LIONS GIVE AUTOGRAPHS TO GROUP IN TICKET QUEUE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28951, 20 July 1959, Page 13

LIONS GIVE AUTOGRAPHS TO GROUP IN TICKET QUEUE

One group in last night’s queue for tickets for the Lions’ game against Canterbury received a pleasant surprise when it met and got the autographs of the touring team. The group had just joined the queue about 5 p.m. when the Lions walked past on their way to the St. James’ Theatre to record their favourite songs. The team stopped to find out what was going on, and according to one man in the queue “were amazed to find that anyone would stay out all night for a ticket for one of their games.” The group spent about five minutes discussing previous games and the prospects for the rest of the tour with N. H. Brophy, the injured wing three-quarters who with M. A. F. English will return to England before the end of the tour.

The queue outside a pity.store started at 4 a.m. yesterday, when two .-youths, who were getting seats for someone else, settled down for a 28-hour wait. They said they “wouldn’t bother” going to see the game. The next to arrive was a family group of seven persons, including a grandmother, who arrived to buy seats for members of their family and relations. They were settling in at 8 a.m.

By 8 p.m. there were 85 persons in the queue, stretching from the store entrance in Lichfield street as far as Colombo street and then south along Colombo street for about 50 yards. Sleeping bags, stretchers, heaters, rugs, food reading matter and all the other sundry items that seem to be so necesary to the experienced queue-sitter were all in evidence. There were 106 persons in the queue at 11.30 p.m. and more were arriving. Many persons were still awake reading, quietly

chatting with neighbours, or just enjoying the mild, warm conditions. By midnight the queue had nearly reached Tuam street. Additions to the queue kept arriving steadily all day yesterday and evening and as they arrived were given a numbered card to keep a check on their position. The man handing out the cards, himself a veteran of other queues, reported seeing "many old faces.” About half of those in the queue were women, and of these several admitted to being grandmothers. Talking, reading, playing cards, eating and listening to radios were the principal pastimes of the all-night campers and all had a cheery word to say when approached. A reporter was invited to the evening meal of one group he approached. Some were there because they wanted a good view of the game, other were helping friends or relations, while others were earning an “easy £2.” They were all confident of being back for seats for the thifd test and predicted at least two bights out in the open for a good position in that queue.