LAWN TENNIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1915, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS.

THE TIRONGA CLUB. The annual meeting of the Tironga (Vogeltown) Cub was held last night. Mr. G. W. Browne (the president), presided over a small attendance of members. THE ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report congratulated the club upon acquiring and perfecting the grounds in time to open the season early in the month of November, 1914. To attain ihia position very heavy liabilities were incurred and would for a time severely tax the- resources of the club to reduce them. The season was officially opened on November 1!) by the president, vistors from Town and" Frankly Park Clubs being present. A friendly match was played and a very enjoyable day was spent, the ladies 'providing afternoon tea. During the season, matches were played with FrarJ;leigh Park, the honors resulting in favor of our club. The courts have received a top dressing, and are in a very satisfactory condition, and will be fit for play at due date ol opening the new season. The continued success of the c-ub will depend upon a large incrpose of membership or a very substantial increasi-. of the annua) subscription.

During the coming season to keep the greens up to playing standard, it will be necessary to employ a caretaker to ensure the efficient rolling and cuttings of the lawns. Th- report recorded thanks to the ladies for providing afternon tea, and to all those who by voluntary labor assisted to keep the greens in order. The balance-fheet showed a wedit balance of £3 16s lOd.

The report and balance-sheet were adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.The following officers were elected:— President, Mr. G. W. Browne; vice-presi-dent, Mr. V. Griffiths; committee, Messrs G. J. Lawrence, F. McEwen, A. T, Moore, W. Hooker, and E. Turner; secretary and treasurer, Mr. G. W. Browne, pro. tern.; auditor, M.\ A. T. Moore; club captain, Mi. E. Turner. GENERAL. The subscriptions were fixed at gentlemen 30s, and ladies 17s 6d. Four new members were elected. The date of the oponjng of the season was left with the committee. The chairman expressed the opinion that the courts would probably be ready for play in a fortnight.

ITEMS FROM NEAR AND FAR". F. M, B. Fisher, one of the foremost players of the Dominion for the last 15 years, has just readied England after travelling through America. In a letter to America, he says: "Tennis is, of course, as dead as frozen lamb, but occasionally Dixon, Alf. Dunlop and one or i two more play a-n exhibition for a war fund. Parke and Beamish are right in the trenches." (Parke ha 3 since been wounded).

Mr. C. B. Webster, the popular secretary of the New Plymoiitth Club, leaves New 'Plymouth on Monday to join the reinforcements of the Expeditionary Force, and was presented with a wristlet watch by the committee as a farewell gift from, the club. It will be necessary for the club to appoint a new secretary and it would be difficult to find a better man than Mr. H. Stocker, whose past e-perience admirably fits him for the position.

With the approach of November, lawn tennis enthusiasts are directing their thoughts to their summer pastime, but as with other sports, tho war will east its shadow on temps this year, a nil many familiar figures will be absent from the various courts in New 'Plymouth. The Park Club is the first dub in New Plymouth to set its arrangements in motion for the season, and its lawns will be opened on the 2Sth inst. The Tirongia (Vogcltown) Club held its annual meeting last night, and tho annual meeting of the New Plymouth Club will be held next Saturday evening.

The Canterbury Association's annual meeting was held on September 14. The report stated that the past season had been a very busy one for the association, and probably was the most successful in its career. The number of affiliated clubs had increased in the year from thirty-four to forty-seven. The number of affiliated players was 2148, a gain of 328. Close on 200 tennis players from clubs in Canterbury uad enlisted at the time the report was published. Canterbury will not play any interprovincial matches this year, and it can be taken for granted that this, will be the general course throughout New Zealand. Tennis players generally will regret to hear that Mr. E. J. Ross has lo3t his two sons by the war.

Miss May Sutton, now Mrs. T. C. Bundy, wife of the champion doubles player of America, who in her youth was twice champion of England, and was stated by many fine judges to have been the finest lady player the world has seen, has taken up the game again, and is considered Xo be in better form now than she ever was. She hits harder than ever, and defeated three of the best players in America in Misses L. R. Williams, Mary Browne and her own sister, Florence. She lost only eleven games in ten sets. Miss Bjurstedt, of Norway, who has been carrying everything before her in America for months, has at last been defeated. Her conqueror was a previous holder of the championship of America, Mrs. M. McLean, with the score at o—3, 7—5. * • • The annual report of the New Plymouth Club shows tho club's overdraft this year as £33 10s lOd, as against £SO 0s Od last year, a decrease of £lO 9s Bd. The membership is now: Playing members fl") (ladies 49, men 40), croquet members 2(1, honorary members 84 (ladies 71, men 13). Compared with last year, in playing members, men decrease two and croquet members increase two. In view of the number of members who have left and are leaving on active service, a decrease of revenue must be expected. Members arc reminded that subscriptions are now payable, and those who wisli to take advantage of the rebate allowed must pay before December 1. Members wishing to resign must give notice in writing to the secretary. The club U iudebted to Drs. Home, Leatham and Fookes, and Mr. H. Stocker for donations towards trophies and the club funds. The following club matches were played during the season: Ladies' championship singles"! Miss Brewster; men's championship singles, Mr. J. (I. Nicholson; ladies' handicap singles, Miss S. Thompson; men's handicap singles, Mr. A. K. Ryder; combined handicap doubles, Mrs. Fenton and J. F. Hursthouse. Croquet, A. Grade: Championship singles, Mrs. Whetter; handicap singles, Mrs. Fitzherbert; handicap doubles, Mesdames Rodcel and Bul-

lard; B grade: Championship singles, Miss Avery; handicap singles, Mrs. Bradbury. The thanks of the club are, due to those ladies who kindly provided afternoon tea during the season, also to the ladies' committee for their assistance. Mrs. Stocker acted as hon. secretary of the ladies' tennis committee, and Mrs. A. B. R. Fookes as hon.'secretary of the croquet committee; the committee again have much pleasure in thanking these ladies. During the season the club was well represented at outside tournaments, and several of the members met with a very good shave of success. The retiring members of the committee are Messrs K. W. Griffiths, J. C. Nicholson, A. E. Ryder, P. H. Robertson and E. B. Davies.