TENNIS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 33, 4 October 1946, Page 5

TENNIS

NEW CLUB FORMED PROPOSED PUBLIC COURTS Convened by Mr P. R. Bryers, a well attended meeting of interested members of* the public took place at the Borough Council Chambers last evening for the purpose of forming a public Tennis Club. Opening the meeting, His Worship the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, explained that some years ago such a club as was proposed that night had been in operation, but had, for some reason, been wound up. The sum of £B2 which represented the funds of that body was at present on a fixed bank deposit, and this could probably be made available to the new club should it be formed. Every encouragement, he continued, was given to the formation of sports bodies, a Government grant of up to £2OO being available. This grant was made to cover recreation and once a scheme had been formulated and approved there was no reason why the subsidy could not be utilised.

Continuing, he mentioned the scheme for developing the Domain and the possibility of this being named as the town’s War Memorial. The plan envisaged included five tennis courts.

In the meantime, however, there was nothing to prevent the club being formed and once it was in operation, the matter of the final selection of the site for the courts could be investigated. Election of Officers The decision having been made to form a club, the election of officers was proceeded with as under:— Patron: His Worship the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry. President: Mr P. R. Bryers. Secretary-Treasurer: Mr K. Francis. Assistant Secretary: Mr Collins. Executive: Mesdames J. U. Lovelock, K. Hancock, A. Hall, M. A. Francis, R. Pithy. Misses P. Hancock, R. Grose, V .Carter, M. Howat, J .Howat. Messrs. K. W. T. McCrae, G. A. Gordon, K. E. Francis, L. D. Lovelock, F. R. Hansen, E. B. Hay, T. Hall, N. J. Cox, H. E. Mahy, H. F. Mole.

It was resolved to apply, for the usual Government grant for sports bodies.

Discussion centred round the advisability of laying hard courts as well as grass courts in order to combine during the winter with the basketball club, as suggested on the Domain development scheme and also to make possible a certain amount of winter play. It was resolved that the club formulate an immediate aim of two hard courts, with four grass courts to be prepared as soon as possible, and that in the meantime the School Committee should be approached with regard to the club using the school courts when these were not otherwise in use. This would mean that interest would be maintained till public courts could be laid down.

It was decided to leave the matter of financing the laying of the courts,, until after the meeting ‘ to consider the War Memorial proposal. A further resolution postponed the question of finding ways and means to raise .funds for club purposes till a later committee meeting.

It was decided to approach the Domain Board for permission to lay the courts as indicated by the plan.

ST. GEORGE’S CLUB ANNUAL MEETING HELD The Annual General Meeting of the St. George’s Tennis Club took place in the Parish Hall last Monday evening, with a good attendance of members and intending members. The statement of receipts and payments for the 1945-46 season showed the club to be in a sound financial position. The election of officers was proceeded with as under:— President: Rev. W. N. Drake. Club Captains: Mr E. Wilson (men); Mrs Hall (ladies). Secretary: Miss Helen Suckling. Committee: Mrs McLeod, Miss N. West, and Messrs. B. Johnson and G. Tippett. . It was decided that the Club Captains should be the sole selectors for teams to compete against other clubs. With regard to Saturday play, it was resolved that one committee member and one club member should be responsible for arranging the games and posting the players’ names on the blackboard. The committee was empowered to limit the membership at their discretion, whilst subscriptions were fixed at 25/- (ladies) and 27/6 (men) subject to a discount of 5/- if paid by November 30. It was decided to carry out certain work including removing the

boards and marking out the lines on one court, and reparing the other. A coloured wash, it was indicated, would be applied to both courts, and additional seating accommodation would be erected.

The question of supplies of tennis balls was discussed, and it was decided that four new pairs should be used for play each Saturday, and a reasonable supply should be made available also for Wednesday play. A final decision was to send Christmas parcels to all members of the club serving overseas.