WAITAKI OLD BOYS

Evening Star, Issue 19006, 30 July 1925, Page 4

WAITAKI OLD BOYS

FIRST REUNION DINNER The first reunion dinner of old pupils of the Waitaki Boys’ High School was held in the Hotel Carlton last evening, when about eighty attended. The arrangements were in the hands of a committee consisting of Messrs E. E. Clowes, J. J. Brownlee. L. G. Cook, and J. Laidlaw. The chair was occupied bv Mr A. W. Moss, president of the Old Boys’ Association. The Chairman, in proposing The School and , the Masters,” , said that Waitaki, was not what could he called an old/school, the first board having been constituted in 1879. On May 15, 1883, the school had been opened. Waitaki had grown since then, thanks, to the broad visions of the successive boards of governors. Everything bad improved during the year of Waitaki’s existence. The college had been extremely fortunate with its masters, though the first, Mr Harkness, had had a hard row to hoe. World-wide recognition had come to Waitaki, the latest honor being that conferred on Mr FMilner, who had been awarded a C.M.G. On the field some first class sports had boon turned out, and both scholastically and on the sports field Waitaki had made its name.

Mr D. S. Chisholm replied to .the toast. He was sorry, he said, that Mr Milner was unable to bo present, hut circumstances had prevented his leaving Oamarn. Me spoke of Waitaki’s growth since 1907, when only 100 boys were on the rolls. The increase had been over 100 per cent, in a few years. The toast of “The Team ” was, proposed by Mr L. G. Cook. The victory against Otago, he said, had been very meritorious. Otago, too, deserved congratulations for its performance and for its sporting spirit. Members of the Waitaki team bad achieved a great honor in being selected to represent their school, and had uphold that honor in every match played. Cleanliness had marked the school’s football, and he Imped that all the members of the team would carry out that cleanliness in the future. The Waitaki team had contributed considerably to school football, and he could say without boasting that Waitaki had also helped to bring the standard of Now Zealand football to its present high position. Mr Chisholm replied. Naturally, ho said, lie was very proud of the team, which had encountered strong opposition and had come out with colors Hying. The school had of recent years met with disaster on the football field, but it bad broken the record of failures. Waitaki had come to Dunedin with the experience of two previous matches. Had the Otago match been played first he could not toll how the game would have ended. Otago deserved congratulations for its clean, open game. It had fought and fought well.

Dr A. M‘P. Marshall proposed “Absent Old Boys.” Mr Id. K., Clowes, who proposed “Kindred Old Boys’ Associations,” said he was “one of the hoys” present, at Waitaki the day it was opened. He spoke of the early davs of the school, which had opened with a roll number of nineteen. The first match between Otago and Waitaki was played in 1834, when Waitaki competed" against the Ot ago seconds—and lost. Matches had been played against Timaru at a very early stage in tho school’s career. Christchurch as an opponent had come later. “ Through our own schools,” ho said, referring to the toast, “we can judge what other boys fee! about their schools, and we can appreciate their pride.” Messrs li. Webster (Otago Boys’ High School), D. Dickson (Christchurch Boys’ High School), Fleming (Nelson College) j Miles (Wanganui Collegiate School), Butler (Palmerston North 8.H.5.). and D. Stevenson (Napier Hoys’ High School) responded. “Sport” was proposed by Mr B. W. Hargreaves, and responded to hy Messrs A. 11. Fisher (cricket). D. Dickson (football), J. J. Brownlee (athletics), and E. B. W- Smyth (tennis). ! A vote of thanks to Mr A. W. Moss, who came from Oamaru to occupy tho chair at the reunion, was carried.