MANAIA

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 30 September 1933, Page 8

MANAIA

ENCOURAGING MAORI SPORT. TROPHIES .GIVEN BY RATANA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The visiting Ratana Rugby football team was hospitably entertained an dinner by Mr. and Mrs. P- Havill at the Waimate Hotel on Wednesday. The players and supporters present included Mr. T. W. Ratana, who was well received. • During the evening Mr. Havill pioposed the health of the Ratana, team and the Ratana movement. He praiseu the very fine display of football it had given. Although defeated the team was in no way disgraced, he said. He wished the club every success in the future. . '' . j\p r - p. Paikea, private secretary to Mr. Ratana, in responding to the toast said that in 1927, to commemorate the completion of the Ratana temple and in honour of the labourers who built the temple, Mr. Ratana donated, the cup which was played for , rr^* iat l ■ a J ter_ noon. He had named it The Alatana Temple Labourers’ Cup.’ The local club, Ngaruahine, had the honoui of being the holder. In the. same year Mr Ratana donated another cup ana named it “The T.W.R Cup,” which was being held by tlie Mamapoto football clubs of the King This cup was purchased by Mr. Ratana from Geneva when he and his party toured the'world. Mr. Ratana also brought with him a dinner gong and presented it as a football trophy between oldtimers, the members of competing teams to be not less than 40 years of a rre. Tlie present holder was the Waikato Taniwharau Club. In* 1930 Mr. Ratana donated another cup, The Plri Will ltua Cup,” which was, now held bv the Ngaruahine Club The more recent trophies donated by Mr. Ratana vere as follow: “The Ratana Whetu Marama Rose Bowl ” held by tbe Wairoa Club. Hawke’s Bay; The Treaty of Waitangi Cup,” held by the Patu Club, Kaitaia, North Auckland lhe Omeka Cup,” donated by the late Te Omeka T. W. Ratana, was now held bv the Kaokaoroa Club, Putaruru. All these cups were donated for competition between Maori f opt balk vlubsright throughout the Dominion. The aim of the donor was to bring the. young men as well as the elders of the Maori race together, both on the field of sport and on”’the ma-raes, so that they migl know one another and thms cement the bonds of peace and goodwill and strengthen the unity of the Maori iace. Mr Ratana had also donated for competition for the Maori hockey clubs. Mr. Ratana had entered all snheres of sport, but with one object, that of bringing the Maori people in fellowship"with one another, irrespective of creed. CONCERT PROVES POPULAR. • The grand concert held m Manaia town hall by the Ratana Mqrehu.Brass Band, .assisted by other Maori artists was a pronounced success. Ihe band items all merited praise and gave e\ l- £ of good tuition. The other* hers consisting ot vocal, hakas ana poi. dances, were also well received by th k!“T T"mS£tenn, M.P., »t the conclusion thanked “JH half of the company tor then attena ance. Afterwards a dauce was held until midnight.