BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26078, 3 April 1950, Page 3

BRITISH RUGBY TEAM

FAREWELL DINNER IN LONDON GUESTS OF N.Z. SOCIETY (From A. W. MITCHELL, Special Correspondent N.Z.PJL.) LONDON, March 31. New Zealanders and their guests had a glimpse of the British Rugby team at a dinner given by the New Zealand Society, which postponed this annual event from New Zealand Day on February 6 so that the players might be present.

Tne captain (Karl Mullen) and his team, who had been swamped by 500 persons at a reception earlier, were seated at different tables. Nobody was sure where they were until they were asked to stand up. This they did to a roar of applause—grinning rather bashfully. It was an evening of good humour. The smiles started when the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations (Mr P. Gordon-Walker) rose to propose the toast of New Zealand—wearing a lounge suit. Everybody else was resplendent, either in evening dress or dinner jackets. Mr Gordon-Walker immediately apologised “for being improperly dressed on parade.” But, he said, politicians were living a “new, exciting, strange life” in these days. There were squadrons of troops making sudden skirmishes and ambushes, and a politician had to be “ready, booted and spurred, with his armour on his back, ready to rush into battle at any moment.”

Seeing a Conservative member present (Mr L. W. Joynson-Hicks), Mr Gordon-Walker offered to inform him immediately of any sudden call to the House of Commons, adding: “If he has not got a car here, I will be glad to give him a lift.” After paying a tribute to the New Zealand High Commissioner (Mj* W. J. Jordan), who is also travelling in the Ceramic with the team, and greeting the footballers, he told them that as a Briton, but not as Secretary of State, “I very much hope we lick the New Zealanders.” He went on to praise New Zealand, and raised a roar of laughter when he said: “New Zealand is, undoubtedly, one of the happiest countries in the world.” The room was apparently full of Conservatives and Liberals, well content at the recent change of Government in the Dominion. But Mr Gordon-Walker was in no way embarrassed. He smiled, waited for the noise to fade, and said: “It was Just as happy in the last 14 years as it is today. I will say that New Zealand has taught the world how a Government can stay in power for three years with a majority of four.” Mr Jordan Responds Replying, Mr Jordan warned the team that though the society wished them farewell and good luck, it depended on what happened in New Zealand whether it welcomed them back' He added, to a burst of laughter: “If they do what the South Africans did to us, we do not care whether they come back or not.” Mr A. E. Porritt, chairman of the Empire Games Federation, who proposed the toast to the guests, described lhe recent games as an “enormous success.” He told the team that, they would find enthusiastic, impartial crowds, and he warned them of the “overwhelming hospitality.” He promised opposition that would be both fast and heavy. “The average individual weight of. a New Zealand team, I believe, is 15st, but I will not tell you their in miles an hour, he said. ' ’ Jt _ Sir Frank .Newson-Smith. a former Lord Mayor -of London, who replied, sang the prdises qf New Zealand in theAight recent visit. JT have only’ die criUG«^,'’ae.said. The service in thp hotels is-japt such as .will attract tourists to your eotfntry. I do no V Tike.; tb Say..sb, but ih some cases the staff are even rude. I hope that if it is unpleasant criticism, it is also of a constructive character. , I may say so also, your railways and tramways both require quite considerable attention. I will not put it higher than that.-? The honorary! manager. SurgeonCaptain L. B. Osborne said that the team honed to show tne true genius of English. Irish. Scottish;-and Welsh football. It intended to create friendship and high spirits. "There is nothing we will not give to win ybur respect and your hearts,” he said.