KAIERAU F.C. ANNUAL RE-UNION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12585, 5 October 1908, Page 6

KAIERAU F.C. ANNUAL RE-UNION.

The Kaierau Club held their annual reunion on Saturday, the gathering, as in past years, being signalised by a match between present players and old timers in the afternoon, and a smoke concert in the evening. The match resulted in a win for the "old horses" by 7 to 5. They put a. very strong team of old battlers in the field, and though, much of their pace had deserted them, their knowledge and cunning proved too much for the pdesent players. In the-firsfc epell, A. E. Bullock scored a try for the old timers, which, was unconverted. In the second, spell the younger players set to work with a will to pull np the deficit, and a try by Slight, which was converted by Hogarr, gave theni a' lead which' they maintained till near the 'end of the game, when D. Dustin pulled the game out of the fire for the old hands by potting a brilliant goal from a seemingly impossible angle. Three annual matches have now been played between the past and present players. Last year's game was a draw, the 1906 game being a win for the old timers. There was a large muster of the club in the Fire Brigade Hall "in the evening, when the smoke concert was held. Mr W. S. Dustin (president) presided, and among those present were his Worship the Mayor (Mr C. E. Mackay)', Mr G. Spriggens (president of the Rugby Uion), Mr L. Craig (treasurer of the Rugby Union), Mr F. C. Spillman (secretary of the Football Association), and several representatives of kindred clubs.

The ample spread provided by Dustin's, I Ltd., was done full justice to, after which a very pleasant time was spent, toasts and j speeches being interspersed with musical items and recitations contributed by Messrs R. O'Donnell, E. Mills, •J. J. i O'Reilly, W. Penhall, B, O'Leary, P. J. Bailey, L. Craig, W. Larking, G. Sprig- " gens, and F. G. Holland. ' -

The toast list was as follows: — "The King"; "Wanganui Rugby Union," proposed by Mr A. Takarangi, responded" to ' by Mr G. Spriggens and Mr L. Craig; "Referees' Association," proposed by Mr T. A. Blyth, responded to by Mr L. J. Furrie; "Other Clubs," proposed by Mr H. AJoyce, responded to by Messrs Campbell (Wanganui), L. Craig (Old Boys), J. Davidson^ (Pirates), and F. C. Spilman (on behalf of Association players) ; "The Chairman/f proposed by the Mayor, responded to by Mr W. S. Dustin; "The Kaierau, Teams," proposed by Mr J. J. O'Reilly, responded -to- fcjr M^asi. T_ Souiver A. Woon, J. McDonald, and Mitchell; "The j Old Timers," proposed by Mr T. Souter, ,] responded to by Messrs J. G. McLean, G. I G. Bullock, and D. Dustin; "The Press," proposed by Mr G. Spriggens, responded to by the "Herald" and Chronicle representatives.

During the evening his Worship the Mayor presented medals given, by the president (Mr W. S. Dustin) for the best allround players in the senior, junior, and third-class teams. The voting was by ballot, and the handsome medals fell t^-T: Souter (senior), J. McDonald (junior), and T. Cooper ("third class). Another medal was donated by an enthusiast to the player who had attended most consistently at the training shed, and this was won by A. Manson. . •

At 11.30 the singing of Auld Lang. Syne terminated the re-union of 1908, which, from every point of view, was entirely successful. *