and the Canterbury Rugby Union in particular. He recounted soma post history of the relations between the C.R.U. and Lyttclton, some of which, in years gone by, wero not always amioablo, although at times amusing. The toast was responded to by Mr C. S. McCully. Tho Mayor, in proposing the toast of the guosts, said that when the Lyttelton people heard that Jim Parker; was selected to go Home they were in ruptures to know that so small 3 place had a representative in the team, but when Dalley was selected . and Lyttelton found that it had two representatives, their enthusiasjn knew no bounds. Parker and Dalley, as they themselves had stated at tho previous gathering, owed much of their early training at Rugby to the late Mr Benjamin, a master at the West Lyttclton eohool. Mr Benjamin had found time to teach tho boys football. Mr J. McCombs, M.P., eaid that the All Blacks had done more to advertise New Zealand than, all the money the country had spent on the Wembley Exhibition, and he was glad the Government bad found the £IOOO necessary to enable the team, to visit Canada.

Mr G. Payne said that he thought that New Zealand Rugby waa about 50 years ahead of the English Unions, which were -very conservative. He wae glad to eee that Franoo had decided to adopt the kicking into touch rule, which would brighten up the sport there. Perhaps the English Unions would foilow suit.

Messrs Parker and Dalley briefly responded. Other toasts honoured wore "Tho Parents of Dalley and Parker," proposed by Mr M. J. Miller and responded to by Mr N. Parker and by Mr A. Dalley on behalf of tho Intter'e mother; tho "All Blsckfl' Selectors," proposed by Mr F. _E. Sutton and io3ponded to by Mr H. Davie. Musical items were given by Messrs Boon, B. Crowhurst, Symonds, W. Toomey, J?. Barbour, C. Curtis and G. Briggs.