COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL

Waipa Post, Volume 51, Issue 3645, 19 July 1935, Page 7

COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL

TENDERED TO DISTRICT’S x FIRST RUGBY ALL BLACK.

RECORD ASSEMBLY AT TOWN " v HALL.

That Jim Wynyard has the goodwill of the whole community in his forthcoming trip abroad as a member of the All Black Rugby team to tour Great Britain and Ireland shortly, was very evident at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening, when there was a record gathering of town and country folk for a complimentary social arranged in his honour. The function was a dance, and the netv local Marimba Dance Band provided delightful music. Close on 300 couples graced the floor, under the direction of Mr Les. Armstrong as principal M.C. A very tasty supper, provided by the ladies, was dispensed, members of the Suburbs Football. Club (of which the guest was a member) acting as waiters very efficiently.

During an interval the guest, with his parents, Mr and Mrs J. G. Wynyard, with their sons and daughters, were invited to take seats on tho stage, and his Worship the Mayor (Mr Geo. Spinley), as chairman, introduced them to the company, explaining that Mr Wynyard himself was president of the Waipa Rugby Union, the organisation primarily responsible for promoting the function. On the stage also were officers of > the Union and the Suburbs Club, with a delegation from the Waikato Rugby Union, comprising Messrs L. Powell (Taupiri), president, W. Fraser, chairman of committee, and T. W. Thompson, secretary. „ . , The Mayoress, Miss Spinley, was then called upon to present a very pretty bouquet of violets to Mrs Wynyard from the Waipa Referees’ Association, expressing the hope that her son would have a pleasant trip and that the team of which he was a member would have many wins.

The Mayor then remarked that the assembly marked an historic occasion for Te Awamutu and district. Many times the people had foregathered to bid farewell to popular and worthy residents, or to welcome new ones, but this was the first time the residents had been able to honour an All Black selected from this district. He recalled that in the past critics had contended that earlier All Black teams were better than the present one, but after seeing Jim Wynyard, and realising that he was one of the 29 splendid specimens of young New Zealanders, that contention was at least arguable. This year was the first time that country unions had been invited to send their best men to play in matches in the cities, so that All Black selectors could see them in action. Thus those players selected from the country districts had won their place by sheer merit. In the past very few men had been selected from the country, and it was probably because the country players did not have the same facilities for training or learning the finer points of the game as did the city players. But it was planned to rectify this disadvantage so far as Te Awamutu district is concerned, for at the present moment the Te Awamutu Progress Society is busily forwarding a plan to build a grandstand and training quarters at Albert Park, and an appeal to the public in this connection would shortly be made, principally by way of a Queen Carnival. He hoped that when the guest of the evening returns from overseas the much-needed building would be an accomplished fact. Then Jim Wynyard vwould be able to impart his knowledge of Rugby to the young players, practically every one of whom ardently hoped to emulate his success. In the years ahead Jim would be able to look back with pride upon the present occasion, for he was expressing to him the goodwill and congratulations of the whole communitv, town and country alike, confident'that he is worthy of the honour done him by the All Black selectors. . , e Mr Spinley tfcen read messages of regret at absence, and of exceeding goodwill, from Mr V. Meredith, the manager of the All Black team; Mr E. J. Whiting, of the Hamilton Rugby Union, and Mr W. J. Broadfoot, M.P., and other apologies were also announced.

Mr W. Fraser, chairman of the Waikato Union’s management committee, addressing the assemblage, and particularly “ Sunny Jim,” as he termed the guest of the evening, said the parent Union was greatly delighted at his selection, and he recalled that Waikato’s only previous All Blacks were Johnny Leeson (Morrinsville), who had acquitted himself very creditably on the Australian tour and must have only narrowly missed inclusion in the present team; J. Tuck (Hamilton), who had played in Australia, and Solomon, a former Waikato player who gained the All Black honours as representative from Auckland. . Continuing, he said it was incorrect to assume that the country players were seldom or never chosen from the country districts. Actually, the All Black selectors frequently chose country players as forwards —big, hefty, fast and virile forwards; perhaps the cities provided the back division mainly, and. that was because they got specialised training that is unobtainable in rura. areas. -He was proud of Jim Wynyard, and confident that he will come back an even better player than he is now, and his six or eight years of best class football ahead of him meant that Waikato had a very fine representative. The present-day youngsters will assuredly profit by Jim’s tour overseas.

Mr L. Powell said he also was proud of Jim Wynyard and the honour conferred upon Waikato and its sub-unions. He sincerely wished him bon voyage and good luck throughout. Then Mr Powell handed oyer a solid leather suit case, initialled, as a reminder of that goodwill. Mr A. J. Shepherd, headmaster of the Te Awamutu District High School, and a vice-president of the W'aipa Rugby Union, remarked that a member of the school staff had been looking through the school registers of a few years ago to clear up a doubt aboiit the guest’s attendance and achoOl record. Whatever he had

done at school J-e had completely eclipsed, in the eyes of the sporting community, in gaining honours as an All Black. Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, and New Plymouth schools all could claim Jim Wynyard as a schoolboy, and everybody was glad for his sake that the honour had been conferred. To mark the occasion the Te Awamutu schoolboys had joined with the /Rugby Union in a tangible token of a great esteem, and he had been commissioned to hand over a very useful wallet for use on the tour. Mr Shepherd added that the small boys at the school, since Jim Wynyard had been selected as an All Black, had been playing Rugby with even more vim and zost than formerly,/and obviously were preparing to follow in his footsteps—if asked! Mr Shepherd concluded with the hope that Jim would see a great deal of Mother England, and arrive home safely again with all his blushing honours thick upon him. (Applause.) Mr H. W/orthington, on behalf of the Suburbs Football Club, of which the guest is a member, said he was commissioned to present him with a camera from his club mates, with the charge that he snap some of the pretty girls at Home —for comparison, maybe. The speaker added that Jim had won the V.C. of football, and he recalled that a namesake, “Tab” Wynyard, an uncle, had represented New Zealand in 1888 on the playing fields of England, and thus it was about time another of the name should emulate that example. Mr J. D. Thomson, on behalf of the Maori players in the Waipa Union, presented the guest with a greenstone tiki, saying the Maoris claim him as a brother. He added that Jim Wynyard’s uncle went Home fifty years ago as a member of a real Maori team of Rugby players, and, they had a very hard campaign, playing four and even five matches per week. Circumstances are not so hard nowadays. On the way back to New Zealand, they played Australia, and beat them, only to lose the match against Auckland (Tab Wynyard’s home town!)—-the only defeat here. Mr Thomson went on to explain that the tiki had something of a history, besides being an emblem of authority that will guide the wearer’s destiny. The tiki had been given him by an uncle many years ago and he had worn it in seve:jal successes in the athletic field, on one occasion actually winning fjve cycling races in one day. At Home Rugby was first evolved, and from there it spread to New Zealand to become \the national pastime here. Some wonderful players had been produced at Home, and now the New Zealanders 'are going Home again to show what the younger country has learned and how to apply that learning. He concluded with the exhortation: “ When you cross that great ocean Kiwa you will have in this tiki a guiding star, and when you return safe and sound, as I am sure you will, we will know you have performed worthily.” (Loud and sustained applause.) Before the guest was called upon to respond, Mrs E. Hooper contributed a soprano solo, " 0 13weet Mystery of Life.” Then Jim Wynyard, who was accorded a rousing reception, made his acknowledgments, saying he could hardly find adequate words. But he would say that he considered himself very fortunate indeed to have gained a place in the team. He had been lucky in being called upon to play among a set of really fine fellows, good clean sportsmen, all keen and splendid players, just as they were in the Waipa and Waikato Unions. He was very appreciative of the assistance and advice afforded him in the elimination trials, and hoped to be worthy of the good opinions expressed so nicely. In especially thanking the High School boys, he said it was at the school that he learned the rudiments of Rugby, and he hoped to apply himself worthily in the games ahead. Musical honours were then accorded, and the ceremony terminating, dancing was continued enthusiastically until about 1 a.m.

DANCE AT WHAREPUHUNGA. (Own Correspondent.) A most successful dance was held in the Wharepuhunga Hall on Wednesday, 10th inst., in honour of Mr Jim Wynyard, in view of his departure with the All Black team to England. Being a resident of this district, and a member of the local cricket team, he had many friends to wish him good-bye and good luck. The hall was packed to its full capacity and a feature of the dance was the high-class music supplied by the Marimba Orchestra, which was much appreciated by all. Those present included Mrs Wynyard as guest of the evening, with her son Jim. Others noticed were? Mesdames J. Kay, S. Pratt, W. J. Reid, D. Ellicott, S. Campbell, R. Pacey, Ashmore, Knizett, and Mathers, and the Misses Spinley (Mayoress of Te Awamutu), Hem, M. Kay, F. Kay, I. McDonald, Christie, Walters, Orr (2), Jerrand, Moyle, Watson (2), Pratt (3), Gooder, Braddick, Fordham, Duncan (2), Kinzett. On behalf, of the Wharepuhunga, Korakonui and Panetapu cricket teams the guest was crowned, bearing the symbol of “ good luck ” written across the front, and this was greeted with applause from all. Reference was made of the popularity and the good sportsman that Jim had been in the district. Also, that he was the baby of the team on leaving this Dominion, but on its return we hoped he would be the biggest man of the team. On behalf of those present that evening he was presented with a Kaiapoi travelling rug, with the silver fern, his monogram, and year worked in the corner, as it was the emblem of the All Black team. This was greeted with “ For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Jim, in making his reply, thought he was a bit lucky to gain a place and he placed _a good deal of the credit to the New Plymouth High School, where he had been taught his football. He returned many thanks for the rug, as it would always remain as a memento of this occasion, and he also liked to thank these many friends for their congratulations. He also would do his best when on the field, and when off he would help to maintain that high reputation already made by previous teams. Dancing was then kept up till 2 a.m., which was greatly enjoyed by all.