A HAPPY CEREMONY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10147, 25 January 1911, Page 5

A HAPPY CEREMONY.

AT THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT. PRESENTATION OP TROPHIES. , . A very pleasing - ceremony topljt place at the Bunny Street courts of tlie Masterton Lawn Tennis Club at the conclusion of the championsh|p matches yesterday evening. T The Very Rev. t/ean McKennay ' President of the, Club, stated ttyi| the first provincial tournament em held in Masterton was drawing tj> ' a close. Before the finish of the matches, he- wished to say a few o words concerning' the results of .t^te-,.',.'■.■'/ games played during the previous . few days. He- then announced; amidst applause, the names of the • winners of the various champipii- ; ship events.', at the tourney. \;--3E*ro-' -.- ceeding, he said they would all be pleased to learn that". Parker, .by winning the championship, had, attained his hundredth championship. (Three cheers were called for > Parker, and we're given lustily). Miss though she had played" Veil, was not quite so successful,,. but Miss Nunnelley had that day . secured the "right to the exclusrve; • possession of the s cup presented by .;. the Wellington ■Association.. jplaijse.):'■ He regarded it as a privi- /. : lege fe be; ; aHa. to^ present .thertyb-:;.' v:;!: iprbridi^be :^ f whiph^coiild : arid" hnnjg v^< *''.» ~ !' •■ V'■ successful "conclusion % tQurnament ■■; .■ < such as 'that just completed. "-'--.They. ;..,.-;■" had had many competitors, and man^. players' courU, mciuct- :, ing Wilding, the World's champion; ■".' but /they had .never had such an' ; array of COSclsiori.r (ApfjaUSe.)-■: Not had the ; * been a pleastufS: : - ; to tlie spectators, fcut it hfl4 object lesson to : the miany f aspiring! '..-,':;' champions who were.present.. ..Con.-' .-'f. ',' tests such as these did much to promote good tennis throughput the!.-.Db-; , minion. The ganie deserved encoiir-i '. agement; for it wag a .test of; endnr-v and self-possessionpri thei part- f of the players'. ;;He was pleased'to ,: S/ «ay that they had Vreceived , couragement in the way of '■> ■ The Wellington Association^ ; , |ributed the champion • cup, ana .:/'■.' > imany others had given -trophies; On r , :;. ■, |ehalf of Cliiby : Jendered thanks to thei donors. JProiia , ' sides •he , <''-. 'lotion?! *»iey, and; hp read raevfollowing;comv. ■. - ; inunica-tibn he had received from Mr jj'lGpre,/. President of .the Wellington '/ i'Association:— - ■'';'.,.',■•":';: '>\ : -'',r-- : 0-- : ' : ;~';':-.i- ; - ' Mr President,— I am sorrel v ; , ..• j- shall be abseht'trpm;the last scene;/ ,t '.:s Vol all—rhayihg; to .batch the train fpr { :: \ / Wellington fore leaving;: thatrl 1 have never see»*;ifv ; better miinagtsinent : ; ; at 'any tourna-'',';''-■ : : merit, nor haye'l on bet-;, > ter TOurts"^aii-fthose your club; has. \ -S : -*;.'. provided for this meeting. Thank- !: ' . ing you the great : kindness and .---: ..hospitality shown .bjvyyou and; ; ,^e.,,,.;;: -Masterton .Club -to • d myself*-3;--^W-''.-"0 ;J|S3n;|a^^ Nation -ha# given 'J',,' to the annual competition."..".'. (Ap- ; f • , -.piattse)'. It had ; induced Wellington; V ■ / ;';champi6ns^to:^com^ : their laurels, and, others to' ehdea- ; i vour to wrest them from them. The >:"..; ■'"'.' result they already knew. He be- " lieved. they could look:l forward ;to/; / the holding of meeting here at no.'•di-si;ant date. The;, .; ' Action 'of, the Dannevirke Club| in ; : ; aiterihg; the date ;pf 'its! tbufhamentt J : so that: it would not clash with that 'J of Masterton, was to be commend- f. : "ed. (Applause.) 'Tlie experience had ■ ); shown that both Clubs could conduct successful meetings without clash-' ing.' His own opinion was; that.they' should have groups, so that the com;-:. . petitorscould compete at more than : one meeting.. He was ; thankful to the Chib^;,: ; " '.''_.■ arid he wished ,it s ivery.isnccess ! 'i^icE^ of the 1 success "bf 1 * the:';M£sterton;v - tburnameht was' tary (Mr Sclanders); who, with/the'- .' Working Committee, had carried. put 7 v the arrangements. : (Applailse.) MrN '•':.;""- : ' ; Sclanders was as keen as mustard as a, player. He was,: in fact, , al-: most as keen as "Parker's embrpca- • tion.'V (Laughter.) He- had sacrificed his own games,. however, to organise and' workup the tourna^, • ment. : Dean >lcKenna also paid a compliment tp the keeper of , the grounds, and concluded by congratulating the players upon their sportsmanlike conduct. He was sure, that the successful players would have . the best wishes of the vanquished. (Applaiise.) The trophies were then presented, each recipient being greeted with cheers.'".-'' • *. : ..;; ", ; ;.- '-■". ■: ■'■■•.';'■.'": '\\ : :"\ Three cheers for. the President of • ~ the Masterton... Club brought the •'■ ceremony to a close.