A RUGBY VETERAN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17236, 16 April 1930, Page 12

A RUGBY VETERAN

GOOD FRIEND OF NEW ZEALAND New Zealand has a good friend in Australia in Mr. .James Henderson, who is said to be one of tlie greatest Rugby enthusiasts in the world. ' * , Fur the past 25 years Mr. Henderson had, been a stalwart of Rugby in New South Wales. In tlie days when the Rugby Union game was at- a, low -ebb in Sydney, he never lost heart. He was at all times . a great admirer ,pf New Zealand and New Zealanders, and in and out of season'sang the praises of Maoriland. New Zealand Rugby and athletic teams which have visited Sydney during tile past quarter of a century have found in Mr Henderson a generous host,. Every New Zealander who met, with accident or sickness while on tour bad bis hours brightened in hospital by fro quenti visits from Jimmy Henderson whose doors were wide open to them during convalescence. Mr. Henderson has yisited New. Zealand as manager of a New South Wale? Rugby team, and so outstanding was bis personality that the Maoris conferred great honor upon him' by electing him a rangatira. , , . - . , ; ~ Special reference to the great, services which Mr. Henderson .lias, rendered to Rugby football, both in Australia qnd New Zealand, was. made at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rugby Union in Wellington, and, on the motion of, Mr. R St Heap, it was decided to invite Mr. I-lendeison, with his wife and son, to visit tlie Dominion as the guests of the .New Zealand union, while the British team is here. Many delegates testified to the kindnesses Ne\v Zealand teams had received at Mr. Henderson’s hands in . Sydney*, and it was stated that the small co?t..the acceptance of the invitation wou}^. entail would be but a mite compared,with.the thousands of pounds Mr. Hepderspn must have ( spent in. entertaining, New Zealand teams in Sydney iii past years. —JDominion.^

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