TENNIS PROSPECTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 57, 23 July 1947, Page 5

TENNIS PROSPECTS

WHAKATANE CLUB MEETING STEADY PROGRESS MADE A well attended meeting of the Whakatane Lawn Tennis Club committee was held during last week and the progress of the club came up for urgent review. It was stated that the club had a strength of 80 financial members at last season’s close and the secretary reported having already received applications from new members anticipating the coming season.

The President, Mr Phillip Bryers, in his report expressed his satisfaction at the progress made in the face of what appeared to be insurmountable difficulties. Last year the club was limited to the use of the school courts and repeated efforts to secure suitable ground for the proposed six grass courts proved futile. The domain was already parcelled out amongst local sports bodies, a percentage of whom felt their prior possession gave them almost freehold rights. Thanks to the sympathetic attitude of the Domain Board and the co-operation of the Fire Brigade, the club finally procured a good site on the Goulstone road side. By then the autumn was advanced and the prospects of an autumn grass-sowing were obliterated. Disappointed but undaunted the club members set to work on the clearing and levelling of the site and hired the necessary machinery out of funds raised by dances, competitions, subscriptions and interestfree loans. At the present date twothirds of the site was levelled and the remainder would be completed and ready for spring sowing. This meant of course that the courts would be available only for limited playing next season and that the club would probably have to throw themselves on the mercy of the school committee for the part-time use of their two hard courts. Mr Leslie Lovelock, chairman of the works committee, outlined the stages of court construction to date and emphasised that it must be a good job or was better left alone. He would soon be ready for materials for the wire netting fence surround and estimated that the club would shortly be faced with expenditure in the vicinity of £l4O to cover netting, railway-iron, main supports, timber intermediate supports, wire, manure, and grass seed. A drive for more funds was urgent and imperative to meet capital expenditure. We wished to congratulate those club members who had worked so steadfastly through the winter weekends on the shovel and rake. It was exceptional to find men who were willing to sacrifice their winter golf and kindred sports week after week so that we should have courts. The levelling was nearing completition and a few, good musters at approaching weekends would finish the heavy work. Before the meeting concluded two competitions were organised in an effort to raise the necessary funds.