WANGANUI HARRIER CLUB JUBILEE DINNER AND REUNION “SMOKO”

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 August 1950, Page 7

WANGANUI HARRIER CLUB JUBILEE DINNER AND REUNION “SMOKO”

Gathering from far and wide, more than 100 past and present members of the Wanganui Harrier Club attended a memorable dinner and reunion to conclude the observance of the club’s silver jubilee celebrations on Saturday night. The last of the official jubilee functions, the re-union was a fitting climax to the successful two-day celebrations.

Long-standing friendships were renewed, memories of personalities and achievements of the club revived and tributes paid to the stalwarts who kept the club going through its hard times in the course of a long, but not dreary, evening. Mr S. Dustin was Master of Ceremonies, and among those present we r e the Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers, Mr. J. B. F. Cotterill, M.P., the club patron, Mr. C. R. White, the president, Mr F. B. Clark, a past president, Mr. A. Bourgeois, foundation members, Messrs. H. E. B. Newton and L. Couch and a life member, Mr. R. A. Edwards. The West Coast (N. 1. athletic centre was represented by its president, Mr. G. ABenson. Mr M. G. N. Gough (president) represented the Hutt Valley Harrier Club. Mr. R. Orr the Hastings Club, Mr. G. Denford the Napier club and Mr R. Shaw the Masterton club. Numerous letters of congratulation and goodwill were received from past members unable to be present and from kindred clubs. From London Mr A. Mitchell, N.Z.P.A. correspondent and former member of the club, sent his congratulations and another former member, Mr. A. C. Murie, wrote from Sydney. After the toast, "The King,” proposed by Mr. Clark, a toast was proposed by Mr. Dustin to a member who had done considerable work to make the jubilee a success, Mr. H. Hopper. At the end of the evening, Mr. Hopper and two others responsible for the celebration functions, Messrs. L. Stephenson and B. J. McCarthy, were again honoured.

"If it wasn't for the past members, we wouldn't have a club,” said Mr. Stephenson, proposing a toast to the past members. He stressed that the club’s past officials were just as important as the runners. Replying, Messrs Newton and Couch traced some of the club's early history and stressed the value of the sport. They also paid tributes to the work done by Mr C. R. White and the club's founder, the late Mr. W. W. Bramwell.

Wanganui was all the better for having a club like the harrier club, the Mayor, Mr. Rogers, said in proposing the toast to the present members. All sports groups played a vital part in the life of a city, helping to build up healthy citizens. The club captain, Mr. C. D. Dorreen, responded, saying that he hoped the promising material the club now had would build it up to its former heights. Principal title-winners in the club’s history were listed by Mr White when he proposed the toast "Champions.” He also pointed out to the present members the influence they couid have on the community by their good example. In his response, Mr. C. D. Weller said- that a champion usually admitted that there was someone who helped him get where he was. Concluding, he also asked all members to stay with the club after their years of running were over. They owed it to the club to help he younger runners along. Toasting the West Coast athletic I centre and kindred clubs, the president, Mr, Clark, said the club enjoyed | friendly relations with the centre andi the other clubs. He said the spirit | of comradeship was second to none, and thanked centre officials for the interest they took in the harriers. Mr Benson, the centre president, said the centre supported the harriers because it realised the value of crosscountry running to athletes wanting 1 to get results on the track in the sum-I mer time. Mr. R. Shaw (Masterton), M. G. N. Gough (Hutt Valley) and G. N. Denford (Napier) spoke for the kindred clubs.

Mr. R. A. Edwards proposed the toast "Fallen Members,” which was honoured in silence.

The final toast of the evening, proposed by Mr Bourgeois, was "The Ladies." The women’s committee was a valuable asset to the club, he said. The social side of the clUb’s activities were just as important as the competition. In the past the club had attracted many useful members through the social entertainment It had held. The response was by Mr E. C. Carde, He said that one of the persons who had kept the spark of the club going when there were only two or three re. gular runners during its early seasons was Mrs G. Moore, wife of the club’s captain at that time. The harriers always met at the captains home and Mrs Moore made them welcome. He thought that it was her assistance in keeping the club active at that time that had made the jubilee celebrations possible.

A short musical programme was also among the entertainment provided. Items were given by Mr. J. Reid (songs), Messrs. P. Benefield, K. Benefield and K. Shanks (instrumental trio), L. Couch (songs) and Mr. T. Mulcahy (bagpipes).

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