CLUB WELCOME TO ALL BLACKS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 150, 21 March 1925, Page 7

CLUB WELCOME TO ALL BLACKS

PORTER AND . SVENSON WITH ATHLETIC.

Last night will be remembered by members of the Athletic Football C'-ib as one of the outstanding events in the I history of the club, the occasion being ' the welcome home to Messrs. Porter and Svenson —the two Athletic players who gained signal honours in tne All Blacks’ tour. The accommodation provided at Dustin’s proved totally inadequate, and fully one hundred visitors had to 'be turned away. Enthusiasm was anticipated, but the unbounded spirit of sportsmanship and pleasure that was evinced was beyond all exi pectations. When the guests arrived the .assembly cheered to the echo, and it was several minutes before the chairman could make himself heard above the war cries, cheers and general expressions of good-will. The chairman, Colonel C. F. G. Campbell, C.M.G., then welcomed the guests i loack to Wellington and to the club, ' expressing the feelings of geniuine pleaI sure and pride which were felt that 1 two of the Athletic boys had not only gained great honours on the playing field, but had also upheld the traditions of the club, and Rugby, through- ; out the tour. I In replying to the toast to the All ' Blacks, Mr. S. S. Dean said that when ‘ the team first arrived in England, many of the hotels refused to take in the All Blacks, but long before the tour had finished they were only too anxious to have them. The conduct of the team had been perfect, but he would say that it was a severe strain on members in having to live up to the records of the 1905 team. He hoped that on future tours comparisons would , not be made with previous teams. Mr. Dean paid a tribute to the sportsman- . ship of the Athletic Club members of i the All Blacks, whose conduct had left nothing to bo desired. When replying to a toast to the guests. Mr. Porter arose amid prolong ed enthusiasm. He thanked the club for the warm welcome accorded, and made a number of interesting remarks regarding the tour. He said he was exceptionally pleased with the pnblio reception on Tuesday. When In Eng; land he had met Charlie Seeling and George Smith, two of the 1905 All Blacks, who had been among the first to congratulate the tear ll °. n ’ ts J?* beaten record. In his opinion ths English forwards compared favourably with the New Zealanders, but the backs lacked initiative, and only at, tacked when within the New Zealand twenty-five. He predicted that at the next tour the English would show a marked improvement in their standard Of Mr la3 Svenson also responded to ths toast, and thanked the members for the wonderful expression of goodfellowship. He paid a tribute to the generalship of Porter, and also to the good management that had been a feature of the tour, , . ... Mr. Frobisher, a vice-president of tho club, presented both players with a gold medal on behalf of the clu'b in recognition of the splendid way in which they had upheld the traditions of the Athletic Club. ... A long list of toasts, nterspereed with musical items bv leading local talent, kept the company happily together untir a late hour.