ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMED

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 17, 22 July 1921, Page 8

ENTHUSIASTICALLY WELCOMED

'AT GREAI.XIVICRECEP.TIO> GUEST a HI? THE DOMINION

4 The visiting team: of .South African footballers—the Springboks—had a magi nifioent welcome to-d«ay at the civic re'lception given to them in the Town Hall. 5 Seldom-for any; civic .reception have citi•i zens'turned out "in such ■ mimbere. The 'jfoall was filled, and the arrival of the

5 Springboks,, accompanied by the Mayor | in liis robes, the Acting-Prime Minister :'^,(Sir Francis Bell), menibeirs of"the City li Council, Sir John Luke (ex-Mayor), Dr. * 'Newman (president <>£. the Wellington ? Rugby Union), and tWprincipal mchi;bers and officials of both the local and ; the New Zealand Unions, was greeted *iwith loud cheers.

; The Mayor (Mr; E. A. Wright), after ,;the National Anthem had • been sung, -n-ead an apology from the- Governor-Gen--erai, Lord ■ Jellicoe, for unavoidable absence. His Excellency ' expressed his 'great regret at his inability to attend *' tlie reception./tp.the. South African footballers. Only tho fact that he jras leav*ing for the South Island that evening liov an extended.-;tour,. and.ihe large Jamount of business "he had to transact Jbefore.leaving,,-kept him sway. . "I rcigret very, much," eadd His Excellency, Hi "my absence to-day, and I am keenly to'-miss tho match toMnorrow; < ■ I-am looking forward to meeting the''team at Timaru." His Excellency asked that the reason for his .i 1- ' ;;sence should be fully explained, and ;;.that .his. best, wishes should bo given the for a pleasant time, in the 'I'ojuninion, with good football. (Applause.) £ In"Velco"rinrig Jthe'visitors, the Mayor ■/referred gently to' the " family differences '•'■■ they remembered with the ancestors of the gentlemen who were with them ':to-day, and the good feeling that existed South Africa and the rest of the Empire: (Applause.) These gentlemen were the worthy sons of worthy 'sires, the pioneers of South Africa. They liwere, sportsmen visiting Australia and New Zealand to show us what they knew j-about football. (Laughter and applause.) i'He would remind them that in Australia jithey,did not understand football as in •'New '■Zealand.' (Laughter.) The match '.to-morrow was going to be a magnificent •iaffair, and the crowd before them was iisoitie indication of the crowd that would '? bo there. It would be a record attend'anee.. (Hear, hear.) The visitors would Jfihd a strong team against them, which would do its best to beat. them. If they -beat Wellington to-morrow they would tbeat New Zealand. (Hear, hear, and Series of ''No:")

- It had been said that if anybody could "beat New Zealand at.football, it would ;be South Africa. If Wellington could «not win, they would take.a defeat like sportsmen. (Applause.) In conclusion, 'the Mayor wished the visitors a pleasant .'stay in Wellington, and humorously ;warned them:; against 'the fascination of }the fair sex. ;He hoped they -would have rtime tb yisit .some of the beauty spots {of New Zealand before they left our I'shores, and when they did leave it would " only be with the pleasantest of memories, i;(Applause.) • %-ON-^BEHALF.OF.THE GOVERN-. MENT. p'3"gfi£FraMi8 i-B'eiri-"as''Acting-Priine Minister; added an official welcome on benaif of the Government and the whole | Dominion^ These visits of the' picked meii^of rother" "countries .Were of special™interest, to the Government, as "thiS,. visitors were '^really missioners who helped our people* to become acquainted with theirs. (Applause.) He trusted they 'tUkg ltecJc"pleasant memories ■of 'New; Zealand with them home to South Africa. The" Government would, do its beat to make them at home during their stay here as guests of'the Dominion. (Applause.). ■ :

JDi'.^.Newman, ; as president of ths Weltfngton Ru|»by Football Union, said ihat no other visitors in'the world could give N«\v _ Zealand more pleasure;, than v visitors from'-South Africa,. The crowds' thej'' Bad' seen' in"Various places'would show that.,. JJe^yras. a , bit_ despondent when he saw the size and weight, of the 'visitors) but,' rlike'"alr good people ill his trouble, he went to the Bible for com. fort,', and. therehhre r readV. about one. "dfoKiffi;"'a"giantJ""and li'smaW'lsraelite,* 1 •istono—(laughter)—and- knocked out jthat giant. (Renewed „ laughter.) .. He j&oped there' would be no |tones. about •to-morrow. New Zealand had hnd a Jong connection with the ancestors of jnany of the visitors. There was Captain Abel Tasman, who discovered New Zealand,. Und -to-day they ,had Van Jlouten?s -;l ioSoit—(ldu.d " laughter)—and Schnapps. (Laughter). Our meadows 3pero filled with "Dutch cattle. '.■"'And so jj. was.. Every Rugby' footballer in New Zealand was glad to see them, and, as for the match to-morrow, they could 35ck all the rest,of New Zealand, if they only left, Wellington alone. ' (Laughter and applause). ; . , . . f. Councillor.Luckie and Sir John Luke also added brief words ,of appreciation «nd welcome. ' ! . Z On 'risirig't'o reply, Mr. G. H. Bennett, lnanager of the South African team, was greeted with three ringing cheers for the visitors. They had arrived in Wellington £t last, he said, and they were very glad to be here. "It seemed a long time since ftiey hadVloft Auckland—and everywhere it had been.'one long procession, through (Crowds of pepple'v.'They'had had a most Wonderful reception everywhere. Everybody in New Zealand'"seamed' to have played football aff'one' time or another, Snd been prominent in the game—to a far greater extent than in South Africa. .Wellington, they knew as a place where •winds''""were frequent,' 'and .as the home of a famous footballer, of whom it had been said: "If he is not good enough to be included in the New Zealand team, God help South Africa !" (Laughter and applause.) They all appreciated the welcome very much, ;: and i felt that it was not altogether because they were footballers, but as sportsmen coming from another portion of the British Empire^ (Applause.) All would recognise the good these visits did. They had coirle here not': only, as a football team to study the 1 game, but;also to see the country;', to-'-study -the-methods of agriculture,' and other" things, and they hoped to go back to South Africa with many lessons, which they could apply in their own conntry. They had .already recognised that New Zealand could teach them 1; a great deal, and they hoped to imbibe lessons which would result in benefit to South Africa. (Applause.^ " You have a wonderful country," he said, in conclusion, " and we are much impressed with it. It is a really beautiful country. As for the fascination of the ladies, New Zealand may be the losers. Perhaps, the ladiss may come back to South Africa with tis, and a jolly pood thing for them too." (Laughter.) They were all having a- great time, he added, and they;; ; -w«uld: carry, away

many pleasant memories of the good people they had met. (Loud applause.)

CAPTAIN'S TRIBUTE.

Sir. T. B. Pienaar (captain of the Springboks) met with a most enthusiastic, reception. He spoke humorously of the fate of the early missionaries in New Zealand, of the story of David and Goliath, hoping Wellington would not bring any slings on the field with them tomorrow ; of some more commodities, besides cocoa, instancing African tobacco, he would like to introduce to New Zealand. On behalf of the team, he thanked 1 them all for a mo3t magnificent reception. They had been quite overcome by the warmth of the hospitality which had met them everywhere, bands playing, flags flying. They might-be. tempted to think themselves very mighty ■ people indeed. Possibly that impression would be dispelled on the football field to-morrow. (Laughter.) "But don't think I have got the wind up," added the captain. " We are looking forward to a test of our strength. We have heard so much about your, standard of football here, especially the standard of back play. So far, I must be frank, we have not met very good play among the backs, but to-morrow we feel we shall meet on the field what is absolutely 'it'—and we are going to do our best to put it across you, don't make any mistake about it. If you can beat us, good luck to you, it will only nerve us to fresh efforts in the Test match. This, we regard as an unofficial Test—a preliminary skirmish be-, fore the big battle starts." Mr, Pienaar paid a compliment to the crowds that had witnessed. the matches ,so far, and, judging from the crowds, "which had welcomed them, the team .■could rely on a 6quare deal from the crowd . to-morrow afternoon.. (Hear, hear, and applause.) Every good bit of iplay on either sidie had been applauded >i» the matches they had hitherto played, and he wished to express the team's appreciation of the fact. He thanked the Acting-Prime Minister for the welcome on behalf of tho Government as representatives of j their great country. (Ap- ( plause.) He would not say,they were ■the best, because thirty men left in South Africa said they were not the best, but they would do their best. They had all be.en agreeably impressed by .the great interest taken by the people of New Zealand in Rugby football, and he was surprised that a Minister of Sports had not been appointed as yet as in France. Possibly that would oome later in New Zealand and in South Africa. He would like to thank them all for the heartiness of their reception. (Loud and prolonged applause.)

At the request of many in the audience, the team gave a splendid example of their war-cry, and the proceedings closed amid cheers.