ALL BLACK HONOURED

Southland Times, Issue 20804, 19 June 1929, Page 10

ALL BLACK HONOURED

PRESENTATION TO BERT GEDDES.

PIRATES CLUB FUNCTION.

A most enthusiastic farewell was accorded Mr J. 11. (Bert) Geddes by his clubmates in the Pirates’ club rooms last evening. Mr Geddes has been selected to tour Australia with the New Zealand Rugby team and leaves for Wellington on Thursday morning. There was a full attendance of members and supporters, Mr J. S. Brass (vice-presi-dent) presiding. Mr C. A. Davis (president) represented the Rugby Union ana several sister clubs were also represented. The evening took the form of a smoke concert, several toasts being honoured, these being interspersed with musical and elocutionary items. _ In proposing the principal toast of the evening (“Our Guest”) the chairman expressed pleasure in congratulating Mr Geddes onjhe honour he bad received not only for himself, but for the club. All Southland footballers were agreed that the honour was well deserved, and the speaker was satisfied that when Mr Geddes returned from Australia he would be as good as the best backs that had ever represented New Zealand. He wished Mr Geddes the best of luck and a pleasant trip, and on behalf of club members presented him with a solid leather suitcase. Messrs C. J. Prain, C. A. Davis, R. M. Bird, James Archer and S. Batcheler also extended their congratulations, and the toast was enthusiastically honoured. The chairman added that Mr Geddes’s honour was an outstanding one, as he was the first Southland back to be sent overseas from Southland since Mr W. J. Stead represented the province in a New Zealand team in 1904. That excluded, of course, Southlanders who had gone abroad in other than New Zealand teams.

On rising to respond Mr Geddes was warmly received. He thanked the speakers for their kind words and congratulations, and hoped he would live up to their good wishes. He was proud to be included in an All Black team. He now had his chance and would do his utmost to warrant the confidence placed in him. It was the Pirates Club and Southland as well as New Zealand he was representing, and of that he was also proud. In conclusion he thanked members for their gift and wished the club every success while he was away.—(Applause.) Other toasts honoured were: "The King,” “Rugby Union,” “Pirates Club,” “Kindred Sports and Visitors,” and Press. The following contributed to the programme: Songs, Messrs T. Richardson, J. O’Neill, A. Kingsland, C. Trim; recitations, Messrs D. Farnie and C. A. Davis; violin solos, Mr 11. Crawford. Mr D. Robinson made an efficient accompanist.