Badminton

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 123, 10 June 1937, Page 15

Badminton

'Drop &hot").

SCARCITY OF HALLS Lack oi Competitive Practice Results NEED FOR BU1LDING

(By '

Hawke's Bay's ncn-success m badmluton contests with other provinces is due to our' players' lack of practice in competitive playThe present scarcity of suit.able hous. toi -eo_- . * Hawkfe's Bay than elsewhere, will continue to keep the game down on the levei of a social entertainment. As such it is a great succeri, bul dicad::oi?iting • t-b t-«.ose who feel that given a chance they could improve their game. The writer has heard farmers deplore the fact (among many others) that this province has no building suitable for a winter show. . With the return of prosperity, the natuial -desire of our landowners to evade a little inore ineoraetax has again brought into prominence the question of a winter show building, the erection cf which might be an outlet for surplus pyoffts. The wide popularity of badrninton J to-day woiild be a grcat heip m the up- j keep of such a building. If one wero j available, there are enough badmintOJi j enthusiasts in Hastings and Napier to i use it on every available niglit tiwougn* ] out the winter. It is tfirough vne pus- \ session of such extensive halls that' players in. Wellingon, Palmerston and Hamilton get all the practice they want in competitions and tournaments. At the preBent time the only satis-. factory badrninton courts in Hastings are those in the Drill Hall,. which is now used for various purposes every night in the week. As a result no inter-club matches have yet been played; the only fona of competitive play is in inf ormal doubles tournaineiits within the various clubs. Such tour-. noys, in which the best players are usually paired with. the worst, are not expected to improve one's game. Players' Attire. As an entertainment local badrninton has been enhanced by the varied eolours in clothing recontly adopted by some o£ tho women players. In matches cr j tournaments the conventional wMte or cream should be worn, but in clubs where the play is not too serious there is scope for wide variations which. are undoubtedly an added inte'rest. ' In the Hastings Drill Hall the white walls are very tifing to the eyes, an'd darker clothes help to eounteract this. Malayan Visit. A baaminton teani from Malayn may visit this country in 193S or 1939The matter has been diseussed by the controliing committee in Maiaya, and. if suiiabfe arrangements can be made with tho New Zealand authorities tho tour will eventuate. Finance is tlie greatest diffieulty. The largo number of spectators who attend local tournament finals is first-hand proof of th'e popularity of badrninton as a speetaele;. if a ,visiting team toured New Zealand a large suin would bo taken in admission charges. Matches between • the visitors and local teams would arouso more interest than did last year's instructional tour by Dovlin, but as was the case in that tour the lack of suitable halls would be a great handicap.

Observe at what distance you are able to read comfortably. Tou should be able to do so at 14 inches. H. M. Bennett, Optician, opp. Plaza Theatre; | Hastings Street, Napier.