JUBILEE CELEBRATED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18499, 11 September 1934, Page 5

JUBILEE CELEBRATED

H.B. RUGBY UNION GATHERINGS’ AT NAPIER On Saturday afternoon the Hawke’s Jlay Rugby Unidti officially celebrated its golden jubilee as. a Rugby union, the celeoratioli taking the form of n grand parade of old aiul present representative players in the afternoon, and a reunion dinner to old players, officials aiid representatives of other clubs and Rugby unions. Over 200 players took part iff.,the grand parade, held on McLean Park prior to the commencement of the Hawke’s Bay-Auckland Ranfurly Shield match. The procession was headed hy a band, winch played the old footballers round the field, the old players being grouped into sections, each representing a decade. Included in the first decade were live members of the original Hawke’s Bay representatives of 1885— Messrs. H. F. Gibbons, captain, J. 1. Cato, “Smiler” Ihimaira, H. G. Fletcher, and H. M. Saunders. The dinner in the evening, with the president of the union, Mr. R. M. Hewitt, in the chair, was attended by over 400 old and present-day players, officials representing the New Zealand and several provincial Rugby unions and the Auckland team, and proved an unqualified success. During the evening a collection was taken in aid of the McLean memorial gates, about £75 being subscribed for that purpose. A roll of old representative players was called, and several ex-captains replied to the toast of tlie Hawke’s Bay representatives. The following unions were represented officially: —New Zealand, Messrs. S. SDean and A. C. Kitto: Auckland, Mr. 11. Frost: Otago, Mr. E. Collett; Canterbury. Mr. N. Doreen; Wairarapa, Mr. E. McKenzie: and Wellington, Mr. J. I’rendevillo. The various sub-unions under the jurisdiction of the Hawke’s Bay union were also represented. The Hawke’s Bay union has five subunions, and controls more than fICOO footballers divided among 45 affiliated clubs.