OLD FOOTBALL DAYS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1930, Page 15

OLD FOOTBALL DAYS

MR. FORBES AS CAPTAIN. SURPRISE GIFT AT BANQUET' Happy memories .of the days when he was captain of the old East Christchurch Football Club were recalled by i the Prime Minister at the banquet givefi in his honour in Christchurch to mark the occasion of the accession to office, of the first Canterbury-born Prime Minister. Mr. Forbes was made the recipient of a surprise presentation from Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, his former club president, of the old banner of the club. Sir Heaten Rhodes, who presided, remarked that he had had a close personal touch with Mr. Forbes over a long period of years, and they had both belonged to the same football club. The difference was that he held an honorary position as president of the club, while Mr. Forbes was a great worker and a very prominent member of the team. That was the famous East Christchurch Club, and when it was disbanded he had been presented with the banner, and he had kept it ever since. As he had no one to leave it to, he wished to take the opportunity of asking Mr. Forbes to accept the banner and hand it over to orte-of his sons. (Loud applause.) Sir Heaton then opened the case and displayed the banner amidst a great outburst of cheering. The banner. has the monogram “E.C.F.C.” embroidered on it. Mr. Forbes, in responding later to the toast of his health, expressed his pleasure that his ■old 'dub president should be the chairman, of the .present gathering. /“Especially pleasing, is Rhe action of Sir- Heaton- in presenting me with the manner.. That • turned back the hands of the clock many years, but I will not how many. When I was captain of the old East Christchurch .Football Club I took part in several gatherings and; smoke concerts, which I looked on in those days as the highest form of musical entertainment. Now I am in a similar position again, with Sir Heaton presiding, and me on his right. “The banner reininds me ftf the days oh which it flew at Lancaster Park, when we were battling with the other teams. We thought we knew the last th'vg about football, and we ran and pushed our hardest, but the game was not so fast as it is now. We did not have the long waiting queues of to-day and the numbers who came to see us were small. We played the game and enjoyed it, and those \vere the happiest days of our lives. I remember when we won the senior championship and the president presented each' of us with a gold football, which I wore until I exchanged it for a life membership badge. ; “The training on tlie football field has stood me in good stead in politics, ' r the rules of the former apply as well to the latter.,'So long as ; the game is played honestly and truly, one wins the respect of one’s fellows. If a man plays the game he gains the friendship and affection of his opponents. There is nb member of Parliament with whom I do not feel on the best of'terms, and no man has been my opponent in political contests who has not been my friend as well.” There was a remarkable demonstration when the chairman announced that Air. F. M. Collins hacl sent him a note stating that he wished to present one of the original East Christchurch Football Club caps “to, his old friend, George.”

About half a dozen of those present who had been members of the old club rose and sang the club chorus, “On the Ball,” many other -old-time footballers joining in. '

Mr. Forbes said 'it gave him very great pleasure to'- accept the memento and he would be delighted to pass it on to his boy, who was present at the gathering, and was a keen follower of the. game.