COLLEGE BOYS ON THE WEST COAST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 17 September 1908, Page 2

COLLEGE BOYS ON THE WEST COAST.

AN ENJOYABLE TOUR. PRAISE OF PLAY AND BEHAVIOUR. | (By an Old Boy.) ! 1 hope it will bo a matter of interest to the parents of the boys and to the peoplo of Nelson, who are* justly proud of thoir College, to learn something of the doings of the boys while on their 'West Coast tour. As a Greymouth I resident, I was pleased to learn that ithe Nelson College football team were j about to visit the Coast and try conclusions with several of our junior | West Coast olubs, and I have keenly watched tho doings of the boys from , their awival till their departure from I Greymouth. The first match against i the Hokitika Junior Reps, was a good exposition of football, and the passing of tho College team was oooasionally brilliant, leaving them victorious by 17 points to 8. At Greymouth they met tho "Stars," the junior champions of the Southern Union, and in this match the College were defeated by 13 points to 3. The College team, however, lost several easy opportunities of scoring, and did not play up to form in this match, and the oponicta | held by many is that the College , sliould have won. The third game of tho tour was played yestejjdJty at Westport, and I learn that College won by 6 points to nil. The courteous behaviour and gentlemanly bearing of the boys, both oa and off the field, have been the subject of a deal of favourable comment, and it reflects great credit upon the boys themselves, upon the teachers, and also upon tho College. I feel euro that this visit from the boys will hay« a very beneficial effect nil round It shows parents on the Coast somethine of the general bearing of the boys, and brings rjiem in contaot with the teachers who accompany them; and from what has been seen I am sura that parents here will send their sons to Nelson College with even more confidence than before. It may not bo generally known that Nelson College has supplied the educational training to many of our best and most prominent young men of the West Coast, including doctors, lawyers, and politicians. The loyal way in which tho "old boys" rallied round in their endeavotirs to make the visit of the hoya enjoyable was fine indeed, and it was evident that they, along with the present boys, were doinsr their best to uphold the flne traditions of tho Nelson College. At Groymouth the team was entertained by the "old boys" at tho Victoria Tea Roonis. The "old boys" included Dr. Morlee, Messrs E J Thomas, J. Matheson^ H. CornwalL C* Moss, *\ Shallcrass, Mabin, A. Davey and Rev. Mules. The evening waa devoted to speech and song, the boys particularly Harley, Papps, and Bryan* acquitting themselves well in the for^ mor. The keen and loyal interest in the College and the boys displayed by the teachers who accompanied the team, viz., Messrs Moyes. Skilton, and Edmondson, is to be highly commended, and a spirit of goodwill and mv. tual understanding was plainly evident between tho teaching staff and the pupils, I can only say in conclusion that wq on the Coast hope to have anothe:* visit from the Nelson College foottyUJ team in the near future. GBEYMOUTH, llth September, 1908.