OUR FOOTBALLERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1775, 14 March 1906, Page 70

OUR FOOTBALLERS.

RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND. WELCOME HOME. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. AUCKLAND. March G. The New Zealand footballers returned by the Sonoma to-day. Twenty-two of twenty-eight members of the team were aboard. Of the remaining six, Glenn. and Harper arc returning by Suez, Johnstone and Seeling are making the direct trip, Roberts and Wallace come by next San Francisco mail steamer. The welcome accorded the team was worthy of their great record. A huge crowd greeted the men with tremendous enthusiasm. By a quarter past 2, when the vessel dropped her anchor, some thousands had assembled along the wharves and water front. At half part 2 the Health O.’Sccr went out to clear the boat, accompanied by the Premier, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes dent of the New Zealand Rugby Union), Mr E. Wylie (secretary of that body), and Mr C. E. MacCormick (secretary of the Auckland Union). The team had gathered on the upper deck, and as the launch approached three hearty cheer® were given for Mr Secklon, who replied with the -native greeting, “Ivia Ora.” On board the Sonoma he extended a welcome home to the team on behalf of the colony, Mr doing the same on behalf of the union. It was at once seen that the men were in fine health. They all expressed themselves delighted with the trip, and equally delighted at returning home. A couple of ferry steamers with large crowds aboard circled round the steamer art she lay at anchor, the passengers sending up cheer, after cheer as they caught sight of the returning players. When the vessel was cleared, one of the steamers chartered by the Rugby Union ranged alongside, and a number of daring enthusiasts clambered aboard to greet their friends. When the men reached the landing, the crowd had swollen to at least ten thousand, and to an accompaniment of continuous and enthusiastic cheering, they regained New Zealand soil after an absence of eight months. Followed by cheering crowds, they • were driven to their hotel, where further greetings were exchanged. Thence they wero driven at- 5 o’clock to the M/unicipal Chambers, where, on Philson s square, the formal welcome took place. A dense crowd of people, numbering nv'e or six thousand, had assembled here, and renewed cheering greeted the team on arrival. The Mayor (Air A. M. Myers) presided. The Premier was on the platform, and Admiral Fawkes, who had sent a message of greeting to the team, when they wero still on the mail boat, was also present, lhe gathering could not have been mo-ie enthusiastic. The speeches of welcome were attentively listened to, and hearty applause followed references to the team and its work. Cheers were given for individual members of the team as they filed on the platform, the heartiest being, not unnaturally, for Gallaher, the popular skipper. In welcoming tho team home, the Mayor referred to the privilege gained by .Auckland in being the first to welcome the players on their return to the colony. Ho congratulated the team on its splendid achievements. (Cheom.) He need not toll the men with what interest and pride _ then career had been watched. Their successes brought credit to the whole colony. Tho most sanguine could hardly have anticipated such a phenomenally successful tour, which would never be forgotten. The team went to England unnoticed, but came away as England’s honoured guests, from his Majesty the King downwards. The Premier, in rising to officially weloome the team, was very warmly cheered. He expressed appreciation of the hearty manner in which Auckland had welcomed the team, a welcome of which the whole colony would be proud. The team went with the intention of playing the national game. In the Welsh international the men had gallantly fought an uphill game to the finish. They had not questioned the result, but in their hearts, and in the opinion of most people, it was recognised that morally this was not a defeat, but a try to try. (Cheers.) He believed that the New Zealanders had desired to be generous. Nothing in Wales had happened for years that had brought it into such prominence as the try against the New Zealanders. One read of them as being footballers, and one also read of them as being true gentlemen. The captain of the vessel on which they came out spoke of them in the highest terms. In the whole course of his experience lie had never met a large body of young men

who were so well conducted. Even on the last night aboard there was nothing to take exception to. The Premier then read a letter he had received from the High Commissioner, in which Mr Reeves, after mentioning the assistance given the team, said this: — “Of their athletic achievements I need not speak, because these are now known wherever footbvll is a pastime.” He bore testimony to tlio admirable personal conduct of the members of the team off the field as well as on. Something was no doubt duo to the tact and firmness of their manager, Mr Dixon, and to the sportsmanlike example of Mr Gallaher, the captain, but the main credit, of course, had been owing to the men themselves. Ho considered it not only a duty, but an honour, to be in Auckland and to participate in the welcome of the New Zealand representative Rugby team. (Cheers.) led by Mr Seddon, cheers such as, perhaps, bad never been heard before in Auckland, were given for the " Ail Blaoks,” and later for the Premier, Mr Dixon, and the captain (Mr Gallaher). His Worship then called upon Air Dixon to reply, and the manager rose, amid another wild outbreak of cheering. Tho members of the New Zealand team, bo said, appreciated to the fullest possible extent the honour that had been conferred upon them. They naturally thought that footballers would welcome them on their return, but they did not dream that the whole population, men and women alike, would become for tho moment, footballers. It afforded him tho greatest possible pleasure to assure his hearers that their representatives had “played the game” both on and off tho field;'had behaved as people of Mew Zealand would have them behave. The New Zealand captain was then called on by the crowd, and again hearty cheers rang out as ho rose. He endorsed all tint Mr Dixon had said. When they started on their redoubtable career they had hopes of winning every match, but, as the Premier had said, they were beaten by the Welsh. They did not go behind their backs to talk about the Welshmen, but candidly said that on the day the better team won. He had only one recommendation to make to tho New Zealand Union—if ever it undertook such another 'tour, play tho Welsh matches first. He thanked them all for the hearty welcome. The reoeption concluded with allround cheering for the team, the Premier, the Mayor, and Admiral Fawkes. In the evening the team was entertained at a banquet in the Drill Hall by tho New Zealand Rugby Union. About two hundred guests were present, including the Premier and Mr Massey, M.H.R. The proceedings were characterised by extraordinary enthusiasm.