WELCOMED HOME.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 18 March 1925, Page 6

WELCOMED HOME.

THE ALL BLACKS. ■ i ENTHUSIASTIC SCENES AT WELLINGTON. Cby telegraph—press association. WELLINGTON, March 17. No all-conquering Roman imperator could possibly have received a. more enthusiastic welcome home than that which was accorded to the 1924 Ail Blacks, who, with an unbeaten record of over thirty victories, returned to Wellington by the Tahiti to-day. The vessel arrived in the stream at eight o’clock this morning, and immediately the crowd began to gather on Pipitea wharf, where the team was to land. Punctually at nine o’clock the Janie Seddon, bearing the members of the team ■ and the official party, left the side of the steamer, and storms of cheering announced that th e boat was nearing the wharf. Familiarity and enthusiasm were the keynotes -of the proceedings, and as the team disembarked while the band played “See the Conquering Heroes Come,” the players were hailed by their Christian names. “Hello Cookie,’’ “Well played Parker,” “Good old Jock,” “Welcome back, Mark,” seemed to be the more general cries, while somei of the crowd insisted in telling Cyril Brownlie that he had been a victim of stiff luck, evidently in connection with the one regrettable incident, >f the English test.

The team made slow progress towards, the paltform in the Harbour Board’s shed, which was gaily decorated with flags, and after having exchanged greetings with their relatives aiid more intimate friends, they assembled beneath Manager Dean and Porter, the captain, on the platform. “Where’s Jock?” someone inquired, and immediately a cry Was raised from the people in the back of the shed, “Where’s Richardson?” Supported on a crutch, Richardson, who, except for his injured leg, , looked a picture of health, limped into view, amid loud cheers.

Thousands of enthusiasts, ready to lionise their heroes, pressed around the platform as Mr G. Mitchell rose to welcome "the team on behalf, of the Harbour Board. He said that those at home had followed the tour right from the day that the team left, and he expressed the opinion that the All Blacks were the greatest assets New Zealand had had, and the greatest advertisement since perhaps the Expeditionary Forces in the Great War. “You have played the game on the field and off the field,”, he said, “and we are proud of you. We hope you have received great benefit from the tour, and we know you will play the game back in civil life just as you did on the field. We are proud of your unbeaten record. You have silenced critics both in this country and in England. If there have been any regrettable incidents in the tour, we know that for these you were not to blame. You are our heroes, and as heroes you will always be remembered in the history of our country/’ (Prolonged cheers.) The manager, Mr. Dean, had to call for silence several times before he could sufficiently suppress the cheering to reply. He thanked the many thousands present for their enthusiastic, welcome home. “We have had a'happy lie said, “and we reeeivod unbounded hospitality wherever we went. Nevertheless, we are glad to be back, and we still think New Zealand is the l>est country of them all. The team played the game on and off the field md generally behaved wonderfully well. From the day we left there has not ieen a single argument. If there is a iner body of boys in New Zealand, it ,vill be a hard job to find them. My only ■egret is that I am losing my rather urge family team.” . Cheers for the Harbour Board were ;iven, and someone in the crowd called mt: “what about -a haka!” “I think we will give a war cry in the Town Hall,” laughingly replied Mr. Deam “We want it now,” chorused the rowd, and the ‘ team, led by George iepia, lined up and performed the errifying haka. The team. and party left m ars and were cheered all the way, as hey slowly moved up Lambton Quay, ■leaded by the band. The procession pressed through the main streets, which were thickly lined with people, and the enthusiasm shown was tremendous.

ENTERTAINED AT LUNCH. GOVERNMENT’S FUNCTION. WELLINGTON, March 17. There wa «• a. crowded alien dance fit the luncheon driven, by the Government to the All Blacks. The Prime Minister (Mr. W. E. Massey) %vas in the chair, and besides the members of the team and the official party and .10 visiting Parliamentarians. Messrs. Wynyard, "Wilson, and Elliot, of the native 1888 team, and Messrs. Wallace, Thompson, Roberts, Glasgow, Glenfi (members) and Dixon (manager

of the 1905 team) were also present, besides a number of visitors from outside Wellington. The speeches were very short and largely' covered, those already made earlier in the day. Mr. Massey proposed “The Victorious All Blacfej” and referred to the exploits of previous sides, including the army team and to the* victories of the parsmeni in Sydney last week. They had been a good advertisement for the. Dominion, and now they had; come bads to settle down to the serious adventures of Life, -which he counselled them; to tackle* as earnestly as they played football, and above all, whatever the future had'in store, to play The game 'for their country.

Both Mr. Dean, and Mr. Porter replied, the former again laying stress on the excellent relations that had existed among; the players from the beginning to tile end. He mentioned the presentation! of the loving cup in England, and the trophy was conspicuously displayed on the wall. Besides that .another eu.pi was presented by Vancouver for competition among the primary schools. They also gave each member of the team, gold sleeve links. He thanked the Government for voting the £IOOO which enabled the men to, return by Canada. Mr. Porter also" thanked Mr. Massey for kindly messages received from dine to time encouraging the team before matches and congratulating them after.

Twelve hundred assembled for the •jazz l ball, to the All Blacks. The Loving Cup and other trophies, were' on view. Mr. White made a presentation of an oak and salver tantalus to Mr. Dean, and Mr. Badeley handed a rose bowl: to Mr. Porter. Gay scenes were witnessed and, extended far into the night. The Hon. J. G. Coates and many R'ughy officials were present.

WONDERFUL HOSPITALITY. IMPRESSIONS OF THE TOUR. WELLINGTON, March 17. Interviewed on arrival, Mr. S. S. Dean, manager of the AH Blacks-, said he” was very pleased with the tour. ‘‘Right through v the hospitality lids been wonderful,” lie isaid". “I will express thanks, to the English Rugby Union, who were our hosts, and to the British Olympics Association and Lord Deeies, Lord Oampden and General Kentish, who arranged the sportsmen’.s dinner on our behalf. That was the greatest.dinner we were ever at,’ “I would like also, to, express thanks to the Canadian, pacific Railway authorities for the facilities given ns in travelling aerpeis Canada, said Mr. Dean. “The people of Canada, "were wonderful to us, and tile people of France, were, wonderful. The people of France have Very happy recollections of our soldiers in. France, and to-these General. Go-brand. (Minister for War) made reference, at the reception to, the , team, at Ties Inva,lades. We found the spirit of sportsmanship quite good. The main body of critics was. good and our successes were well received.

“Right throughout the tour the conduct- of the team, has been splendid. The members have pulled together wonderfully, and they have left a record of sportsman ship that will be very hard: for' any team to beat. It was very satisfactory to hear the splendid remarks passed . regarding - the team’s behaviour wherever we went. A. mo«t .satisfactory point about the tour has been found in the excellent reports and excellent impressions the team left everywhere throughout the tour. The team, had trained every morning.” Of the opposition strength at Home the manager said: “We had nothing to come and go on as no the standard of football in England, but the general football In England, but the general there had improved 30 per pent, maoe

tine visit of the .1905 All Blacks. Their play all through is more stereotyped than ouits. IVe found scrummaging a very bad feature of their game.” Asked if the tour had produced- anything with regard to- play that would be* of benefit to New Zealand, Mr. Dean said quite a lot had been learned. “You mould! not help but learn- on- a tour like this,” lie- said. In. several ga-mesi solid opposition had been encountered. Mi'. Dean -said that the game with Oxford was a very hard one, particularly when the -score -stood at 19—15 Raymond .was 'then brought up from full-biack t-o a .three-quarter position, and with that -change; anything might have happened, blit the All Blacks “got into it” and cleared! tut to win by 33—-15. Newport was another hard game. “We had beaten Swansea so easily in the previous week and weie told that; Newport were about the same as Swansea,, that we took them* rather too- cheaply,” said Mr. Dean. “The refereeing was very bad in the early matches,” he said. “To some extent this was due to incompetenfcy.

A number of referees were so keen, to see the All Blacks play that they overlooked the faults of the home side. After the Gloucester match the posi- . tion became so acute that T went to London and met the sub-committee of the Rugby Union and .asked that the agreement regarding the appointments of referees be altered so as to provide for the counties submitting three name®, to, us. They agreed to this and from the three submitted each time we made our choice. By that time six applications ha.d been made (for the. first six matches),■ but matters worked much better afterwards. Some referees were quite good. We % liked Mr. T. J. Bnadburn (Lancashire), who refereed a* couple of our games, Colonel Brunton (Northumberland). \ Ma)qr Wilkins, and Mr. Freethey, and a,Ho Mi’. Llewellyn in France and at / Swansea, but not at Llanelly. .The crowd at Llanelly seemed to affect the referee there.’’

The matter of hooking had presented . difficulties. The referees; invariably L ruled that the ball must pass our mail . on. either side when; being put into the ? .scrum. Of course that was the rule. - but it meant that the men on the side r of the scrum where the ball was put ! in could not hook with the outside L foot. That affected the New Zealand- • ere. In some of the matches opposing teams preferred 'scrums to linei outs on account of the marked superiority of the All Blacks on the line-out. In the English match the opposing team went for scrums. Another point which was strange to New Zealand _ mas the. allowance of a scrum for offside play. “Kicking into touch did not .affect us a. great- deal/’ said Mr. Dean. “I think England wall, be playing the amended kick into touch rule in the next season. There is a recommendation from the English ,Rugby Union to that effect. “I think the English team is a very good one,” added Mr. Dean. “There are some good players there all right, and the backs have possibilities. If we haid not lost Brownlie when, we did . I am convinced we would have beaten England by 30 points.’’ Regarding the ordering off of Cyril Brownlie the manager said : “I am quite convinced, and the whole team is convinced, that the referee made a. mistake.” Of the health, and fitness of the team Mr. Dean raid: “The players have kept prettv fit right through, and have shown very kittle sitaleness. In the Cumberland match we had a job to get a, team, and we could not get a sound fifteen about the middle rtages .of the tour. "’We were a- bit unfortunate with’ minor accidents, but extent in the cases of Robillinrd and R ichardson there wera ho broken, bones.” s Ridhardson is now looking .veil and k is able to get- about on crutches.