TENNIS CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 6

TENNIS CONTROL

MEETING OF NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL THE FRENCH VISIT The quarterly meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association was held at the Chamber of Commerce last evening, when the chairman (Mr. M. E. Denniston) presided over a large attendance of delegates. The report stated that the committee considered that the time was opportune to enter for the Davis Cup competition in the European zone, and sent in the association’s entry. Mr. J. C. Peacock had been asked to act as selector of the New Zealand team. North and South Island Championships. Owing to the dry season experienced in Hamilton this year, the Waikato association had suggested that its court would not be fit for the championships play at Easter time, and asked the management committee to consider the advisability of granting the North Island championships to some other association. The Auckland association’s previous application was renewed, and that association had been granted the championships. _ No other applications having been made for the South Island championships the Canterbury association’s application had been granted. The Canterbury association had asked the council to reconsider the question of fiveset matches in the finals of the men s singles and doubles. Overseas Visits. The committee was making inquiries regarding a visit from an English team, and hoped to make arrangements for such a visit. The French Visit. The chairman explained that the profit made by the New Zealand association from the French team's visit amounted to about -6300. of which half would go to the French association. Mr. N. A. Foden said that the management of the dinner in connection with the visit of the French team was open to censure. He considered that an opportunity should have been given to the members of the executive to attend. Mr. Denniston said that invitations were issued to the delegates of *he Canterbury, Wellington, Taranaki, and Wairarapa"’associations to be present. The AVairarapa representative had been pressed to attend, but bad elected to return ho Mr’ Boddington: Did you acquaint the Wairarapa representative as to what dress was to be worn ? Mr Denniston said that the arrangement of a tennis dinner was not as simple a matter as it looked. It all tlie delegates had been invited, it would have meant that seats for sixty would have had to be provided. Mr Boddington repeated that the arrangements for the dinner in connection with the French team s visit had been rotten. , Notices of Motion. On behalf of the West Coast Association Mr. G. N. Goldie moved that no notice of motion shall be placed on the order paper for the meetings of the N.Z.L.T.A. Council unless such notice or notices have been endorsed by the mover’s association in writing. Mr. W. G. Morgan seconded the moPr’ofessor Wilson said that Mr. Goldie’s motion would mean that no member of the council would be able to move a motion. He, for one, represented tennis on the council, and not any particular association. He was out and out opposed to Mr. Goldie’s proposal. Mr. N. A. Foden also opposed the motion, which lie regarded as a retrograde and undemocratic step. The more mutters of interest to tennis which could be introduced at the council meetings the better. If they had merit, they would be adopted; if they had no merit they would be thrown out. Mr. Boddington (AVairarapa) nointed out that the smaller associations did not meet often. There must be grave grounds for altering a practice which had worked satisfactorily for years. In reply, Mr. Goldie said the idea of his motion was not to destroy in any way the free hands of the delegates. The motion was defeated on the voices, whereupon Mr. Goldie called for a vote. This resulted in the motion being carried by 54 2-3 votes to 28 1-3 votes. Mr. -N. A. Foden (Wellington) moved: "That the rules of the association be consolidated, reprinted, and distributed to delegates.” The motion was carried, the secretary (Mr. D. M. Koan) explaining that he had been engaged for some time in redraughting the rules. School Tennis. Mr. Foden next moved: '‘That it be a recommendation to the Management Committee to set up a sub-committee to consider the ways and means of fostering school tennis.” Speaking to his motion, ho said that tennis at present was treated very much as a Cinderella ii the schools; preference was given to cricket and football. If the supreme governing body were io approach the educational authorities, much more could be done. Mr. AV. J. Melody seconded the motion. Mr. II I. Groves said it would be useless for the New Zealand Association to attempt to interfere with tennis in the schools in Otago, for instance. It was purely a matter for the local associations. Professor Wilson asked in what direction the mover of the motion intended the association should act. He did not think tennis was neglected in the schools in Wellington. Mr. Kean reminded delegates that tennis was an expensive game, and th? only way to encourage it in the schools was for the clubs to grant the youngsters the use of their courts. Mr. XV. R. Roydhouse said that youngsters to-day had to pick up tennis any old way. Hardly a child in the schools was taught how to handle a racket. If players would only go down to the schools and teach the children the fundamentals of the , game, it would be a step in the right direction. Mr. AV. J. Melody said the secondary schools in Wellington were apeing those in England, which discouraged tennis. Eng'ish lads did not take up the game until they were in the twenties, and consequently English tennis got nowhere. It would help if they were to inaugurate a junior championship. Mr. Boddington pointed out that the local associations were hard up, and it was the duty of the parent body to furnish the funds to encourage tennis amongst the children. The New Zealand Association should insist upon al) associations putting children’s events on their programmes. Mr. D. M. Kean said that some years ago associations had been asked to place junior events on .their procranimes. It did not want money to foster tennis; it only needed a little sympathy. .The New Zealand Association had tried in every way to get associations to place junior events on their programmes, but had been unsuccessful. There was no rule to enforce it. Mr. Foden’s motion was carried. Junior Events. Mr. H. A. Boddington (AVairarapa) moved : "That the boys and girls’ events at New Zealand championship meetings be confined to pupils attending registered primary and secondary schools.” Mr. Foden seconded the motion, suggesting that it would simplify matters to mn'm n schools’ championship. There should be snm e common ground where children could strive for supremacy. Mr G N. Goldie npnosed tho motion, cnnfc’di that ihe iimior chamn-onshin nos: already troll ootnlilis**ed «1i0,,1d nn*

be interfered with. He considered 18 a very suitable age for boys and girls to compete up to. Mr W. J. Melody agreed with this view. He understood that the bov who had won last year came from the Chatham Islands. The chairman at this stage ruled that Mr. Boddington would have to give notice of his motion, which involved a drastic change to an existing rule. Mr. G. N. Goldie.moved: "That junior doubles events be included in the New Zealand championship programme.” He hoped in the near future that there would be complete events at championship meetings for juniors, just as there were fer seniors. Tilden had picked out promising boys at cl'amp’onship meetings in America, one of them being Richards. During the last two days, there were always a eounle of vacant courts at the championship meeting. The motion was carried.