PRESIDENT HONOURED

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3270, 23 February 1937, Page 5

PRESIDENT HONOURED

FAREWELL TO MR W. DRAKE

* PRESENTATION FROM RUGBY ' UNION

Prior to his dep^rJure for. Auckland at the end of the week, Mr W. Drake, president of the Cambridge Rugby Union, was farewelled by members of the management committee at a social in the Farmers’ Club room last evening. Mr R, Newcombe presided over ,an attendance of about 30 1 delegates. In all of the tpasts and speeches, eulogistic references, were sade to Mr Drake’s enthusiastic' leadership during the past two years. Before leaving he was accorded musical honours and all joined in singing “Auld Lang Syne.” , An inscribed silver cake dish was ■presented to Me Drake ..by, Mr IF J. Lundon on behalf of the ment committee. • ~< • Mr Lundon spoke-; in . appreciation of the manner in which Mr Drake Hhaa conducted the meetings of the union. He had shown great .enthusiasm and his place would he very hard to fill. It jyyas .particularly regrettable that Mr Drake-was leaving on the.eve of the ijiteoduction of the schejne Mr Drake th£»nkc<}. theYoihipittee for the enjoyable function arranged in his honour, and the present that would always be a rieniinder .of the many pleasant days in connection with Rugby in Cambridge. , ' 1 ‘‘lf you undertake , anything, en-. deavour to do it well,” said Mr Drake. He had accepted a. position which he had notr . anticipated but now lie had done his best in the interests of football and had be%n"a I bly assisted by the delegatesf onitheimanagerhent committee. "

The finance of the!union* maintained in the past year, Mr' Drakes Some-money 1 "had been used to place dire 'grounds in order, but this wascamon-recurring debt. ;Hehoped;s: good financial position would always be mairitalhjgd. -I':;.';. 11."'. - ' The retention of' Victoria!/Square / as a playing area was * referred to by Mr Drake, s Mtieh 4fee*dftiajtciiil -/success of the union depended brt /feeing able to use tlie fand he ’ had been given ai»i HJfat it w r ould be available/for. many..-years to come. ’Before* the-^eason -opens - , the whole of the ground Will be tilte drained.. « •* n- „ “If can be offi seiwide •to ’-the Cambridge Union; -at> aiiy r time, it will be my pleasure, to'rdb sd,-’’ v said Mr Drake. He hoped he would be able to make the/trip to Cambridge with visiting teams rwhenever possible. •• \ The toast o ( Mrs; Drake and Miss Drake was'.; proposed /by Mr T. F. Kerr, who wished the family health and prosperity' in their new home. - : ' ;

In proposing Jibe toast of: the Football Clubs, Mr A. E* Harris, one of the oldest executive-officers in the district, expressed his pleasure at the manner in \yhich younger enthusiasts had cari-ietl/i €>it. : He felt that the new being adopted this a progressive move. • ~. . Messrs J.* Neßs.On M. McDonnell (teamington)i' J!- Turnbull (Hautapu)Jhd (United), replied-om behalf M the -clubs, and extended Jhanks^ to Mr Drake for his ;gqod work for the sport. qF football. They also spoke of jfaencfijJ^club spirit which existed in UambHdge. The toast of the • Cdmbrjdge' Borough Council ; -was ; 'prosedl.tjydMr Newcombe and iifr M| l Edgar James hof>ed that“th^amicable ‘arrangement between the' Kugby Union and the council would continue for all time. He expressed sincere regret at the departure; of MtJDrake, who had been 1 / a valued' citizch of Cambridge. t Mr B, N: Garland proposed the of the Referees’ Association, I to which Messrs T. F. Kerr, C. Wallace and XrEornaga replied. The toast of Kindred Sports was proposed by Mr \V. Webber" and responded to by Messi’s v W. R. Edwards and R. S. Ewfwistie. UNITED CLUIT# FAREWELL Members of . ihe United;/Football Club gathered at Messrs Beer Bros/ £arm at Roto-p-rangi on Saturday night to farewell' -Mr Drake. . A pleasant evening-. was spent with toasts and i ferns, and marty tributes were*‘paid to tli’vV iiltWeStthat • Mr Drake has taken iu tPPfball during the time he has-been., iu Cambridge. On behalf of fitly cdpliy-'Mr D. J. Lundon presented D.rake. ->yith a pipe and tobacco., v An opportunity was .during the evening to 1 vce IcbniC'. S. Griffith, a formerpaid a brief visit td* Cam bridge during the week'-chd. 1 -