OKAIAWA

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 14 September 1921, Page 8

OKAIAWA

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

FOOTBALERS' BALL

The football club's annual ball was

held on Thursday evening, and was a great success, there being a large attendance of dancers from this and surrounding districts. The hall was nicely, decorated with ferns, flowers, and festoons of the club's colours, while on the walla were hung interesting photographs of past football teams. Nice as the hall looked^ however, it was quite eclipsed by the supper-room, where the decorations were on a mote lavish scale. The overhead decorations were splendidly carried out, and in conjunction with the well-laid and decorated supper* tables made a very fine show. The flowers used on the tables were principally anemones, and here again tue-club's colours (blue and

maroon) were much in evidence. The colour scheme was well thought out aiid carried into effect. The dance music was supplied by McCarty's orchestra", and these popular musicians again gave every satisfaction. Messrs E. Drake, G. Hollis, D. Johnston, and E. Johns were the M.C.'s. An interesting event during the evening was the presentation of the Gibson Banner to the junior team. Mr. A. Lees, before calling upon Mrs. Gibson to present the banner., said it was just twenty-one years since the Okaiawa juniors had won the southern championship. In that year they not only won the southern championship, which carried with it the Jury Gupj but had also w;on the ; championship of Taranaki and ihe Rugby Union Cup. In that team, though np. one dreamed of it at the time, was fc future-AJU Black, one of .the best forwards the Dominion had ever produced. He referred to Mr. Jimmy O'Sullivan. Coming to the present team," they had done exceedingly well in winning the whole of the twelve matches, in the southern division, but had lost to Toko by a narrow margin ituthe semi-final. The thjr d team had also done very well, although they had riot carried off the championship. He thought they would; have done better _had they not won so" many matches, by default. The senior ieam had done well at the beginning of the season^ but-owing mainly to the protracted season, had had some difficulty m placing a team in the'Aefcl towards the juniors had »been called upon v^b, fill up a number of vacancies. 7 ; '•■■:. .. ; -,j '. Mrs Gibson then presented tKe'banner to the captain of the junior team, Mr T. Smith. Mr J. G. Grant, speaking on behalf of Mrs Gibson, expressed her pleasure in doing so. and, also congratulated the team upon its: success^ - Mrs Gibson hoped that the Okaiawa team would win it again next season.

Mr T, Smith, in a short speech, expressed the team's pleasure in winning the banner, and hoped the team would live up to its traditions. _Mr Eddie Scott, on behalf of the Kapbnga Club, added his congratulations to the Okaiawa team. Last season Okaiawa played off with Kappnga for the southern championship, \ and Kaponga had, given them a good beating, but this year Okaiawa had turned the tables on them.

THE STOLEN MOTOR CAR

The motor car whicK was taken from Blake's garage on Saturday week; and which was subsequently found abandoned at Petone, belonged to Mr E. Mortimer, of Okaiawa. Mr Mortimer went down to bring the car back, and was thankful to find it not much the worse for the journey. Everything in the car,, which included a valuable, rug, an overcoat, and a number of parcels, and which Mr Mortimer valued at about £20. was taken, but the tools were not interfered with. The thief had also thoughtfully provided the car with some oil, otherwise the engine would have seized up.