MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1899. THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6583, 28 December 1899, Page 2

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD AND POHANGINA GAZETTE GUARANTEED LARGEST CIRCULATION IN THE DISTRICT. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1899. THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

1- MM*. uniquo naturo wjtJ ht commenced in Paluierston North!. Wo refer to the Lawn Tennis Tournament, at which the championship of the colony /or the ycor 1900 will be decided. Lawn tennis is probably mi amusement that appeals more to the classes than to the masses, but amongst its devotees it has niude wonderful progress since its introduction into the colony sonic twenty years ago* It has completely annihilated tho less cx«

h'liarating croquet, and at the same time provided a healthy and moral recreation in which both sexes can participate with almost equal chanccs of succoss. Exactly whon, and by whom tennis was first introduced into New Zealand is a doubtful point, but in 1885 tho first gathering of representative players took place at Farndon, near Napier, Mr E. P. Hudson of Auckland being the champion of that year and practically the first of tho colony. In t!ie following year the New Zoaland Lawn Tennis Association was formed, and since that time theso tournaments have beon held uninterruptedly every year during Christinas week in various centres of the colony, but this is tho first occasion upon which it has fallen to tho lot of Palmerston North to receive tho compliment that hitherto has not gone out of the cities. This departure from tho previous practicc of the Association is in recognition of Palmorston's central position, and it ß general suitability for gatherings of tin® kind; a fact which 1 has brought its own proof, for wc are informed that tho entries for the events this year are far in excoss of those of :any previous tournament, both in the aggregate and for each individual competition. This necessarily means a large influx of people into the town, for there are not only over ono hundred players engaged in the tournament, but there are all their friends to bo taken into consideration. Both directly und indirectly this must bo a groat gain to the place, and the policy of our citizens should be to oncourage as many of theso gatherings aspossiblc, and so mako tho town tho tournament centre of the North Tshnd. With our A. and P. Show as a basis to build upon, it should be 110 very difficult;matter to institute a carnival week,'thai; perhaps, with a little judicious agitation and expenditure on the grounds ij would be possiblo to get the polo, tennis, and bowling tournaments permanently established here. If this could bo donu there can bo no doubt that it would tend to populariso Palmerston greatly, and one of'tho means to this end is to treat tho tennis visitors well, and if possiblo induce them to come back again.