KAITI-CITY RUGBY CLUB REVIVAL: SUPPORT PROMISED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22917, 8 April 1949, Page 4

KAITI-CITY RUGBY CLUB REVIVAL: SUPPORT PROMISED

A resuscitation of the old KaitiCity name in Rugby football in Gisborne was determined on at a largely-attended meeting heid on Wednesday evening at Poho-o-Rawiri, the ..number of interested people present reaching 60 before Mr. W. King took the chair.

In opening the proceedings, Mr. King referred to the notable performances of the old Kaiti-City club, and mentioned that several former members of the club had come considerable distances to give their assistance in its resuscitation.

The project was based upon an amalgamation of the Union club with KaitiCity, which would provide the basis of a senior team to take part in the current season's competitions, and also would enable the revived club to embark upon the production of minorgrade teams from which, in later years, the senior team would be reinforced. Week-end Barry Park Assembly The meeting gave unanimous support to the proposal to revive Kaiti-City, and the election of officers resulted:— Patron, Mr. N. H. Bull; president, Mr. W. King: deputy president, Mr. D. Stokes; vice-presidents, Messrs. W. Wilson, P. Polland, P. Habib, D. Westall. R. Eaton, R. Williamson, A. Woods,-L. Martin, R. Wood, G. Torrie, J. Pollock and B. Lowe; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. H. L. Nicholas; management committee, Messrs. R. Hueston, R. Foote R. Read, D. Stokes, C. Stevenson, P. Ngaira and M. Hawea; delegate to the P.B. Rugby Union management committee, Mr. H. L. Nicholas; club selector, Mr. W. King.

The initial practice gathering was set down for the week-end, at Barry Park, the assembly being called for 10 a.m. An approach for permission to use part of Anzac Park for practice purposes was arranged for.

Mr. J. J. Martin Honoured Life membership in the club was conferred upon Mr. J. J. Martin, a former prominent supporter of Kaiti-City club and an interested supporter of its revival. Warm reference was made to hia long-standing enthusiasm for Rugby football, both as a player and as a patron of clubs.

An offer was received from a donor who preferred to remain anonymous to present a shield for competition among primary schools of the district, the first holders being the Kaiti School and that school also being nominated as tha holder of the trophy in years when no competition takes place. The shield ia to be known as the Kaiti-City Football Shield. The offer was accepted with gratitude. At the conclusion of the business of the meeting a number of photographs associated with the old club were produced and these prompted a stream of Rugby memories among Kaiti-City men, present. Many long-forgotten games were recalled, and for a time Poho-o-Rawiri had an atmosphere reminiscent of the days when the Victoria Domain was the centre of Rugby interest in tha district.