Lawn Tennis, [BY HUKA.]

The inter-club contests for the Wellington province are 'ikely to stirt on the 4th November, and players have little enough time now to obtain combination. Match committees should, therefore, have their teams picked at once. The Victoria College will enter three teams, and Brougham Hill will have five teams going. Gower, senior, does not intend to play much this season in club events, but possibly will fill a gap when called upon. Gowei> junior, has joincd { Brougham Hill, but will play for his old club (Victoria College) in matches. W. Fraser will probably play for Brougham Hill, his old club, although he has also joined Wellington. Fisher is expected to strengthen' the Wellington team, and Miss Nunneley will strengthen Brougham Hill's. Miss N. Batham will probably play for Khandallah this year. In the club ct-ntest rules one clause secins peculiar. It reads somewhat as follows .-—"Where two teams from one club ore entered in the same class, no transfers one- to the other are permitted. So that if a club enters an A ami a B team, say, for the Junior Cup, and should have to transfer an A player to the senior team for the shield contest, then a B team player is not allowed to fill the gap in the A team, but a player from- the third-class team can be put up to the A team." As no mention is made re transferring from A to B, it may mean that no transfers of that kind are allowed. Should a club be joined by a new player who could with advantage to the club play in the A team, it does seem hard that the player, who has 4 to give place to this stronger member, ' should have to be placed in the third-class, when possibly he or she is stiouger than any of those playing in the B team. Surely the Shield Committee did not mean that where bona fide trausfers were applied for, even when from B to A or A to B, that this rule should apply? If" the rule is only applied when the committee is of opinion that t*he transfer sought for is not bona fide, then it is worth its place. Otherwise, it is not. A Wellington Club enthusiast has taken in hand some of the rising generation, and has already schooled Jus pupils past the pat-ball stage. In time, possibly, the pupils will ontstride the master, but this enthusiast's club, as well as the sport generally, will be the gainer, and his reward will be the pleasure of seeing possibly a champion or two from his flock in a few years to come. If a few more of the adult players followed in a like style, their clubs would be better for it. The great player and present, champion, Miss May Sutton, was a few years ago an , unpromising beginner. She was "all uands and feet." Mrs. Brjice, her siscer, tried to teach her, but finally gave it up in despair. To her sisters' taunts May replied: — "You will see the day when I wfll be the best tennis player in the world,"' and she set to work alone, and has succeeded. In 1899, when only 12 years of age, Miss May Sutton was defeated in the final round in one of the California tournaments by an elder sister, Ethel, who* in turn was defeated in the challenge round by still another sister, Violet. The SuttoD family boasts four girls, who are all tennis experts. Tennis in Tasmania, according to a Tasnunian newspaper, has increased in popularity, and the keenness of the rising I generation seems to leave nothing to be j desired. "In the senior ranks competition 'is quite keen, and the enthusiasm' displayed amongst B grade aspirants is surprising, each team goes on to the court to fulfil its respective engagements, imbued with no small amount of vim and confidence, which makes the games most interesting, though the standard of tennis is at times soft." When keeness is displayed in a community of junior players, the standard of tennis will quickly be on the up grade. Associations and clubs should carefully cater for the juniors 'as they are the mainstays of the sports — the "guns" are here to-day and to-morrow, well may be "are not." The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association's programme and entry forms for the twentieth annual championship meeting and open handicap tournament are now in circulation. The meeting is to be held from the 28th December, to tho Ist January next. Twelve courts aro to be used at the Wellington College ground, and it has been promised that they will be the best courts that New Zealand championships have ever been played upon. The 26cn and 27th December are also reserved, as it is possible that a match may yet be arranged between Australian and New Zealand players, and possibly also a match New Zealand against some players from the Old Country. En-tries close for tho handicaps on the 9th December, and for the championships on December 16th. His Excellency the Governor has again accepted the patronship of the New Zealand Association, and Mr. W. R. Holmes, of Auckland, the presidentship, and Mr. G. A. Macquaire, of Nelson, the vicepresidentship. ' The two latter gentlemen hope to bo present at the Christmas meeting. Mr. H. M. Gore lias been selected as referee Dor the New Zealand championships, and a more capable officer it would be hard to find. The WWern Australia Lawn Tennis Association will in all probability be represented by two or threo players at tho championships, as also will Victoria and New South Wales. COLONIAL PLAYERS^ ABROAD. A. F. Wilding, of Canterbury, met M. J. E. Ritchie in the final for the championship of Hamburg (both having come through without losing a set) and Ritchie won, I—6, B—6, 6—3, 6—l, 112 winning strokes to ip 9. Wilding won final of the championship of Germany, but was beaten by Ritchie (holder) in tho challenge round, B—6, J— s, 8--6, 127 winnit-g strokes to 109. ' Wilding won the final for Poseldorf Cup from Ritchie, 3—6,3 — 6, 6—2, 6—4, 3-6. 6—2, 147 winning strokes to 149. The result of the three matches are summed up as folows: — Ritchie won 2 matches ta 1, 8 sets to 4, 64 games to 57, and won 388 strokes to 365. Wilding and Spitz, in the doubles championship of Germany beat Ritchie and Lane, 6—3, 2—6, 6—3, in third round and won final from Schondler and Pitt, 6—l, I—6, 6—3, 6—4. In the mixed open Ritchie and Miss Lane beat Wilding and Frl. K. Krug, 11—9, 6—l, in final. J. C Nunneley competed at the Pitmeeting (Highland championships) in Perllishire, and although he has not appeared in many fournaments of recent years, the tournament was marked by his success. He has a very graceful stylo, and gavo the Dundee champion, Mackecknie, a great fight in the third round, being beaten 5—7, 7—5, 6—2. Mackay, the Scottish champion, won tho final, having beaten Mackecknie in the somifinal, 6—4, 7—9, 7—5. Nunneley and Hewitt were beaten in the third round of the doubles, 16^ — 14, 7—5.7 — 5. The firstnamed, owing 15, also got to the semifinal of the handicap singles, being beaten by Mackecknie (owe 15), 7—5, 3—6, , 6—2. Wilding won. tho singles championpionship of Europe at the Hombnrg International Tournament from Hcllytird. The match lasted two nnd a-half houi-6, and the winner ucoicd 27 games and 179 s aces to 26 games and 172 aces.

H. A. Parker competed at the Folkestone meeting for the Cinque Ports championship, when he had an easy run until the third round, \then he beat Berger, 4—6, 6—4, 6—4. In the fifth round Eaves beat Parker, 6—3, 7—9, 7—5. Eaves beat Banett in the final, 6—4,6 — 4, 6-r-l, 6—3. Beamish and Pollard bent Parker and Casdagli in the semifinal of doubles, 7—5, 2—6, 6—4, and then beat' Eave3 and Barrett, 6—4,6 — 4, 11—9. Barrett and Miss Morton beat Parker and' Miss -Rip'ley in the thhd round of mixed doubles, 7—5, ' 6—4.6 — 4. Parker and Goldberg (owe 4—6) lost handicap , doubles, nnol to Sawyer and Berger/ (rec. 15), 7—5, 6—2, and were beaten (rec. -2—6) by] Bailey tmd Miss Mander. (fee 15), 4—6, 6—4, 7—5 in the semi-liijal of mixed. A. 8.. Murphy (Australia) won the Spa Cup in' Belgium, beating Lemaire (who represented Belgium in the Davis- Cup contest), 2—6, 6—3, 4—6, 6—4, 6—o, in the final. Murphy sprained his wrist at this meeting, and had to cancel his Homburg engagements. Parker had also to cancel his, as owing to business engagements ho could not wait. Continuous rain interfered with and frequently prevented play. Tho New Zealand champion left London for Quebec on the 23rd September, leaves Vancouver in the Miowera on 13th October, and expects to leave Sydney on the 11th November for Wellington. Miss H. Hitehings, of Napier, who has been winning tournament events in England, besides winning the challenge cup of the St. Quintin Cub for the second year in succession, competed in the New Zealand championships in 1886, when Mies Lance beat her in the final, 6—2, 3—6, o—l. Miss R. Orbell beat hei- the following year, 6—4, 6—5,6 — 5, in the second round, and Miss Gordon in 1888 beat her in the final, £—4, 9—7. With Miss Gordon she won the doubles. Miss Orbell agaip beat her the next year in the second round, 4—6, 6—l,6 — 1, 6—5,6 — 5, as did Miss Harman, 6—2,6 — 2, 2—6,2 — 6, 6—2, in -1891. In 1894 Miss- Hitehings won the championship from twelve others, but in 1895 at Wellington Miss Lean beat her, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—5,6 — 5, to be in turn beaten by Miss Nunneley in the final — the latter's first appearance in New Zea- ' land.