BRITISH TEAM ARRIVES

Evening Star, Issue 20510, 14 June 1930, Page 10

BRITISH TEAM ARRIVES

INFORMAL WELCOME ENJOYED . Though informal and' brief, the welcome extefided to the members of tho British Rugby team at the Grand Hotel yesterday• afternoon was; significant of the bond o*’ goodfellowship that unites players of the good old game of Rugby, and for that reason it was thoroughly enjoyed by betb the visitors and their hosts. Nine members _of the team arrived on Thursday night, and’ tho twenty-one who went to the West Coast reached her« yesterday. There was a large attendance outside tho Grand Hotel when the members of the British team arrived in a bus, singing their team song heartily. Cheers were given by the crowd for tho visitors.

All the sporting bodies of the city were represented at the reception, which took place in ■ the lounge of the hotel. _ The mayor (Mr R. S. Black), in offering the visitors the freedom of the city and a hearty welcome, said ho hopfed they would be favoured with good weather; and that they _ would make manyrriendp during their stay here. The _ mayor said that, judging by the physique of the members of the team, tlier© could bo no truth in any suggestion tha*. tho British race was becoming decadent. (Laughter.) Ho also referred to the good these visit's did by bringing together members of the Empire. He hoped that when the team left here it would have nothing but pleasant recollections of Dunedin and Otago.. (Applause.) Mr H. Harris (president of the Otago Rugby Unioni welcomed the team on behalf of the union and the-footballers of Otago He said they bad had visits from Rugby teams in the past, and ho thought he could safely say that these visits had resulted in a raising of tho standard of their national winter game. (“ Hear hear ”) He was sure that the game tho visitors would give them next day would bo well up to the standard set by previous British teams. (Applause.) The health of tho British team was then drunk with musical honours. Mr Baxter, manager of the British team, said ht thanked them for a delightfully informa and friendly welcome. Quite apart from the game, their visit had som-, importance, because, as the mayor had stated, it brought thorn closer together and materially assisted to cement tho bonds of Empire. He was sure their visit would be'-very helpful in this direction. Mr Baxter said his team would be staying in Dunedin for eight days, and that the members would thus have the' opportunity ot meeting many people and making many friends. (Applause.)