"WILL DO MY EEST"

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, 10 April 1926, Page 5

"WILL DO MY EEST"

STIRRING RECEPTION TO .'IOSE i FINE ATHLETE AND GENTLEMAN NEW ZEALAND’S CHAMPION “If I get beaten it will not be through neglect of training. I will knuckle down rfnd do my best,” said - Randolph Rose, New Zealand’s long-distance champion runner and record-holder to the thousand people who‘ assembled in the Town Hall at the call of the "Mayor (Mr C. J. B. Norwood) to tender to him and his com-, 1 panion-traiuer, Mr J. McHolm, their good wishes before they leave for England and America. It is Rose’s ambition to try conclusions with Paavo Nurmi, the freak-runner from Finland, but the people of the Dominion must not be disappointed if their idol goes under. Nurmi is perhaps the best the world has known, and if Rose were to -do nothing more than « to compel him to break fresh records, New Zealanders should be proud of • their countryman. “RISEN TO GREAT HEIGHTS” “It gives me great pleasure,” said the Mayor, to speak to you of one of our boys who has grown up amongst us and who has risen to such heignts in the athletic world.” It was said that Rose gave very little promise in his early years of his prowess as a runner. It was not until he came to compete at a Bible Class gathering that he really discovered how good he was. From then he steadily developed, and now he was the best in New Zealand and better than any man in Australia. Rose was born in Wellington (continued the Mayor) and the Welling-

■ ton people \ad a special pride in him, but there should be a national pride aiso, and he had thus asked the Prime Minister to tender good wishes on behalf of the people of' the Dominion. The New Zealand Amateur Athle- , tie Association had made great progress in the last few years, and it was only a few weeks ago that the speaker welcomed to the city, Hahn and Scholz, the splendid, fellows, unselfish and unassuming, who were ever ready to impart all they knew. (Applause,. The- were men of sterling character and gentlemen through and through. The significance of the visit was that it had brought out our own champion and had shown the people that no was worthy of meeting the ■world’s best. The people had confidence in him. Even if he were beaten he would take his licking like a gentleman, and here again he would stand out as a representative of New Zealand. The Athletic Association and the people were to be congratulated on making the touF possible, and had been wise in the selection of a companion to the runner. Mr' McHolm was a real sport and a fine man.' The Mayor, in conclusion, paid a tribute to Mr and Mrs Rose. _ They had been responsible for the bringing up of such a fine character. (Applause). i I*R!ME MINISTER’S GOOD WISHES The Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), who was warmly applauded on rising to speak, said that-on behalf of the people of New Zealand he must congratulate the champion himself and the Athletic Association and workers who, by their hai;d work and industry, had made the tour possible. He noticed a goodly sprinkling of the fair sex amongst the gathering and he asked Mr McHolm that the cham- " pion be taken great care of and ! brought back" just as he Had left. (Laughter.) As New Zealanders, they should feel ; proud and pleased that one of their numbef was capable of taking part in international sport and of producing such fine young men as Rose. He was certain that Rose would he placed in the forefront with the best of the world and that he would keep the name of New Zealand unsullied. He Aould take whatever victories that came his way with due modesty, and if he lost then the real man in him would come out. New Zealand hoped he .would win and 1,400,000 people would be scanning with anxious eyes the cables in tho daily press. If good feeling and comradeship could do anything when Rose was running those desperately long distances, then he would l>e helped considerably by his fellow countrymen. They had every confidence that their champion was in good hands. ' “ONE OF US!” The Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan, said: “I am pleased that I have been given the pleasure of tendering Masterton’s farewell to our own Randolph Rose at this stirring send-off. TJntil I came down I was under the impression that he belonged to ns, but now Wellington claims him. He may have been born in Wellington and have learned Fo crawl and even walk here, but Masterton taught him how to run.” (Laughter). However, Rose was now belonging to the nation, anA he hoped that He wouirt He referred to as the New Zealand champion, and not as the Australasian champion. Rose could take a licking end give one with equal cheerfulness. While tho people of the Dominion knew him as a fine athlete the people of Masterton Knew him as a man of fho highest moral character. In him the name of New Zealand was in safe hards.

The speaker recorded an incident when Rose arrived on a scene by a. riverbank just after a child had rescued another from drowning. The runner took a medal off his watchehain and presented it to the little Ijsro. Masterton was not sure that Hose would lick creation, but they knew that they were sending awav a ' big-hearted trier. When in the last lap Nurmi looked at his watch he would get the fright of his life. Mr F Wilton, on heholf of the Now Zealand Amateur Athletic Association,

said that the association had decided that they would send Rose abroad-lrat would leave it to the public. They bnd decided and even a little place like Taihape, where amateur sport ' was practically unknown, Had contributed over £4O. The people should not he disappointed if Rose were beaten on his first run, as h'i had to gain experience, but they should recall the battles between Rose and Hahn. Rose would he running in the English championship at Stamford Bridge on July 3rd, and it was to he hoped that there he would meet Nurmi. He paid a tribute to the long athletic career of Mr McHolm. ROSE RESPONDS On rising to respond Rose was greeted with prolonged He said

that after the groat reception he felt, his position very keenly. He felt that the whole time he‘ was away the eyes of his countrymen would be upon him, and he intended to knuckle down to solid training, and work hard. If he were beaten it would not be through the want of training. He thanked the New (Zealand Council and the people of New Zeeland fop whsjt they bad done. He did not think when he started to run that such an honour Would one day he conferred upon him. “Roee ,will get all the attention I can give him,” said Mr MoHolm. At the call of the Mayor, cheers were given for the departing athletes, * id the function closed with the playing of “God Save* the King” on the organ by Mr Bernard Page.