THE RUGBY GAME

Wairarapa Age, 18 March 1925, Page 3

THE RUGBY GAME

A PAGE FROM EARLY HISTORY

Birth of the Code in the Wairarapa

(By one of the Founders).

Mr John McMaster, of Tuhitarata, in a recent conversation with Mr. J. Watson' (Provincial Secretary of the Farmers’ Union), was led to speak of football in' the early days of the Wairarapa, as the result of which our football editor interviewed Mr. McMaster on the subject and reproduces, these valuable records as nearly as possible in his own words. “In view of the wonderful unbeaten record of our All Blacks in the Old Country, and particularly as two of them hail from Wairarapa, I think a little past history of how and when the game was initiated in the Wair- . arapa might prove interesting,’’ said Mr. McMaster. “I might mention that I have not at any time put the facts in, writing, and will be obliged to trust to memory to help me through. Also in giving names of old players I should have to refer to many of them as the late Mr. —, so I propose to speak of them as though they were still with us, and indeed I wish they were as some of my best friends are amongst those who have/ gone before. First Sail Arrives. “In 1870—71 I was at school in Masterton under Mr. R. Morton (sole teacher) with -whom I lodged. Some time after I arrived in Masterton, a Mr. Henry, who succeeded Mr. Wilcox, came from Tasmania to take charge of the Post and Telegraph Office, he being the only official at that time. He was constantly speaking of the game called football which they played m Tasmania, and offered to send over for a ball if we wished. It resulted in some of the men and bigger boys subscribing the necessary amoi/nt, and Mr. Henry duly reaeived the ball. The fact of having'to send, overseas for a ball was sufficient proof of their scarcity in the Colony. “(When it arrived the only persons who knew what to do with it were Mr. Henry and Mr. P. Doyle, the latter having played the game in England. The use of a paddock was obtained from Mr. Woodruffe, and we played sc’ratch games on Saturday afternoons, sides being chosen by Messis Henry and Doyle. I think we played spells of at least one hopr each if not longer, and as the spectators knew little or nothing of the ruffis, we played without a referee. I remember that so strenuous was the play, I eoald hardly crawl to school t on Monday morning. i “0f those who took part in the . early scratch games I can remember , only Henry, Doyle, H. J. and E. Ban- I nister, H. W. Vallanee, Bentley Bros. (3), Renall brothers (3), N. Tone, L. Russell, J. lorns, W lorns, W. Perry, A. Cave, W. Dixon and W. Noble. “Unfortunately the strenuous character of the game very quickly proved the end of the ball and se football ‘ended in Masterton for some time. ' . ‘ | Dawn of Game in Wellington. ; “A year or so after leaving Masterton I was sent to a Mr J . Curtis’s private school in IngSstre Wellington, in about 1873 —74. The game was just then starting in Wellington and players met the Basin Reserve on Saturday afternoons. Most of us bigger boys would attend, ’ knowing quite well that the men : would be only too pleased to give us § game to make sufficient players for a scratch match. “Of the men players the following ' were some of the most prominent:— P. C. and E. Webb, R. D. D. MacLean (now Napier), W. James (afterwards Stipendiary Magistrate in Wairarapa), Palliser, G. Parkes, C. Baker, G. and A. Bishop, Wi Tako arid W. Perry. Of these players the boys’., favourite was Mr. James, for in the intervals if a small boy managed to secure the ball, one of the men would almost sutely order him to put it , down. But not so, for Mr. James i would always take the youngster Is. part and see that he got his kick ac- : cordingly. “At this time there wore three ( prominent schools in Wellington; I Grammar School (conducted by Mr. Tuckey) which afterwards became , Wellington College, and two private . schools conducted by Mr Brand and Mr Curtis respectively, at tihe latter . of which I was located. “Before long the game went ahead, ; and wo big boys being shut out of the ; men's games had to arrange games ; among ourselves, and the private , ' schools combined could just give Grammar a fair game. These contests were played on what was then known as the Albion Flat, named after a ; hotel in the vicinity, or possibly vice , versa. i The Original Three. “Two other lads of my own age— ’ F. Tully and A. Hirschberg, both of Greytown —were associated with me in those games, and we all left school together and returned to Greytowri ■ where my father was then living. Up to the time of our return there had been no further mention of football in the Wairarapa, it having complete- : ly succumbed with the collapse of our first ball in Masterton Naturally wo three were keen on the game, and it was not long before we were kicking a ball about in O’Connor’s paddock. Knowing the difficulty of gathering thirty players in Wellington, one can imagine how much more so it was in poor little Greytown. Eady Day Straggles. “We tried to collect a fund to start the game and decided to Hold a dance in the Gkeytown Town Hall. The hall and musician were engaged, but no dancers turned up so the promoters had to foot the bill. However, we kept the football in action and endear voured to keep up the excitement to

the best of our ability. To have anything approaching a scratch game we had to, depend on the following order of arrival:—Nat Grace, J. Girdlestone and H. McMaster from Gladstone; Tully Brothers from Tablelands; and Lee and Cowie from Featherston. Cowie later became a prominent member of the Wellington Club. Both the latter players were connected with the railway which then was only approaching Pigeon Bush from the south. “Gradually the game commenced in Carterton and Masterton but Grey- • town was the original and chief centre, while Featherston never seemed to take it up enthusiastically. Matches of a variety commenced between these towns, the principal game usually being Masterton and Carterton combined versus Greytown. After two years in Greytown I returned to Tuhitarata, but kept up my connection with the Greytown team right through, although it meant riding 25 miles to Greytown to play and return the same evening. 1877 Sees Better Game. “Now we. come to the commencement of wliat one might term decent football in the Wairarapa. If came about with the arrival at Greytown in 1877 of Mr T. 8. Bonaldson, who later became Deputy Public ‘Trustee at Wellington?*’' I wcjj remember the first time I saw him play. I had ridden from Tuhitarata to Carterton to play for Greytown and was hard pressed for time to don my “togs” and join the fray, so had no opportunity of observing the members of my own team. I was playing in my usual place at quarter back, a position in those days just behind the serum, tyid noticed this grange palyer among our forwards. He was playing like a demon, and it was very evident that he had forgotten more about football than any of us at that time had ev?r learned. He was immediately put in charge of the Greytown team and brought them along so well that they were a hard proposition to meet anywhere. ’ ’ There were then only two teams of any strength in Wellington—Athletic and Wellington Clubs—but thanks to Bonaldson’s coaching Greytown could hold its own with either. In fact if either side scored a try it was as much of a victory as could be expected. “By 1878-79 the game was gaining ■ strength in Masterton, the Perry bro- ; thers, the Harveys, Archy Darcy and I Wylie being the prominent players, I but. until at least 1880 Masterton was never strong enough for Greytown. Compliment to Wairarapa. “In 1880 Bonaldson was selected to I represent Wellington in their visits to • Auckland and Nelson, and was asked to bring three other players with him. . His choice ’ fell on Wylie, from MasI terton, and D. Cameron and myselfI from Greytown. This selection would ' just, about represent the relative j strength of the Wairarapa clubs./ . “This Wellington provincial team defeated both Nelson and* Auckland. -I might mention that Mr J. P. Firth, the well-known master of Wellington College, captained Nelson, while we > were led by G. F. Campbell. i “To illustrate Greytown’s strength at that time compared with the local clubs, they played Masterton during ; .the representative tour when three of • Greytown’s leading players were away. They still succeeded in winning, much to their delight, and more particularlvto Mr A. L. Webster, who wired us the good news to Auckland. “I think that it was in 1881 that the first New South Wales team eame over, and again Wellington came to the Wairarapa for assistance, Bonald-' son, Rudolph Hirschberg and myself being amongst those chosen. Bonald- . son had the distinction of captaining . the Wellington team, though being a representative from the country, i The Welshmen beat us, and I must ’ confess showed us a few points, but J never again. | Personal Sacrifice for Game. 1 “Just to illustrate the difficulties , that one had to contend with in those days, I will mention that when playing for Greytown against a Wellington Club I had to ride 16 miles to ■ Featherston, join our team - on the : train, play the mateli in Wellington, i return by .train that evening and ride home to Tuhitarta, while at no time had I the opportunity of practice bii. tween matches. alia the; Grey town players at that time I should like to mention • just a fbw of the veterans: T. 8. Bonaldson, J. Maguire, C/Beard, W. ;C. Cuff, A. L. Webster, Somerville, I Porter, W. and B. Hirschberg, D. ’ Cameron, Hart Udy, J. Desmond F. and G. Tully, W. Day, Jackson, J. Wen'ham, F. d’Connor, and C. R. Bidwill. ‘ 1 Since those good old days the records of Wairarapa Bugby have been well preserved by the Press and our established Bugby Union, but I : trust the records of our early struggles will be appreciated by the active players of to-day, and that the names and incidents mentioned above will /bring pleasant recollections to many | of our surviving veterans.”