FAREWELL DINNER

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 150, 26 June 1937, Page 13

FAREWELL DINNER

ENGLISH TEAM

SOUVENIRS EXCHANGED

.Members of the English amateur Association football side were entertained at a farewell dinner by the Council of the New 'Zealand Football Association last night. The chairman of the council, Mr. J. A. Milburn, on behalf of the New Zealand Association, presented a rug each to Messrs. C. Wreford Brown and T. Thorne; joint managers, and to Mr. A. W. Stollery. the team's trainer. Each member of the team received irom Mr. Milburn a paua-shelltiki, and Mrs. vVfeford Brown :- was presented with' a paua-shell brooch. The members of the New Zealand Council were each presented by Mr. -Brown, with a badge specially struck for the occasion. Mr. Milburn spoke of the pleasure it had given the Association football supporters of the Dominion to welcome and entertain the visiting players, who were English gentlemen in the true sense of the phrase. The tour had been an education to the New Zealand players, who considered it worth the long time during which efforts had been made to get a team from England. It had been suggested that another English side should tour New Zealand in 1940, the Centennial year, and Mr. Milburn strongly urged that that be done. He thought he could promise that the visitors would then find the opposition stronger than it was now. He asked Mr. Brown and Mr. Thorne to convey New Zealand's greetings to the Football Association in London and to Brigadier-General W. R. N. Madocks, the New Zealand Association's representative on it. ' ' ■ VERY HAPPY PARTY. In expressing thanks Mr. Brown said that though the team had been a very happy party in itself it could not have enjoyed itself as much as it did in New Zealand without the kindness of the people of the Dominiqn, to whom they considered they were over-indebt-ed.. He did not think New Zealand would begrudge the team its succss or be really disappointed by the fact that at present England's best amateur football was better than New Zealand's. It would be strange if that were not.so. The side that had toured New Zealand was almost the strongest possible of England's amateurs. They hoped when they arrived home to play a professional side and if they put up a good showing against such a side it would be a great compliment to New Zealand football. , Mr. Thorne and himself, continued Mr; Brown, would give the New Zealand Football Association all the help it possibly could in England. It would be a duty and a pleasure'to bring the game' in New Zealand before the notice of their colleagues on the council of the Football Association, and he thought if it was at all possible England would send a team to the Dominion in 1940.. In any case he thought the F.A. would be ready to assist New Zealand football. ■ It had been his good fortune to be on many football tours, but he could sincerely say that never had he experienced greater harmony arid greater pleasure than on the present visit. Reference to the hospitality they had received was also made by Mr. Thorne. He expressed appreciation of New Zealand's scenic wonders, especially ' of Rotorua, "that wonderful place where we all went native." He felt sure that when the players told their clubmates about.New Zealand '.the F.A; would be inundated with1 volunteers for a future visit. ■ ■•• ■ ;•■•■ . ■':.". '■.-:'-'- : ■'-.. On behalf of the players Mr. Bernard Joy thanked the N.Z.F.A. and all who had assisted in making their five weeks* stay in the Dominion seem like five minutes. •'.'"': " .- ..'.