LAWN TENNIS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17944, 12 December 1923, Page 13

LAWN TENNIS.

CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION

MEETING OF DELEGATES

Iha delegates to tho Canterbury Lawn icc!i;3 Association met last evening, Mr -S". Seay presiding over ii good attsnd<U!CC. Mr Seay was upon his appointment as president of the Kow Zealand 1 Association.

It v.as decided to writo '.o iir Y,\ Goas congratulating jbiui on his appointment as tolo selector for tho ISew Zealand team.

Tho secretary reported that ihero hid teen soma difficulty '.vith regard to the Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield matches, but after arrangement the Wellington challenge stood and would take placo on January Ist, and £cd, if the JSc.v Zealand eha=m-tji«nahij.-a were finished by thai time.

Correspondence,

The Gtago Association wrote a3king if February Uth would be a suitable date for the Otago-Canterbury match. 'fno eecretaiy said that tho Match Committer had approved of tho date. Tho Aahburton Club \vroto asking for a. oopy of the Association's rules, as the club v.-as contemplating forming a Bub-associa-tion, and asking lor information concerning? finance.

The oecretary eaid ho had supplied tho information desired, and his action was approved.

Tho application of tho Waikaii Club for affiliation to tho Association was granted.

The Davis Cup.

The report of tho Management. Committee of tbc Kern Zealand Lawn Tennia Aaaooia-L-lon included tho following; clause: "After consideration, it was resolved that this AflBocia.t_i.on ehall challenge for tho Daviß Cup, and ihall apply to bo admitted to tho Euro-tH-au so no for tho 19'2-t competition." The chairman oaid tho matter should iiui'o been referred to tho Associations for consideration, a3 it y.as a moat important one.

Mr I'. TJ. Hartnan said the Association '•'•■ aa certainly entitled to be considered in suck a proposal. 110 moved that a letter ho written to tho New Zealand Association asking the reason *hat New Zealand, was to bo placed in tho European sons, and that full particulars of any such proposal bo sent to all tho major Associations for their consideration.

Mr Peacock seconded tho motion, which wa3 carried.

In roply to a question, the chairman said that Mr W. Gosa had been appointed sold selector for New Zealand teams and hud heen asked to pick a team of ten mejjj presumably for practice against the New South Wales team, and not for the Davis Cup. N.S.W. Team's Itinerary,

Iho itinerary arranged for tha New South "\Vile3 team was received. Tho team arrived in Auckland yesterday, and will play that province to-morrow 13th). Matched will he played on December 15th against Torannki, and on December 18th against "Wanganui. Tho team will play tho tcet match against New Zealand in Christchurch on December 26th and 27th* and than compete in tho New Zealand championships immediately following:. They will leave Christchurch on January Srd, and play Otago on January sth and Wellington on January 9th and 10th. As the date of tho test mat oh c hushes with tho New Zealand championships, commencing on December 26th, wafl considerable discussion -on tho itinerary as drawn no.

Tho chairman said the Match Committee had cxprcsaod strong disapproval at tho clashing of date?, and had resolved to protest to tho N<Sw Zealand Association, Mr H&rman »aid that it was unfair to ask players who had prospects of winning a New Zealand chamjfonflhip to play in. the test match, as it would seriously jeopardise their chtmcea of winning Mr M. K. Lyons moved that iho action of the Match Committee he approved, and that the Asaociation write expressing strong disapproval of the arrangement® made. Mr R. Browning said tha Asaociation waa Barely not -going to support .arrangamei)U> which necessitated test and New JSeal&nd championehip matohca at the atme time. He agreed that it waa too late to maJco a eijon(j protest, but ho thought that spy protest should bo unanimous. Tho fust that no mention of a match ag&itiof Canterbury had been mentioned wis enough to call lor strong disapproval. Tho chairman: The Match CommittM thought tho itinerary tho moot abßurd thing OTor drawn up. Tho motion waa carried unanimously.

Wilding Park.

Tho chairman announced that tie fourteen, courts at Wilding Pari were going ahoa/j and hud received » seoond coat of tar. By January Slat they would bo ready tor top-dressing and he believed they would bo first-class courts. The ground waa being grubbed and cleaned. The netting about tho oourts had also been attended to. Mr Browning reported that tho Collecting Committee had felt some disappointment at the way money had been ooming in and they were looking to other methods to raise funds. Tho committee h*d resolved to hold a big art union and ft cub-committee had gone into tho matter very fully. It had been decided to issue 10,000 tickets at ono shilling -each and to alloc®to £225 for the purchasing of gold aa prizes. Permission had been obtained fr6m the Minister of Internal Affairs, 'the art union would be drawn on April 29th. Mr E. J. Taylor, treasurer of th.e Wilding Park fund, reported that £3125 had been promised and that they required only £75 more to he able to make ueo of the £3OO offered by Mr .T. H. Kirk. Tho reports were adopted.

Coaching Proposition,

Tho eubject of coaches ior tenuis playera W&3 introduced by tho secretary, who read u letter from.' Mr T. It. Quill regarding obtaining coaches from England. 'lhe chairman daid tho subject had been before the Association lor three or four years. l'hero was no doubt that tho timo had conio for having a ooach. to carry tfc „tr players further when they had reaoh•a a certain stago.

Mr Quid said his letter had been a result oi soma conversation- ho had in England with Admiral Sykes, who too.k a great interest in tho Queen's Club. Admiral Sykes waa interested in everything concerning New Zealand. When told that New Zealand had no professional coaches

[Admiral Syi;e» had pointed out that _ tho eystcm of i>rofeseional coaching in England had been euch a success that it had parsed tho experimental stage. Mr Quill gave instances showing how tho coaching waa out. There wow ten professional coaches attached to the club with eight or ten ball bove, who were in attendance all day and; became the coaches of tho future. Tho boys attended first by throwing up balls to players and later, if they showed promise, became junior professionals. The eystem of charging waa regulated according to tho standing ci the professional. Tho two eeniora charged 3s a lesson of one and a-half hours. charges were made according to seniority ranging to sixpence an hour. Admiral Sykes had one man in mind named

(Continued at foot of nest column.)

Cult?, a young man who was anxious fo come to Now Zeiuuid and would conform to rules and regulations hero. Ono of thu best, supporters of professional coaching, continued Mr Quill, waa the late Anthony Wilding, who whenever ho was in doubt regarding a stroke, ulwayß consulted a coach. Cutts mighl not beooino the best player in Now Zealand, but would possibly bo eo. TJie difficulty was one of finance, and if they approved- of tho appointment, they might refer the matter to the Match Committee. He did not think that any such definite offer a« they had received had -ever been made beforo. In reply to a question, Mr Quill said that the eamingß of tho professional would be not leS3 than £3OO a year. Several speakers endorsed tho remarks of Mr Quill, and it waa unanimously decided to refer tho matter to tho Match Committee with the name of Mr Quiil added, for £Ufly consideration and report.

N.S. WALES V. NEW ZEALANDMr Wiu. Go3s liaa been appointed solo selector of the New Zealand lawn tennis team in connexion with the test matches against New South Vi ales, to be played on ths United Club's courts on Boxing Bay.

ARRIVAL OF VISITORS

vi'asas Associii.ojf nuxoHAM.)

December 11. The New Souia Viaies icnou temii, c->n-eiatmg o: t. i'each Jordan, K. J. G. i.x. j.«.e.d, ana W. U. i'lse, artivca oy mc jttai-aiua. J>i:: Ht. xj. Alciity, manager, saiel thj Waal was isoua aiid. v.ry <. veil. -Mr I'uica aaid no was ilij otjy member whj hs3 previously v.sited the b.m n.oa. Ttuve mm l.ji- G.aU iairiy c.ifcru Amun;; ihv players tticro \vts most promisiug material, wcica would ocvc!op as tUc tour i.ri.greaicd. Speaking ol the gams geauraily in New South \Ya.ea, Mi: Fv.eu said tcuus never had been inorj popular. The ciubj m byancy ulone hu,d thousands of active ors , incluair&omo very promise material. The hard court associations were particularly' 6tron ~> and Icnms was iccruisic-; colls from tho hard courts and country. About fifteen hundred country players •ftero expected in fc_, oney at Christmas, when toun'.amecls and matches with metropolitan tesmi> would continue ovcx ten days.

Vaipawa, and Mrs W . H. Gumbleton, of Christchureh.

MR T. D C.N CAN

Advico has been received thai Mr T. Duncan, fourth son of the late Mr Ihincan, of the iirin of Dune;'n, Cotterrill and Martin, of Christehurcb. died at Mangaia. Cook Islands. on November I'-ith. of heart disease. _ The late Mr Duncan, v. ho was associated with Messrs Duncan, Coiierill and Martin during his father's life-time, had been in residence at the Cook Islands for ton vears. lie was first ax Aitutaki, and later at Mangaia. He wns expected to arrive back in New Zealand by the Wanaka, in ordet -O attend his daughter's wedding, which takes place next week. Mr Duncan ■was interested in island trade, and m a recent letter he stated that- he trying to further a new fibre industry. He leaves a widow, a son. Mr R. Duncan, of the North Island, anu daughter, _Miss R. Duncan.

.MR BENJAMIN lIAWKIN 5

At the age of. SI years, Mr Benjamin Hawkins, 'who had been a P°P U ~ Jar resident of Leeston for the his • fortv vears. passed away on Saturday ni-ht/ The late Mr Hawkins was formerly employed by. Mr falter Spring, one of the early proprietors of the Lecston Hotel, and also took servicewith several succeeding licensees. -Ho was, perhaps, better known as a varunian at the Lees ton Saleyards, whero for many years he came into tonewith fanners throughout tho district. Ho was well liked and respected by all who know him. Tho funeral toon place on Monday, and was conducte by tho Rev. Dr. Hollowav.

Mr Alex. Jamc-s McGowan, who died on Friday in Auckland, was for many years in tho Land and Income lax Department m "Wellington, and i\as transferred thenco to take cliaxgo o tho .Valuation Department in Auck land. He had retired oil superannuation for some live years, at y'Q im of his death. Tho late Air Mcbowa* was born in the Shetlands, and came out to tho Dominion as a boy. Tho death is announced at Auckland of Mr "William Jones Smith, aged W, who was tho first general manager o the Auckland provincial .railways. no arrived at Auckland 55 years ago. owned tho iirat reaper and binder m tho Waikato when, the Auckland to Onehunga railway lino was constructed, he was appointed general manager, holding the position until the general Government took tho railways oyei. At tho opening of tho Pukekoho lino recently, Mr Massey referred to Air Smith as tho oldest railway servant m New Zealand then alive.