Rugby Team’s Triumphal
p. 49 · Read in the full issue
Return to Fiji
SUVA, August 18.
BACK from Australia, the Fijian Rugby team quietly disbanded yesterday after a round of con tinuous feting since it arrived at Nadi on the night of August 13.
The ceremonial welcome and feast provided by the Fijian people of Nadi lasted most of the night, and next day the 21 players (the captain, Apakuki Tuitavua, having stayed at Sydney for a technical course in meat inspection) and three officials made a triumphal tour from Nadi to Suva, where a substantial part of the population waited to welcome them at 4.30 p.m. ■ Flags were flying and a combined Police and Army band was at the main bus station to escort the team on a march through the town to the Town Hall, where the Mayor (Mr. D. M. N. McFarlane) gave the travellers a civic reception. The Pown Hall was filled to overflowing, md hundreds had to wait outside, i Fijian groups at Suva kept up the pressure of entertainment until it vas something of a mystery how the earn managed to beat the Rest of Fiji (an excellent team) 16-14 on August 16. After that there was nore entertainment, followed by a [inner at the Grand Pacific. [ On Sunday there was a special lervice at the Jubilee Methodist Church, after which the 1952 repre entative Rugby team officially bided up.
The tourists brought back two landsome cups for competition in 7 iji. One was presented by the iroprietor of the Gresham Hotel, lydney, where the team stayed—it iras a tribute to their friendliness md courtesy while guests of his otel.
The other cup was from Mr. K.
L Sands, formerly of Fiji, now of ISW, who travelled with the team n Australia as Australian Rugby Inion liaison officer.
Nz Soccer Team For Fiji
I NEW ZEALAND representative
* soccer team will arrive in Fiji n August 30.
They will play seven matches gainst Indian teams—including three st matches—before leaving for ahiti on September 17. The latches will be played at Suva and i Lautoka.
In Fiji, soccer football is an Indian reserve, just as Rugby is left ex usively to the Fijians.
Two girls from Fiji are residing in Feilding, a small sheepfarming centre in New Zealand. They are Miss Joy Stinson and Miss Kerkham, both well known in Suva.
Miss Stinson plans to return next February, but Miss Kerkham, engaged to a local farmer, will become a permanent resident.
The NZ Government has sent four goats to Niue Island in ordeij to supply milk to Hospital patients;.
The goats are pure bred, and were purchased from a breeder at Inver cargill, Southland, New Zealand. 1$ is hoped that they will be a much more profitable source of milk than the cows at present on the island.