LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 19664, 17 September 1927, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

OTAGO ASSOCIATION ' ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association (Incor.) was held in the secretary’s board room last night. In the absence of the president (Dr Moody), Mr A. M'Millan (vicepresident) was voted to the chair. There were about twenty delegates present. ANNUAL BEPOBT. The annual report of the committee contained the following clauses:— The want of courts was again a big handicap, but it is pleasing to be able to report that the association has made satisfactory arrangements with the City Council for obtaining sufficient area at Logan Park to accommodate about forty courts, and this should help the game of tennis to flourish in Dunedin. Your committee has also made satisfactory arrangements with the Anderson’s Bay Club to lake over the association’s courts at the Bay when the association can get possession of the courts at Logan Park. It is pleasing to know that the Bay courts will still be available for tennis. A certain amount of Idling in has still to be done at Logan Park, but this work is being put in baud almost immediately, and your committee anticipates that it will he able to make a start with laying dowp courts on ih;s area very shortly. The various club competitions wore closely contested, and your committee desires to congratulate the following clubs on winning the banners for the past seasonA grade, Moana and Ivaitnna, cental; B grade, North-cast Valley; C grade, North-east Valley. It is pleasing to report that the game of tennis continues to progress in the secondary schools; matches were played cm Saturday mornings, and considerable improvement is noticeable among these young players. The Junior Association would appreciate any hell) the various clubs can give its ’association, and your committee is confident that clubs will bo willing to assist in any way they can. Thu blaster tournament again attracted a largo entry, and some excellent tennis,was witnessed during the course of the tournament. It was necessary to use both the Otago and St. Kilda courts as well as the association’s courts to get tlio tournament through, in the time, available. Your committee desires to thank those who so ably conducted the tournament. The committee desires to thank our delegates to the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association—vis., Messrs CL Carter, H. Graves, and If. Park—and tlnf Press for the valuable space devoted to reporting our games, tournaments, and tennis in general. Special thanks are due to the lady members ol the Anderson’s Bay Club lor their kindness in providing rclresbmcnts lor visiting teams and on various other occasions.

Several senior players visited the clubs with a view to improving the standard of play amongst tlm junior players, and the coaching given by those players was greatly appreciated. Yonr committee trusts in the coming "ear more players will come forward assist in this direction. Yonr committee is pleased to note the progress the .game is making in the country dis'tricts, and country teams would be pleased to receive visits from town clubs, and yonr committee trusts that clubs will endeavor, during the coming season, to visit country districts, as these visits help a. great deal to improve the standard of play amongst the country players. The committee desires now to lay down lirst-class courts at Logan Park and provide up-to-date accommodation lor the players and the public. This will tin doubt entail heavy expendiI nre, and it will he necessary for the incoming committee to go carefully into the question of expenditure in connection with the new courts, so that the very best value will be received for the money expended. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, congratulated the association on Uic 'successful year just concluded. _ The association had twenty-one affiliated clubs, which had entered thirty-eight loams in the grade competition. Mith the exception "of the A teams all the matches were finished at an early dale, 'which permitted two Saturday afternoon Yankee tournaments to he played. These wore well patronised, and benefited the finances. They most important event in the association’s affairs during the year was the decision to dispose of the Hay courts and to shift the headquarters to Logan Park. The association was successful in obtaining from the City Council an area of approximately six and a-halt acres at the park—sufficient to provide about forty courts. The area had been obtained on a good lease, at a, reasonable rental. The association had also decided to purchase the aquarium building, which it was proposed to convert into an up-to-date pavilion. The finances of the association were in a healthy state, and the committee was happy in being able to announce that the Anderson’s Bay courts were now free from mortgage. (Applause.) This had been accomplished by the prudent policy adopted in applying all the levy money to the payment of the debt. Mr W. Wright seconded the motion, which was carried,. The Concord Tennis Club was affiliated to the association. PATRON OP TUB CLUB. Mr Wright referred to the outstanding work of Mr T. K. .Sidey, M.P., in the interests of lawn tennis, not only by what he diacl done in bringing forward the Summer Time Bill, but in other respects, lie 'would like to see Mr Sidey appointed patron of the club. The Chairman said that holore the association could appoint a patron it would have to alter its rules, OFFICE-BEARERS. Dr Moody was unanimously reelected president of llic association. Messrs G. Clark, S. G. M’Dongall, S. N. Brown, and A., M‘M.illan were re-appointed vice-presidents. The Chairman said the incoming committee would require to give a good deal of time to the now courts at Logan Park, and he would like to see it as representative of the chibs as possible. _ ' Eleven nominations were received for the committee, and the following were elected;—Messrs A. E. M‘Adam (Anderson’s Bay), E. D. Dnthie (Moana), W. Bray (Otago), f. Fulton (University), A. T. Jenson (Cosy Dell), 1. Leggett (Valley), K. Web-

ling (Roslyn), R. Bradley (Caversham), and'R. Phillips ( Kaitmia). Air E. S. Wilson was rc-clccted secretary and treasurer. Air" K. H. ('alder was reappointed linn, auditor, and was thanked for his past services. Dr Moody was nominated as vicepresident of the New Zealand .Lawn Tennis Association. The Chairman mentioned that Dr Afnody had been asked to become president of the Now Zealand Association, but lie had been obliged to decline tho office. Messrs G. Carter, 11. Graves. T. Gray, and R. Park wore appointed de-' legates to the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. GENERAL. The Following resolutions, passed at the animal' meeting of tlio Kaituna Club, were brought before the meeting by the Kaitnna delegate:—(l) That it bo a recommendation from tills club to the Otago Lawn Tennis Association that tbc A "grade matcbesOie suspended during tho coming season, and that tho ladder matches be persevered with; (2) that if A grade matches arc played tlio competition lie carried on over the whole season.—The matter was discussed for some time, and a motion embodying tbc first resolution was lost, ’flic delegates approved 1 the second resolution. Tbc delegates expressed appreciation of the services of the outgoing committee. ft was decided to place courts at the disposal of H.ALS. Dunedin's tennis elnb during the ship’s stay in port. On the suggestion of Mr Hunter (Cosy Doll) it was agreed to recommend the incoming committee to arrange that a proportion of tlio A grade matches lie played on the Anderson’s Bay courts. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr APAlillan for conducting the meeting. WESLEY CLUB The ninth annual meeting of the above club was held in tbc Cargill Road Schoolroom, and was presided over by the Rev. AV. B. Scott. The animal ‘report and balance-sheet showed that, the club had a credit ol £l2 18s lid. The chib was congratulated on being runners-up in the G <rrade competition. " The following ofliee-bcarore were elected :—Patron. Mr J. B. Stmckloek ; president, Rev. W. B. Scott; vice-presi-dents —Airs Scott, Afisses Roscieai, and F. Howard. Rev. G. Peterson, Alcssrs J. Burt, W. Johnston. W. Bryant, A. AlMndoe : club captain, Air J. Prosser; dcputv-captaiii. Miss V. Verngroen; secretary. Air H. L. Hunt; treasurer, Aliss E. Connelly ; auditor, Mr A. Adie; delegates to centre —Messrs J. Prosser niul J. Adie; Grounds and Works Committee—Messrs N. Blackburn. It. Niven. D. Asbly. G. Jones; Match and Selection Committee—Alcssrs A. Hinton, J. Adie. Aliss N. Vcrngrcen; Afternoon Committee— Misses B. M'Keich, R. Scott, Af. Hunt, lb was deckled to record on tne minutes appreciation of the work of the secretary and treasurer. After the meeting' had dosed a presentation was made to the retiring chib captain, who had done so much for the club in the past years.