Carillon Club and Wanderers Cricket Club Dinner

I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.  Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)  I then specifically greet you: Members of the Carillon Club and the Wellington Wanderers Cricket Club; Distinguished Guests otherwise, and there are many out of the top levels of many sports here; Ladies and Gentlemen. 

Thank you for accepting the invitation from Susan and me to attend this dinner underpinned by the Wellington Wanderers Cricket Club and the Carillon Club.  

What I shall endeavour to do in speaking is to weave together many of the people and places which provide a reason for us all to be happy to gather in each other’s company – not the least of which is the encouragement of young New Zealanders in and into sport.

We meet tonight in Government House which re-opened just 12 weeks ago after a conservation project lasting for 30 months.  Those who have visited here before will see a number of things that are familiar, but there are also many things that have changed.  To take just one example, timber panelling, there are rooms such as the Norrie State Dining Room and the Liverpool Sitting Room, in which you might have been before dinner, which have had paint stripped from walls to reveal rimu panelling in its former glory and which are now part of the new house. 

Susan and I hope that you will take an opportunity to continue to enjoy the ambience and to view its art and historic artefacts along with the hospitality this evening. 

Within this House sport is not unknown and there are names such as “Ranfurly’, ‘Plunket” and “Cobham” on photographs on the walls.  Geordie Fergusson, son of the well-known Governor-General of 50 years ago, who was here in Wellington for three years recently as the British High Commissioner, brought to mind, readily, the playing of cricket in the corridors that lend themselves in what some might agree as being that noble regard. 

In front of the building towards the city there is the well-known North Lawn which receives honoured guests, often foreign Heads of State, and members of the Royal Family.  I bring to mind that it is also the site every December, of an epic cricket match played between the Government House staff and the Police.  A day is chosen in December when the Police have their physical exercise examination to certify their fitness, and after finishing that, they come here to take on Government House at cricket.    It has developed as a game of special chemistry, for example, of Mr Whippy arriving at 3:30 pm to sell his wares and of Pizza arriving for hungry players and spectators just as the second innings concludes.  There have been many happy memories in the course of these five years, not the least of which is that of ring-in and well-known Wellington photographer, Simon Woolf, having been so happy at taking the wicket of a person of the Police side that he threw himself with exuberance into the air, fell awkwardly and cracked two ribs on reaching the ground - which for a hard working photographer was a particularly painful, as well as amusing thing, to have occurred.  

A little further down the hill is the boundary between Government House and Wellington College which is, of course, the nursery of many games of cricket and of well-known participants in that sport.  I bring to mind an occasion in the 1960s where three boys from Wellington College jumped over the fence on to the Government House side in order to share a cigarette.  At the bottom of the jump, quietly gardening, was a man who looked up with some surprise but who then welcomed the boys and introduced himself as Arthur.  When he saw there was only one cigarette between the three boys, he pulled out a packet, passed it round and then enjoyed a smoke and a chat with them.  As quickly as was consistent with politeness, the boys who realised who “Arthur” was, made their farewells and took off and spent the next hours at the school somewhat worried about what might happen.  A note went, I’m pleased to say, from Government House saying that Sir Arthur Porritt had been pleased to have a conversation with three boys from the school during the afternoon and that he was pleased to send, with the note, the cricket ball that they had clearly been looking for and which had been found by him just after they had left! 

Proceeding down the hill a little bit further to the gate and across the road, one comes to the bastion of cricket in New Zealand, the Basin Reserve, which with its combination of setting, history and physical features makes it a wonderful place that has been a home of sport since 11 December 1866.  In 1884 my predecessor in office and then Governor, Sir William Jervois, signed a deed placing the ground in the care of the Wellington City Council stating that the Basin Reserve should be, and I quote: "forever used for the purpose of a cricket and recreation ground by the inhabitants of the City of Wellington”

In the subsequent period, few grounds have had as illustrious a history as the Basin Reserve, so well captured in Don Neely’s wonderful book, The First Fifty Tests.  It was the second venue in New Zealand to host a test match and from 3 December 2009, when the Black Caps strode onto the field to take on Pakistan, it joined an elite group of international venues that have each hosted 50 test matches. 

The Basin Reserve has been a focal point for the Wanderers Cricket Club and the Carillon Club likewise, even if one has to journey around the corner and a little way up Buckle Street to reach the Carillon proper in front of the National War Memorial.

For a country of little more than 4 million people, we have excelled at the highest levels in cricket, rugby, rugby league, football, netball, athletics and a number of other sports. As a country we lionise our top sports people and that marketers are keen to use top sports stars to promote their products indicates how important they are to us.

The best sportsmen and women do not, however, magically appear.  While some have a talent for sport, a natural gift will only get one so far.  Those who excel at the highest levels do so because they have committed themselves to years of intensive training and challenge. 

Regardless of whether it is a team sport or an individual pursuit, those who excel rarely do so alone.  Invariably achievements are also bolstered by support of families.  They are the parents who rouse their youngsters on cold winter mornings, when they would rather be sleeping in, to get them out for pre-school training. 

It is also through coaches, most often volunteers, who commit themselves to being there for our best young athletes and players. They are passing on their knowledge and skills through the inevitable highs and lows of competitive sport.

Sport, as most in this room will know, does not come without cost.  The personal costs are well known.  Representing your region, or your country, often involves travel, equipment, clothing and specialist coaching that sees individual athletes and teams also hard at work raising money to meet these costs.

This is where organisations such as the Carillon Club play such a vital role.  Since being established in 1994 by a group of sports-minded, dare I say it, sports-mad Wellingtonians, headed by its one and only president, broadcaster Keith Quinn, who is unable to be with us this evening, it has helped many young Wellingtonian sports people achieve their dreams.  I understand that in 17 years, the Club has distributed more than $750,000.  

While that is a sterling effort, equally significant are many examples where its efforts have made a difference.  They include supporting, long before anyone had heard of them, Olympic Games medallists, rower George Bridgewater and runner Nick Willis, World Mountain running champion Kate McIlroy, former All Blacks captain Jerry Collins and golfer Gareth Paddison, who recently won the Queensland PGA Championship.

The people I have mentioned are, of course, some of the Club’s better known recipients. 

Giving young cricket players an opportunity to play against top players is something the Wanderers Cricket Club has excelled in since it was established in 1948.  In more recent years it has combined forces with the Carillon Club to organise fundraising events.

Since taking on the Governor-General role in August 2006, I have been pleased to add a little to this chemistry by hosting an annual Governor-General’s College XI versus the Wanderers match at the Basin Reserve.  This initiative has needed readily provided help from cricket people and school people, several of whom are present tonight.

The matches have been an opportunity for some of the region’s top young players to get to play against some great cricketers.  Last year’s Wanderers symmetry of one team including the Chief Executive of Cricket Wellington, Gavin Larsen, and the other being captained by his son, Corey, says volumes.  However, I feel sure that Corey will not forget, for a long time, the sight of Gavin lofting his bowling for six over long off!

What better place could there be for our future Blackcaps to blossom than the Basin Reserve, with its combination of setting, history and physical features? 

In finishing, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Wanderers Cricket Club and the Carillon Club for their contribution to promoting and assisting junior sport in Wellington.  

And on that note, celebrating two organisations that “make a difference,” I will close in New Zealand’s first language offering everyone greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.  No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.