ROTORUA TENNIS COURTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2356, 12 January 1915, Page 9

ROTORUA TENNIS COURTS

A CORRESPONDENT'S STATE- . MENTS REFUTED. Certain statements which have been made by the Rotorua correspondent of a Wellington daily were brought under the notice of the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Minister in Charge of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts by a Dominion reporter yesterday. These statements were in effect that a dozen of the best tennis courtß had been closed by order, and; the suggestion was thrown out that the courts were being reserved fojr Mr. Fisher and his friends. There was a further statement that the official explanation offered was that the courts were closed to protect them from hard wear or der struction by the ''cheap trippers" at the holiday season. "As a matter of fact," said Mr. Rhodes, "only five were rlosed at any time, and then not by order. The care of the courts is entirely in the hands of the local officers, who are naturally the best judges of when courta should be closed for a rest. I may say that I called for a report on'the matter when the first article appeared, and received the following telegram from the local officer on tho 7th instant: —

" 'The exceptionally dry season and late frosts have greatly interfered with efficiency of grass courts and lawns. Consequently more care has been necessary to spell some of tho courts. At most only fit© courts tyere closed temporarily, and now only one court is closed. Occasional dosing of courts is absolutely necessary in.- interests of conserving the grounds so as to get the maximum season's play.' "The reference to Mr. F. M. B. Fisher may be dismissed with the remark that that gentleman has never had any intention of competing at a tournament in Rotorua in Fobruary, nor has he in any way communicated with me or my Department regarding the tennis courts there.' The last effusion that the courts .were closed to prevent them being used by 'cheap trippers' is ono that I cannot understand. It is to the interest of the Department to have the courts used as much as possible, and the ground fees paid by the 'cheap tripper' are just as welcoino to its coffers as the fees paid by local residents! In fact they are a greater source of revenue, as many local residents are season ticketholders.

"The whole trouble arises from the fact that the lightness of the soil, renders the courts unable to stand a very heavy season, and that it therefore becomes necessary at times to rest some of them. I may say that there is at present in consideration a scheme whereby heavier soil may be brought to Rotonia, and enable more lasting courts to be available, but it is rather an expensive item."