DONALD McNAUGHTON STUART.

NZ Truth, Issue 935, 27 October 1923, Page 9

DONALD McNAUGHTON STUART.

Ono of the classes m a Dunedin primary school was recently being given a lesson m history and the teacher asked If anyone could tell him who was the present , Prime Minister of Great Britain. Not a hand went up. "No," said the master, "but if I asked you who was one of the selectors of the All Blacks you could tell me, couldn't you?" Up went a forest of hands and a little chap not much bigger than a lemonade bottle was just bursting to blurt out the right answer, "Donald Stuart." Such is fame and the incident is significant. Away back m the years that have gone Dr. Donald McNaughton Stuart, one of the most revered sky pilots that has ever entered a. ; pulpit, ministered to. the spiritual needs of the "guld Presbyterian folk" and it was after him that the subjec.t of this paragraph, his grandson, was named. In his football infancy Donald was nurtured m the red and black jersey of the Alhambra Club and blossomed into a slashing forward, his great height being a valuable asset m his line-out work. L.ater he transferred his allegiance to the Pirates Club and m 1904 he gained his representative enp. Donald had the chance of going Home as a member of the 1905 All Blacks, but very rightly stayed at home on the recommendation of his medical adviser. Since 1909 he has been a member of the O.R.F.U. and for nine years has been a vice-president. The writer wishes he was na sure of knowing the winner of the N.Z. Cup as ho is of the fact that next year Donald will be "called up higher." " As an Otago, South Island and All Black selector Donnld has done exceptionally good work and is never perturbed by the showers of abuse that are rained on all those who undertake the thankless task. Don't you believe those who say he is in-

fluenced by street-corner talk. Donald has his own opinions about the merits of players and is not afraid to express and stand by them. Between the football season he finds time to indulge m a game of bowls- and has several times competed successfully m tournaments as a member of the St. Kilda Club, fromi the presidential chair of which he has just stepped down. Had he so chosen, Donald m his younger days' could have been right m the first flight of swimmers for without serious training he could cut out the hundred m 6Gsecs. Despite the tremendous amount of time he devotes to sport generally this flne chap has built up a prosperous merchant's business and i£ he can't sell you a> pound of tea or a tin of cocoa he shows a spirit of brotherliness by extolling the qualities of the whisky sold by his fellow-merchant and cobber, Bert Ainge.