ALHAMBRA FOOTBALL CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15857, 1 September 1913, Page 8

ALHAMBRA FOOTBALL CLUB

, SMOKE, CONCERT. The Alhambra Football Club held its annual smoke concert and reunion in the Masonic Hall, Moray, placo, on Saturday evening. Over 159 past and present members- were in attendance, as also were representatives from tho and tho various affiliated clubs. Mr' J. King (president of the club) made a capable and businesslike chairman, and he was supported on his right by Mr Proctor (president of the. Zingari-Richmond Club),, and Mr P. Williams, and on his left oy Mr H. Harris (president of the 0.R.F.U.), and Messrs H. H. S. White, and J. J. Clark.

After the toast of "Tlio King" had been honoured, Mr King proposed the toast of "T.ho Otago Rugby Football Union." fie said that it afforded him much pleasure to propose the toast. T v he O.R.F.TJ. Committee had beon set up by the players themselves. They had heard .from time to time that- the union was killing the, game, but, if anything, it was the footballers ■ who were doing this.. The unjon had control of the game, and he was eure that the representatives of the players were doing everything in their interests. He believed that the local 1 committee treated players as fairly as any other in the dominion. Ho rhad heard a great deal about the other game coming into favour, but it would not be the fault of the O.R.F.U. if it did.— (Applauise.) He hoped, that players would support the committee in every possible way.

: . Mr Harris, in responding to the toast, said _ that the O.R.F.U. Committee, as the president of the club had stated, endeavoured to fester football'in Dunedin. In a game like football, in which both spectators and players took 6uch a great interest, therealways would be a difference of opinion as to the best "\vay_ to footer it. The committee of the union was only human, and it made mistakes occasionally,' but for all the years that ho .had been a member of the union, it had always endeavoured to further the interests of the sport as . a whole, irrespective •of any particular club. The .committee had' been set up to control tho game and do justice' to everybody, and it endeavoured to do this to the best of its ability.—(Applause.) Ho congratulated the AHiambra Club on the position it had won this year. Though they were not so high !i3 in previous years they were "knocking at the door."—(Appjauso.) Judging.by tbo interest atid enthusiasm of members, the club was still in a . very flourishing condition, and he therefore expected to .see 'them at the top again in a short time. He congratulated the club on having one of their members, Mr Williams, in the New ■Zealand representative team going to California.—(Applause.) Mr G. Nelson proposed the toast of " Tho Premier Team " in a brief speech, in which he stated the Zingari Club had _ for, n number of years been very close to winning the championship, and he was sure that all players would congratulate tho team on the position it had attained this year.—(Applause.) He had seen the Zingari team play in five matches during the past season, and it had acquitted itself well each time, but more than that, it had played a good clean game.—(Applause.) Mcssis Proctor and. Brown, tho president arid secretary respectively of. tho ZingariRiehjnond Club, responded. Mr Proctor said he hod been connected with tho Zingari Club, since its formation, and he was naturally very proud to seo the. club in its present position. The members of the club would not havo been disheartened had they not won the flag. Tihey endeavoured always to play a good, clean game. Mr Brown said that his club had from the outset .aimed at playing good football.' The club had been runners-up in tho contest for the championship for several yeare, but when they had started at tho beginning ol tho season they had not expectcd to reach their present position. Tho members of the winning team had attended well to training, and he attributed tho team's premiership largely to this. During tho evening a presentation was made to Mr P. Williams, who will leavo 'Dunedin to-morrow to- join the other members of file New Zealand representative team for California. Mr J. J. Clark (a vicepresident of tho ehib), in making tie presentation, said that: the club hod a long line of splendid traditions behind it, and. lie thought they could fairly claim that football was first established as the premier game in New Zealand by the old Alhambra Club.—(Applause.) It had given to the game many distinguished _ players who had represented not only their town and. .province, but the dominion.—(Loud applause.) Ho was certain that Mr Williams would uphold the honour of tho club just as well a 6 any player who had represented it. Ho got his place simply by the merit of hie game, and ho was not <bnlv a brilliant player but ho wis a good club man—(Applause.) Mr Williams had been associated with tho club for 12 years,- and during that time he had thrown his wholo heart into tho game. Amid a/scene of great enthusiasm ho then handed Mr Williams a gold chain aiid soveroign case.,.,' Mr Williams thanked the donors for the handsome gift\ind 'for tho kind words said about him. .He was. naturally proud of being chosen for a plaoe in tho representative team. Anything he mad dono for tho club had been actuated by the desire to advanco it.—(Applause.).

Mr H. H. S. White, a member 'of; .the - O.R.F.U. Committee, proposed the toast of "Tho Alhambra Football Club." In . doing eo, he said that the club had produced some of the finest forwards in Duncdin, and with tho combination tHey had : a. few years ago, it was a treat to watch thom play. Ho mentioned, amid applause, a , "umber of old players who had brougihi fh° club to its present prominent position. Ihe club liad always oocupied the front rank in tho realm of sport, and ho ventured s to say that it had produced more players in representative matches than ajiy other ciub in Dunedin during the 29 years it had been in existence.—(Applause.) Messrs Williams and Given briefly responded to the toast on behalf of tho club.' Other toasts honoured were "The Sister Clubs proposed by Mr J. M'Cleary, and, responded to by Messrs Freeman (Onion) w. Brown (Diinedin), and W. 'Brown (Zingari); and " Tho Referees' Association," , proposw by Mr R. Bennet, and responded to'by Mr M'Farlane.

During the evening a very enjoyable programme of musical and elocutionary items was contributed. •