POPULAR SPORTSMAN.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 18023, 19 May 1930, Page 9

POPULAR SPORTSMAN.

MR GEO. COX HONOURED. LEAVING FOR CHRISTCHURCH. ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL’S LOSS. To have been connected for thirtyfive. years with the Association ball code, in almost every capacity,” and in several countries, is the unique record of Mr Geo. Cox, the wellknown, and popular secretary of the South Auckland Football Association. For the past nine years) Mr Cox has been actively associated with the code in this district, and has been secretary for six seasons. During his term in the Waikato he has done much to foster the game here. As a referee he has controlled numerous representative fixtures, and had charge of the whistle during the fourth Test between New Zealand and Canada in 1927. In business Mr Cox has for the past ten years been connected with the Hamilton office of Messrs Jas. J Niven, and he is now leaving this district to take up a more important position In Christchurch. With his departure the Association code, and sporting bodies in geenral, lose a very keen follower. On Saturday night representatives of many branches of sport; and sports’ bodies throughout the district, met in the Masonic Hall, Frankton, to fittingly farewell Mr Cox. The chair was occupied by the chairman of the South Auckland Football Association, who, in introducing the guest of the evening, said that it was with feelings of regret that the Association said goodbye to Mr Cox. But it was gratifying to know that his talents had been recognised in his promotion to an important position in Christchurch. He, the , speaker, had been associated in various capacities with Mr Cox for many years, and he has done a tremendous amount of good for the code in this district and in the Dominion. (Applause). The toast of the guest of . the evening was proposed by Mr- George, chairman of the Huntly Town Board, and patron of the Association. In the departure of Mr Cox, he said, the code in this district would suffer a great loss, and his position would be hard to fill, for the work was not easy and few men had Mr Cox’s ability. But what was Waikato’s loss was Canterbury’s gain. Intermediate Teams Needed. Speaking of the code in New Zealand, Mr George said that it was not making the strides that it should. One reason for this, he considered, was the gap between the school-boy and senior teams. Many 'promising young players were lost because there was no intermediate or junior grade to caer for them. An endeavour should he made to remedy this state of affairs, for it was the solution of a big problem, Another scheme that _ would boost the code would be a visit from an English team. Such visits had done much for Rugby and other sports, and there was no reason why the same result-should not be achieved by Soccer. Concluding his remarks, he wished Mr and, Mrs Cox every happiness in their new sphere, and said that they were assured of a warm welcome in Christchurch. Presentation to Guest. The president of the Association, Mr H. C. Cable, was next called upon to perform an Important duty. He said that his associates had thoughtit fitting to make some tangible expression of their appreciation of Mr Cox’s work. No one could be associated with him without recognising his worth. In asking Mr Cox to accept a wallet of notes, Mr Cable asked him to recognise it not as a mark of thanks, hut as a token of appreciation, and esteem of the good work he had done for football in this district. 1-Ie asked Mr Cox to accept a set of dishes for Mrs Cox. The guest of the evening was then accorded musical honoursMr Cox rose amid applause’-to reply. What he had done for the code, lie said, was the outcome of his love for the game and for the players. As an official his decisions may not always have met with their approval, but he' had only done his best, the most that any man could do. It gave him great pleasure to see representatives of so many sports present at the gathering. Regarding his departure for Christchurch, lie said that he was taking with him a cup for competition among the South Island primary schools, and he had also secured trophies for the Noi’th Island schools. He appreciated the harmony that had always existed among the various codes in this district, and he felt sure that such a state was beneficial to all. In the Lower Waikato great work had been done for Assosiation football by Messrs Wallace, Douglas and Burron, and to these gentlemen the clubs and players owed much. In conclusion he thanked the various speakers for their kind remarks, and asked the players and officials to give their fullest support to the new secretary, Mr Fred Mead. Kindred Sports. Mr Frank Mead proposed the toast of kindred sports. Many representatives of other sports were present at this gathering, he said, and their presence was an expression of the goodwill existing in this district.' Speaking on behalf of ’the Hamilton Rugby Union Mr E. J. L. Whiting said that it was not often that a Rugby Union member had the privilege of being present at a Soccer gathering, but it was with the greatest of pleasure that he accepted the invitation to be present at such an importa,nt funcion as this. His acquaintance with Mr Cox extended over a number of years, and he considered him to be the living example of broad-minded sportsmanship. He had always been anxious to please. A good secretary it worth going any distance to get, and he felt.sure that the Association would lose Mr Cox with regret. Speaking of the brotherhood among sports Mr Whiting considered that it should be more intimate. , The idea of sport is to produce sportsmanship and health, and it matters little whether it be the round or the oval ball that is kicked. The Hamilton Rugby Union desired him to extend to Mr Cox its best wishes. For himself, he was sorry to lose Mr Cox’s friendship in Hamilton, but he was pleased to know that he was leaving on promotion.

Representatives of other sports’ bodies also paid tribute to Mr Cox’s sterling dualities as a sportsman. - The gathering concluded with the singing of Auld Lang Syne and the National Anthem. • v .-V

During the evening items were given by Messrs K. P- Bade, R. G. Cook, H. Piper, W. Fenton, ' and G.Trott (songs), and B. Peace (musiJ cal monologues)!*