PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 56, 3 September 1936, Page 11

PARLIAMENTARY RECEPTION

A request that the Prime Minister should consider introducing a 40-hour week restriction on the working' of rain was made by Mr. W. H. Cerutti, acting manager of the Wallabies team, at a Parliamentary reception to the visitors this morning. . The team, he said, had been, dogged by bad weather, and felt that it was about time the amount of rain was reduced.

Representatives of the Government, the New Zealand and Wellington Rugby Unions, were present at the reception. , In welcoming the visitors, Mr. Savage stressed the good fellowship of sport and the ability of players to recover from setbacks. He considered that sporting principles applied to world political machinations would quickly put an end to war, or thoughts of it.

"Perhaps some of you before coming to .New Zealand felt that you were journeying to a foreign land," he said. "It is possible,- too, that the only occasions you hear of us are, for instance, when Labour is returned to power." Interjector: Or there's an earthquake. ,'. Mr. J.- A. Lee, Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, paid a tribute to Australian sportsmanship and courage, quoting' an occasion at the Battle of Messines when an Australian who had died in r a shell-hole; occupied by Mr. Lee, said: "If my mates come, tell them I missed." . . '

Mr. Cerutti apologised for the absence, of the ■manager, Mr. Gordon Shaw, .who had been taken ill at Napier, and who. would riot rejoin the team until this evening. Mr. E. S. Hayes, captain of the team, also spoke.