TENNIS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5479, 25 September 1929, Page 2

TENNIS.

THE PAEROA CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. The sixth annual general meeting of the Paeroa Lawn Tennis Club was held last night, Mr S. J. Hedge presiding. Annual Report. The following is the annual report : “Membership.—The season closed with a total membership of 110, being 64 ladies and 46 gentlemen, a total increase of 28 over last year. “Finance.—Finances are in an excellent and improved condition. “Motor Mower.—With the whole of the area of the club’s property laid down in lawn, it became increasingly difficult to adequately keep the grass down with manual machines, and at the commencement of the year an effort, unanimously supported by the committee, resulted in the purchase of a power machine. This investment has added greatly to the comfort of members in that the lawns have been kept up to a good playing standard throughout the playing and off seasons, and altogether obviates the difficulty of procuring good part-time labour which confronted the committees of former seasons.

“The club owes its thanks to the generosity of those members who advanced the purchase price of the motor mower, without which it would not have been practicable to have consummated the scheme this year. “Green Cutting.—The outgoing committee recommends that labour be employed to cut and mark the greens for the coming season. Messrs S. J. Hedge and H. R. Thorp, who previously had volunteered to do the work for two years, feel that they can be of more use to the club if they were released this year from green-cutting so that their time could be devoted to rolling and general maintenance of the club’s property, which needs to be undertaken constantly, and labour would be more difficult to procure for thid 1 purpose than for green cutting and marking. “Matches.—The club entered teams for the usual association inter-club matches in both A and B grades, and though the various teams were not victorious in winning their respective sections of the competition, much pleasure and benefit was secured by the players generally, and the experience gained in play should augur well for the new season.

“The club is grateful to its patron, Mr W. Marshall, for the donation of a silver cup for competition annually for the men’s championship of the club, and in keeping with this presentation the committee purchased a silver cup for competition for the ladies’ singles championship, the winners this year being Mr Spooner and Miss V. Shand, respectively. “A friendly match played on the home courts against a team from the Ngatea Tennis Club was very much appreciated by competitors from both clubs, and matches of this nature cement a tie of friendship and goodwill between sister clubs and carry the approbation of your committee, which recommends the practice to its successors in office.

“In conclusion, your committee has to thank all those who generously assisted in promoting the welfare of the club generally during the past year, and to the ladies in particular for their kind offices in dispensing light refreshments on all occasions in their usual hospitable manner. “The club is also indebted to the Press for its help on many occasions in giving publicity to the club’s affairs and generally fostering its spirit of sport; and also to Mr H. H. Bray for his services as auditor of the club’s books.

“The retiring committee feels certain that the coming season will show as much progress as past years have done, and wish their successors - in office a prosperous stewardship.” Mr Hedge in opening the meeting thanked everyone for the support and confidence rendered him during his presidency. Since its inception the club had made great strides in advancement, and he ventured the opinion that the coming season would be equal or better than previous years. In conclusion, he wished the incoming officers the brightest of prospects and a happy and successful season. Election of Officers. The following officers were elected for the ensuing season : — Patron, Mr W. Marshall; president, Mr D. G. McMillan; vice-president, Mr C. N. O’Neill; club captain, Mr H. Thorp ; hon. secretary and treasurer, Mi’ H. H. Priestley ; committee, Misses J. Buchanan, V. Shand, H. Taylor, Messrs A. P. Grant, S. J. Hedge, G. Masters, A. F. Steedman, and F. Thorp ; delegates to Thaves Valley Lawn Tennis Association, Messrs A. P. Grant, H. H. Priestley, and H. Thorp ; hon. auditor, Mr H. H. Bray ; social committee, Mesdames McMillan, Young, Miss Argali, Messrs H. H. Priestley, G. Steedman, and F. Thorp ; afternoon tea committee, Mrs Hedge, Misses Buchanan and E. Findlay. Easter Tournament. On the question of where the Easter tournament should be played, Mi’ D. G. McMillan, who occupied the chair on his election to the presidency, said it had been held at Te Aroha, as there it was claimed a larger number of outside spectators attended. But, he said, that was not the idea of the tournament. The idea was to foster tennis in the valley, and Paeroa as a centre was in a much better position to do that, and Paeroa could accommodate the players. Labour for Greens. A recommendation to the incoming committee to the effect that labour be employed for the cutting and marking of the greens was decided upon. Mr A. P. Grant, in proposing this motion, made, reference to the excellent voluntary work which Messrs S. J. Hedge and H. R. Thorp had put in on the greens during the past year, his remarks receiving the acclamation of the meeting. In answer to Mrs A. J. Young’s suggestion that a dance be held to

help pay the expenses of the labour involved, Mr Hedge explained that all dances held so far had resulted in a loss to the club, but he proposed that Mrs Young should put her suggestion as a recommendation for the incoming social committee to hold one. This being put to the meeting, Mrs Young’s motion was carried. Honours Board. Mr C. N. O’Neill spoke in favour of an honours board. For club championships it was not sufficient that the winners should just receive a cheer at the time and then fade out of the picture. Record boards of officers and champions should be erected in some place handy for all to see. They would then be of permanent value. On being put to the meeting the suggestion was carried as a recommendation to the incoming committee. Recoin mendations. It was decided that the delegates to the Thames Valley Lawn Tennis Association be instructed to support the holding of the tournament at Thames, and, failing that, to place Paeroa’s claims alongside those of Te Aroha. Also as a recommendation, the delegates were instructed to bring up the matter of the early date of the association’s annual meeting, as it came before the Paeroa one ; thus the local delegates were not in a position to adequately speak on subjects of importance to the club. Mrs Young, in proposing that Wednesday afternoon be set aside for ladies, said she did so in the hope that that would encourage playing among the younger set. . Her proposal was carried. Votes of Thanks. Votes of thanks were passed to the outgoing officers, the hon. auditor," Mr H. H. Bray, and the Press.