RUGBY JUBILEE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 375, 17 March 1932, Page 17

RUGBY JUBILEE.

Sydenham Club Holds a Banquet. TRIBUTE TO FOUNDERS. Members of the Sydenham Football Club held a successful banquet last evening to celebrate the club’s fiftieth anniversary. Mr T. W. Reese, a former club captain, presided over a large attendance representative o f

the club’s membership during the past fifty years. The hall was decorated with streamers in the club’s colours, and i suspended in the centre waj. a large rubber football. In extending a welcome to visitors and members on behalf of the committee, Mr Reese said that he was

pleased to see some of the foundation members present. The toast of “ Departed Friends " was proposed by Mr Reese, who referred to the absence of Messrs H. C. Harrison, W. M. Allardyce, W. Sutherland, J. R. Kett, S. J. Denham and ,T. Milne and Captain Meikleham—men who had made the club what it was. The orchestra played “ The Garland of Flowers," and the toast was honoured in silence. Mr F. T. Evans, in proposing the toast of “ The Sydenham Football Club," said that no Rugby club in New Zealand had staged such a come-back in the path of adversity as Sydenham had done. He was voicing the opinion of the sporting section of the community when he said that they were proud of what the club had done since its inception. He congratulated the club on carrying out Captain Meikleham’s idea of holding a church parade every year. Mr Evans referred to the club’s fine team in 1888-89, in which years it was unbeaten. From 1910 the club had encountered a series of misfortunes, which lasted for some years. It was from 3 914 on that Messrs W. Britten and H. C. Harrison had done such great work. In reply Mr W. Britten, president of the club, said that Sydenham had had some great players in the past few years. Last season, the club had four players in the Canterbury representatives. Toast to the Union, Mr G. Scott, president of the club from 1919 to 1929. in proposing the toast of " The Canterbury Rugby Union,"

said that its administration of the game was satisfactory to both players and public, and was as sound and efficient as that of any union in the country. Replying to the toast, Mr A. E. M'Phail. president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, said that there must he . something in the good old game of : Rugby it it could keep a club together for fifty years. The toast of “ The Old-timers was < proposed by Mr 9. G. Faulkiner, who said that the younger members of the club were proud of the achievements of the older members. A Historic Ball. Responding to the toast, Mr J. J M’Lean. a foundation member, recalled I many interesting incidents in the early ■ *j*tory of the club. At the conclusion his* speech, Mr M’Lean handed out a ' ball which had been passed on ; members representing various de- t ►tides until it was received by Mr J. g, captain of the club’s first fifteen. The ball will be autographed as f. memento of the occasion. Mr Li. Clemens, who proposed the toast of "Friendly Foes,” mentioned r some of the matches played in the early j fays. The men to-day, he said, could he better than the representatives ' oi the club in years gone by. I

The toast was responded to by Mr S. F. Wilson. Musical items were given by Messrs Jock Lockhart, David M'Gill, F. Moran and C. Lawrence.

Otago Not in Favour. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, March 16. At the annual meeting of delegates to the Otago Rugby Union to-night, Mr H. Harris moved: That this meeting of delegates is prepared to fall in with the recommendation of the New Zealand Union, that the scrum formation 3-2-3 be played. After some discussion the motion was lost by a fair majority. It was pointed out that whatever representation Dominion Unions might have on the Imperial body, that body would always be subservient to the International Board.