TENNIS BALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4978, 24 May 1926, Page 3

TENNIS BALL.

HAURAKI PLAINS FUNCTION. presentation of trophies. The fourth-annua,! ball and presentation df trophies by the Haurrald Plains Tennis Association was held in the Ngatea Ha,ll on Wednesday, evening, despite the very unfavourable weather. Whereas on the previous occasions .tennis from ajl parts of the Plains and dancers from a much wider radius have attended, taxing the hall to its utmost, the heavy rain that fell continuously all Wednesday restricted the attendance to about fifty couples, most of whom were Ngatea people. With the journey over, therei w,as no reason to dismal and every incentive to be happy. The function proved to be one of the jolliesit held in the district for a long time. The hall was prettily decorated with coloured paper streamers and toy balloons, and a charming -lighting effect was achieved. Mr A. Williams’ orchestra of six instruments provided excellent dance music, and contributed in no small way to the enjoyment of the function. After supper had been served the president of the, association,, Mr B. Frecklington, apologised for the unavoidable absence on account of illness; of Mr A. M. Samuel:, M.P. fof Qhinemuri, and presented the numerous trophies that had' been won during the. season. Mr Frecklington explained that the association had been in existence for four years, and now comprised nine clubs, with a membership of nearly 300 players. The strides made had been marvellous, and the standard of play was now quite up to that of country clubs; With eighteen teams the association had been able to arrange a big programme of tournaments and contests, and the spirit in these" were' played spoke well Sfpr the management of the association land the good feeling among players. With the trophies that were to be presented that evening the .association had distributed 22 gold medals and two miniature cups. Two shields; and Jbree cups were now in annual; 'competition. The first trophy presented was the Howell Williams Memorial Challenge Shield. 1 ' This trophy was presented to the Kopu club by Mr Albert Williams, -and the Haur.aki Plains Tennis Association., had been appointed the controlling authority. .The Waitakaruru club had won the shield from Kopu, and had successfully defended it for three seasons;. Last season the Hikutaia club had succeeded in lifting the shield, and after .withholding several challenges had lost it to JVaitakaruru, which club was in turn defeated, by the Turua club. The presentation was made by the donor of the cup to Mr D. G. McMil'lJffi; representative of the Turua club, ttfr Williams expressed gratification in the interest taken in the competition, and hoped that it would continue and increase.' In returning tlianks Mr' McMillan dealt with the prominence off the competition since the association had been given control of it. The A grade inter-club competition Jirophy, the Laidlaw Cup, which had fbeen donated by Mr R. A. Laidlaw, of Auckland, for ? competition among

clubs affiliated to the Hauraki Plains Tennis Association, was then handed by .the president to Mr D. G. McMiL representative of the Turua ■dub, which had won the trophy outright'by winning the competition, three years in succession. The cup has • been in ciiculatiop for five years, and another cup ha,s been presented by Mr Laidlaw to take its place. After being in circulation 'for four years; and having been won by a different club each season, the: Hayward which was presented by Mr W. G. Hayward, of Ngatea, for .competition among B grade teams under similar conditions to the Laidlaw Gup, was won last season by the - Keinpeeihi team, which went through I the competition without defeat and won the final match by 13 sets to 0. Mr Frecklington received the trophy on behaif of his club. - In presenting to Miss B. Duffy, of - Mangawhero, winner of ladies’ championship singles, the cup donated by the proprietors of the Hauraki Plains ft Gazette for annual competition, the president said that he .again wished to thank the donors for such a handsome trophy. It was \a cup that everyone wuld be proud to own. . Miss Duffy had won the competition and would hold the trophy till beaten. To commemorate her victory the association had donated a replica. Mrs Bird, of Kaihere, was the runnerup in the competition. . / ' For a similar competition among the men players, Mr J. Ford, of. Auckland, had presented a handsome silver cup. This trophy had been Won 'for the season by Mr M. O’Connor, of the Patetonga club, who would also receive a. miniature from the association. Gold medals donated by the association weredhen presented by the president to the winners of the handicap ■. tournament as follows: Ladies’ singles, Miss B. Duffy, of Ma,ngawhero; Ladies doubles:: Mesdames Hudson and ©’Loughlin, of Kerepeehi; Men’s : Mr D. G. McMillan, of Turua; ©Men’s doubles : Messrs. 0. and S. Coppins, off Hopai. . Opportunity was taken by Mr D. G. when returning thanks for his medal,' to voice the appreciatiion of tennis players on the Hauraki Plains: for the services rendered the Import by Mr A. R. Vowles, on whom most of the work of the association had 'fallen. He had furthered the interests of tennis on the Hauraki Plains more than anyone else, and no one could have done more.