LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 713, 12 January 1910, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS.

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. "THE PARASITES OF SPORT." A special general meeting. of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association was held last night. : The following representatives were present;— Messrs. J. C. Peacock (presiding), T. A .Hunter, B. R. Keesing (Auckland); G. A. Hurley, J. W. 11. Dart; E. Y: Rcdward (Wellington); J. A., B. Hcrwe and M. Ross (Otago).; 1?. Grady. (Hawke's Bay).; J. J. Weir, M. E., Donniston (Taraiiaki); H. G. Didsbury (Nelson). • . The formation of tho Wanganui lawn Tennis Association was sanctioned, and its, affiliation agreed to. ; It was stated that the new. association, which will control a portion of the district now under tho Wellington Association, embraced 14 clubs and 674 playing'members, and that five or sii more clubs were expected to join. Mr. Hurley moved, on behalf of the Wellington Association, • to make a new rule^.Y "That no player shall b'o allowed to play on the courts of any club of , ..any . affiliated assodation, or upon the . courts under , the control of any sub- .! association or,.this' ass6ciation,. if jhis: or -her subscription, or other: money due to. any .'club of, any affiliated' as- ,; ..' sociation by':' such . player ..'is unpaid . by . December .31. The,.treasurer'of each club may furnish the manage- ; mcnt committee of the' Provincial As- . sociation;;. before January 14,' with ■ a ;. list ■ of ■ defaulting ■ members and' the V respective • amounts' owing.' Any' person posted to; the Provincial Associa- ' *tion must pay the amount owing into '. the hands of the treasurer of that • -Association, who' shall -forthwith ■ re-: ■ mit the amount received to, the' treasurer of the. club on whose account the; « money! ,was <paid;- .'.The;; treasurer!.of » : .i : the Provincial Association shall notify clubs :as . to porsons' posted. /■ •' The treasurer, of association shall : . . notify affiliated associations 'as to per- ..- sons posted."

The". mover i stated that some method of dealing with defaulters was urgently netxled..: People'joined a .'club, played through' three-paits of tho season, and then . Would ~not„ pay - their, subscriptions. Some : had actually joined a series of clubs'one .'after another .in . this way.' Such extreme cases were, however, very rare, t It . was - the small struggling' , clubs, which had difficulty in keeping the mem-' bership. up to the; requisite, number, that especially.need ml the proposed new; rulo. the conrse ,of; discussion, - the pos-sibility-of' a, posted ' player - suing, the treasurer for 'libel: was mentioned.

: ' Professor . Hunter., said ;' the:; proposed, method .would, be, cumbersome,', and the desired effect could be. obtained'by preventing. unfinancial members taking part in' matches. :

- Mr:. M. -Ross said - that • actitins for libel would certainly result , from the posting of defaulting,. He^.'urged-: Hiat .the matter was one for, tiie clubs themselves to deal with. , ~..., " 1 .

'Mr.,G.' N, Goldie (secretary) said the' ■matter ; waa.> a very sorious one for lawn tennis.,,and.other clubs. ' Thero . should' ba some' way 1 of 'dealing frith: tho parasites of> sport who existed in Wellington and elsewhere. i ; The chairman said the bringing forward :of the motion was an; evidence of weakness on the part■:' of. .tho club . and .the'-association,'-that had proposed .it; It would be matter for the clubs :to lojeg defaulters off , their .'grounds,; Th'e danger "of actions .' for," damages -was a very real one. . ' ' . ;. • ■

': The motion was lost on the voices. . Tho' Canterbury,' Association had given notice 'to imovo: .' "That;.it is "advisable 'to. admit _ oversea ..players outside the Dominion tree of all entrance fees to tournaments." :In. the absence of . any" representative of .'Canterbury, :' ,the' : motion lapsed; i