Lawn Tennis.

[Br Htjka.] The entries for club contests close today, and it would appear that competition for the championship in all the classes will bo keen. The "Shield" Committee will probably have some difficulty in classifying the teams, as some clubs have entered more than ono team for the same class; while teams that have always played junior in the past are tfavr going for higher honours. From appoarances there will be only five bona fide senior teams— Thorndon, Wellington, Brougham, Newtown, and Victoria College. For any other teams to be classified as senior, no doubt the Shield Committee will require full informatipn as to their playing strength. For a junior team to be classified as senior it should have shown a decided superiority to all others in the junior contest. The Thorndon Club has entered one team — a senior — and those who were instrumental in securing the entry no doubt had the welfare of the sport more at heart than personal convenience or interests. Perhaps the grass players do not care to leave their splendid courts to play on the asphalt ones of other clubs — more especially when possibly better practice than what is generally obtained when playing other clubs is procurable from amongst their own members on their own courts — yet that may not always be, as it has already been shown that the ladies of the "hard" courts have so improved as to be able to more than hold their own. The, crack club will haye to play much above last year's form to secure the championship for 1905. The Wellington Club, if its team is selected according to merit, and it is likely to be the strongest in ladies, should about' win all .their matches against Thorndon. That would mean 6 Bets, counting combined doubles, leaving only one for the men to secure to win the match. The other three clubs—Newtown, Brougham Hill, and Victoria College — will probably be beaten by Wellington and Thorndon, but can be expected to put up good fights, and there should be a hard battle for third place. E. B. Nunneley, brother of the New Zealand lady champion, Miss K. M. Nunneley, has been showing fine form at the came in Port Darwin. He won the handicap singles, handicap doubles, and handicap combined. In the second event , he -and his, partner owed 30, and gave 15 to their opponents in the final. Blair and Lycett (the latter played for Thorndon last season) have been showing good form at the South Yarra tournament. 'They won the semi-finals of. the doubles championship from R. W. and C: V. Heath and the M.C.C pair, 6_l ; 6—2, and will play T. Tatchell and Campbell for the final. Blair and Lycett must have been right on their game, as it is said, " the pace and accuracy of their game was good enough to win any Australian championship. ' Lycett used to play in the right court and Blair in the left, but they have changed courts 'now, and the change seems to have improved their game. " Beala C. Wright, in addition to beating Holcombe Ward in the championship round, beat both C. Hobart and \V. .A. Lamed in the contest. Hobart and Lamed were both considered to be stronger players. COLONIALS ABEOAD. Brookes, the Victorian, beat H. A. Parker at Dinard for the championship in the semi-final, 7—5,7 — 5, 4—6,4 — 6, 6—2, and yeas then beaten by Hillyard iD the final, 67-2, 2—6, 6—3, 6—o. Hillyard gave Eaves, the holder, a, walk' over in the challenge round, as the latter, owing to a strained muscle, was unable to defend the cup he held for two successive years, and which a third win would have secured to him. Eaves only consented to hold the cup on condition that he was still to defend it for another year. Brookes and Mrs. Hillyard beat Parker and Miss Eastlake in the final of Mixed, 6—2,6 — 2, 6—2.6 — 2. Parker and his partner gave a splendid exhibition in the semifinal, beating Hillyard and Miss Douglass 9— 7, 4—6, 6—4.6 — 4. Parker is spoken of as having delighted the gallery by bringing off a series of extraordinary shots in his unique style, which has, so far, no representative on this side of the water, and which throughout) the tour•nament continued a great attraction. Norman E. Brookes, by winning the South of England Championship ai/ Eastbourne, put the finishing touches to his magnificent record secured during his tour abroad. From 56 others he fought his way through without the loss of a set. Xn the final he met and defeated his old opponent, S. H. Smith, &— 6, 6—4, 6— 'A. This was their fourth encounter in open tournaments, and Brookes had won three times (at Wimbledon, Newcastle, and Eastbourne) to Smith's once (at Edgbaston). The challenge Cup for the Soutn ,of England Championship was presented by the Duke of Devonshire, and is valued at 50 guineas. ' Brookes and Murphy (Australia) also won the doubles, beating E. E. and o.' 6. ' Allen (the twins), 6—l, 6—4, 6—l, in the final. Brookes and Mrs. Hillyard were beaten by A. H. Riseley and Miss Greene in the second round of the mixed, 7—5,7 — 5, 6—3.6 — 3. The winners went out in the final to F. L. Riseley and Miss C. M. Wilson, 4— 6, ' 6—o, 6—2.6 — 2. The Riseley brothers are reckoned to be masters of the mixed doubles game. v At Baden-Baden Championships Wilding got to final, but gave Ball-Greene a walk over. The prizes were divided, The New Zealandei retired owing to indisposition. Wilding and Murray won doubles from Trasenster and 'Ehodes, 10—8, o—6, 6—3, 6—l. Wilding and his partner were beaten by Ball-Greene and partner in thi> semi-final of mixed, 6—3, 6—3. In the Handicap Mixed, Wilding again got to semi-final, but lost it, 6—5, 5—6, 6—2. At Le Tonquet the New Zealander had a field day, and won the championship from Escombe, 6—2, 6—3, 6—o. Simond and Wilding also won the Championship Doubles, and in the Mixed Championship (semi-final) Greville and Mrs. Grcville beat Wilding and Miss Croflon, 6—l, 6—4. Wilding again was in the semi-final of Men's Handicap Doubles, but was beaten, 6—4,6 — 4, 3_6, 6_o. Miss Chaffey, a Christchurch player, is in Wellington just now, and has been showing good form — she will in all probability attend the New Zealand meeting to be held here at Christmas time. A strong team of players are coming from Auckland' for the Ne<v Zealand meeting, and already players from Otago, Canterbury, Taranaki, and Hawkes Bay have arranged for the trip. Misses Dellwood and Nevill, two players who have shown vast improvement of late, will be competitors. So far, fully 50 competitors are likely to attend from other centres. The firm of Alcock and Co. has presented a "Mass" racket for competition at the meeting, and tho firm of G. T. White has presented a trophy, as also has Mr. A. Young. As the expenses of the meeting will be heavy, donations toward the trophy list will be most acceptable. Mr. W. R. Holmes, of Auckland, the President of tho Association, and Mr. (.4. A. Macquarie, of Nelson, one of the Vice-Presidents, have notified that they hope to attend the meeting. The Premier and the Mayor have also accepted invitations. For the most doHcato »kin— Erasmic Co.'s Glycerine and Cucumber Toilet Soap. I ~ AdTt /