FIFTY YEARS

Southland Times, Issue 25312, 15 June 1935, Page 18

FIFTY YEARS

STAB’S JUBILEE.

A GREAT RECORD GROWS.

(Billy Stead’s Review.)

This week Mr J. W. Stead takes readers through another interesting period of the club’s history. The social side of the club appears to have been firmly established, but without neglecting the serious part of Rugby; hence we find the remarkable run of successes continuing. For 14 consecutive years, from 1890 to 1903, the name of Star has stood at the head of the Rugby Union’s championship, and interest has been aroused not only throughout New Zealand but almost everywhere Rugby is played. The record is claimed as unbeaten in the Rugby world. 1902 D. Donaldson (captain) and G. Burley (deputy-captain) undertook to add another year to thirteen consecutive years of premiership, and both, being of the younger generation, were somewhat backward in accepting office. Looking back I do not wonder when I remember their extraordinary retiring dispositions. Hereabouts at one of our annual meetings one of the vice-presi-dents, a well-known butcher, had to act in the absence of the president and when it came to appointment of captains asked for nominations. H. Murphy was proposed and seconded when R. Knuckey, in his gruff manner, said it was A. McNie’s turn. He nominated accordingly and before it could be seconded the chairman asked whether in Archie’s absence, his permission to stand had been asked. On receiving a negative he startled the meeting by declaring H. Murphy duly elected as A. McNie was “illegitimate,” (meaning, of course, ineligible). The roar ot laughter that followed brought home to the chairman the effect of his confusion of terms. Song and Story. They were great annual meetings. Everything was “as. per usual,” excepting the appointments of captain and deputy-captain, secretary, treasurer, president, vice-presidents and playing positions. Also the usual £3 grant to the secretary, who, I think, many a time was not there tq collect. It was all very casual, and brevity was indeed the soul of wit, and the business part thus being quickly disposed of, an evening of song and story usually followed with E. W. Wright ably controlling talent of no mean order and of intriguing variety. Who will forget the evening when Bob Knuckey (unknown as a singer) after a couple of hours insistent pressure consented to sing, and sang his one and only “The Old Rustic Bridge by the Mill.” Some “fool” encored him and he was so pleased that the only way to stop him eventually was to drown him with the National Anthem (nobody ever asked him “Would he oblige?” again). Items of pleasant memory that recur to me are E. W. Wright’s “Their Heads Nestled Together;” W. Jude’s “Sweet Elsie of the Glen;”.L. Murphy’s “Goodbye, Mavoureen;” I. Jenkins’s “Aye, Bonnie Lassie;” P. Anderson’s “Beautiful Star” and “The Old Arm Chair;” R. Donaldson’s “The Farmer’s Boy” and “Warriors Bold;” A. Mcßobie’s “Robin Red Breast.” P. Anderson and Dick Donaldson had invariably to engage in an endurance test, Highland fling or hornpipe, and although it was “evens” in the national dance Dick could always contrive to win the hornpipe by scanning the imaginary horizon sufficiently long to get his sea-legs fresh and a new supply of wind, a point which Peter, I think, never properly understood. At a time when there were no pictures, no motors, no card evenings, these hours of relaxation further cemented the family atmosphere of the club.

Schoolboys’ Coached. The schools were now playing organized Rugby and several of our team took more than a casual interest in coaching. It is interesting to recall that at various periods I have had in boys’ team I have coached Lance Johnson, N. P. McGregor, J. R. Page and F. Kilby who have all earned a Dominion reputation. All these boys had “football in them” and really did not require any actual coaching. Many others have gone far also, and I have never grudged any time I have spent with the boys. Southland broke fresh ground by visiting Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay and ended with a very fair record. They beat Otago, 6—3; lost to Wairarapa, 10—6; beat Hawkes Bay, 23—6; drew with Wellington, 6—6; lost to Canterbury, 21—6, and beat Otago, 6—3.

Star again won the premiership with the following record: Played 11, won 9, lost 1, drawn 1, points for 108, against 14. Athletic won the junior championship and were generally conceded to have attained to the standard warranting them to play senior grade. The club and its followers were all delighted to see A. McNie, “hooker,” secure a place in the South Island team. It was no mean accomplishment to be considered one of the four best “hookers” in the Dominion at a time when it was your team’s best asset to have a good front-row pair. 1903-10

This year promised to be more than usually interesting with seven teams competing in the seniors and I personally consider this to be the peak year in the standard of play in that competition; and its excellence is reflected in the fine showing of the representative side. We had visits from six

different unions, including first visits from Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and the famous Auckland team. Five games were won, one (against Otago) was drawn and one lost to Canterbury. This was the last match and we were unfortunate to be without the services through illness of J. Christophers (a brilliant wing), C. Purdue, P. Ward and A. McNie or we would have had a good chance to go through unbeaten. The match against Auckland was one of the most exciting ever held on the Union ground. The visitors’ side, which included seven of the victorious 1903 New Zealand team just returned from Australia, had fielded a trial team at Timaru and were beaten. They therefore took the field here with their strongest selection. I still think that selfish play by Dick McGregor, Opai Asher (the brilliant Maori winger who had been the draw card in Australia) and W. Harrison, trying to live up to their reputations, gave Southland just that chance to feel their way and gain enough confidence to think of a possible win. “Toiler” Taylor’s Goat To be brief, an even game territorially was fast reaching its final with Auckland at last ahead by 8 to 5 when Bain and Murphy penetrated the Auckland twenty-five where Toiler Tay.or took a mark, kicked a goal and Southland won by 9 to 8. Who that were there will ever forget Toil er’s” goal or the night that followed? Need I remind the fans of that epic race along Leven street between Charlie Kane (local sprint champion) and Opai Asher, which eventuated as the result of argumcn s as to their respective pace. Those who backed against Asher forgot that he was a fire brigade man used to sprinting on macadam roads and that he nau just come off from grounds just as hard. Opai won and that was one victory Auckland had here at all events. They got numerous cat-call telegrams from Auckland and it was a pretty savage team that beat Jimmy Duncan and his men at Dunedin a few days ' This year I always call Arty Reid’s year. Playing for Britannia and again for Southland his was a great personal performance. Star were greatly honoured in getting Dominion recognition for three of their players. I quote the following: “Southland was worthily represented in the New Zealand team for Australia by J. W. Stead, whose play was highly spoken of, and along with I. Jenkins and A. McNie in the North v. South match at Auckland where South gained a surprise win by three tries to one.” □ , R. Knuckey (captain) and A. McNie (deputy) led the club on this, its fourteenth successive year’s record, with another great aggregate. They played 10, won 8, lost 1, drew 1; points for 108, against 22. Britannia were very narrowly beaten this year and our old foe, Pirates, were not out of the picture either. The new Athletic team were functioning well. How long could we stand the pressure?

I STAR’S JUBILEE. ‘ g ■ E CELEBRATION DATES. “ i Aug. 10.—Parade and Procession ■ jj Otago-Southland Game. J a Banquet in Evening. E 5 Aug. 11.—Church Parade. • [ Aug. 14.—Grand Ball. “