THUNDEROUS WELCOME

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 63, 17 March 1925, Page 5

THUNDEROUS WELCOME

WELLINGTON LETS HERSELF GO

HAPPY AND DEMONSTRATIVE

GATHERING.

It is a difficult matter indeed to convey an adequate idea of the tremendous enthusiasm displayed by the great gathering of citizens at the Town Hall at noon to-day. Theirs was a thunderous., welcome of prolonged cheering, handclapping, atid shouting of friendly wishes. There were no seats at noon; iv fact, there were no seats a long time before 12 o'clock, and when the seating overflowed there was still some room in the aisles. Promptly at noon the members of the team entered the hall, the organ pealed out, "See, the Conquering Hero Comes," and straightway was drowned in the great outburst of applause and cheering, which continued,' with crescendos as particular favourites reached the steps to the platform, till all were seated. Throughout the welcome the air of the gathering was of the happiest ; everyone was ready to laugh and more than ready to burst into shouting and applause again. Wellington certainly accorded to the All Blacks a welcome such as is seldom given. ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS The Mayor (Mr. E. A.' Wright) bid the All Black team welcome home on behalf of every citizen of Wellington. To Mr. "Jock" Richardson he extended another wish, that very. shortly he would have recovered fully from his injury. There had been criticism when the team left New Zealand: Was it as fine a team as left New Zealand in 1905? Those who were not expert could not judge, said Mr. Wright, but all were confident that the All Blacks would do credit to New Zealand. Had anyone foreseen, however, how great was to be their record of success? That record might be equalled, but it could never lie excelled. The men stood as the champions of the world, the unbeaten champions. During the period of their tour the attention of the public the

•world over had been focusaed upon their career, and the team members, by their splendid demeanour, had added to tho magnificent name which was established for New Zealand in England by the memberß of her Expeditionary Forces. Mr. Wright referred very briefly to the matches and their results, and mentioned in particular the Newport match. Five minutes before time the All Blacks ■were beaten; two minutes before time a try was scored and a goal was kicked; the_ match was won and the record maintained. Great applause and cries of ".Where's "Snowy"? (Svenson.) The demeanour of the men, continued the Mayor, had been that of gentlemen, on the field and off tho field; those in the audience who had friends and relatives upon the platform could rest assured that always their men had done credit to them and to New Zealand. (Applause.) MR. DEAN'S BAD LUCK Mr. Wright referred, amidst very hearty laughter, to other adventures of the All Blacks among the fair young people of England and France, retailing to the-vast delight of the gathering the hard luck of Mr. Dean when he was kissed by the Mayor of one French city, while Mr. Porter was kissed by that gentleman's lovely daughter. "Wellington ■ people are not demonstrative," continued Mr. Wright. "I believe we must have a very great deal of Scotch blood in our veins, but to-day our people have let themselves go in a rousing welcome . . . ." And the people of i Wellington let themselves go again. ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT Sir 'Francis Bell, who represented the Government in the absence of the Prime Minister, said that for the first time since his illness the' Prime Minister would preside at a luncheon to the All Blacks. .(Applause.) He commended the modesty of the All Blacks, who had succeeded because they had deserved success. They had shown that they could carry victory as well as the Englishmen had carried their defeat. New Zealand had one advantage over England, and that was that they had two races from which to draw their team. He referred to the great Native race. (Applause.) New Zealand was proud of its team. SHOULD THE NAME BE CHANGED ? The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford) congratulated the manager of the team on the excellent result that had been attained, hut they must not forget to pay a measure of praise to the selectors who had brought the great team into being. (Cheers.) There was a great freemasonry about sport,: and it was that fact that had largely made New Zealand what it was to-day., He was wondering whether the time had not arrived when they should .drop tho name of All Blacks and call their boys New Zealanders, for there were many people in the world who did not know who the xVll Blacks were. He thought that teams-that went forth from New Zealand should be known as New Zealanders.

Mr. A. L. Monteith, M.P., representing t-ho leader o£ the Labour Party, said he deemed it-a privilege to be asked to bid a welcome to the team on behalf of the Labour Party. The selectors could feel proud of their work, for tl\ey had chosen a team which had never been defeated. FELLOW WISHES Mr. H. Frost"'{president of the New Zealand Rugby pnion) extended a welcome to the "All Blacks on behalf of tho footballers of other paTts of the Dominion. He also desired, unofficially, to extend a welcome on behalf of other sporte bodies. An apology for absence was received from the Mayor of Hawera, who sent a message that Hawera, having sent away" three members of the team, was very proud of them. MANAGER AND CAPTAIN REPLY In replying, Mr. Dean said that when they left New Zealand -in July last they were determined to do their best and see if they could not do better than the All Blacks of 1905, and he was very proud of the fact that they ,had gone through without a defeat. The menhad been put on their Jionour. to look after themselves, and he could say with-1 out hesitation that the behaviour of the team had. been excellent. They had looked after themselves physically, morally, and mentally. In England the Prince of Wales had told him to tell the New Zealand people that although England had been defeated they were not going to make a habit of it. (Applause.) He thought the tour . would greatly cement the bonds of Empire. They had had,a glorious time, but they were a little tired of travel. He thanked the people of Wellington for the great welcome they had given him. Porter, the captain of the team, also replied. All the meabers of the team joined with him in thanking the Wellington people for the welcome, he said, j It was good to.be back''again. Wherever they had gone they had been very warmly received, not only as footballers but as New Zealanders. The success of the team had been due to' the manner in which the team had looked after .themselves. He also desired to pay tribute to the members of the team who, did not receive many games. They had to be hard at times, but they had the good of the game at heart. There had been much criticism in New Zealand, but they were on the spot and knew what was best. The men who did not get many games had won the respect of all by the manner in which they had kept up their regular training. No-restric-tions had been imposed on the team, and he was pleased to be able to say that not once had their liberty been abused. A HAKA At the conclusion of the formal welcome the platform was cleared, Nepia, after being duly cheered again, took the front, and the team gave their haka, and once again the gathering broke out in a tumult of applause and cheering. The reception was concluded by the singing of a verse of. the National I Anthem.