On the Courts

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 83, 4 October 1924, Page 18

On the Courts

AN EARLY START

GRASS COURTS NOT YET READY

SEVERAL CLUBS ALREADY

OPENED.

By "Htjka,"-

Several clubs have made an early start this season, and have already set the ball rolling by way of official openings. Last Saturday 'Varsity, Kelburn, and .Roseneatlr made a commence- I ment in this way, while .to-day Lyall Bay, Muritai, Brougham Hill, Hataitai, and Salamanca are making the seasonal plunge. The Wellington Club's opening will probably be delayed until its four hard-courts are top-dressed with bitumen, and the grass courts at Thorndon are not yet ready for play. It is stated that there are likely to be several new clubs started in and around Wellington this year, and that already several have held, or are holding in the immediate future, meetings to elect club officials and to arrange tournaments. The formation of these new clubs should help to relieve the -waiting-list which almost every city club is handicapped with, and give those people who desire to take part in the game an opportunity to do so without further delay. Following its annual meeting last week the Muritai Club lost no time in getting ready for the opening, which is taking place to-day. Situated within a, few yards of the,best bathing beach around Wellington, with its courts secluded and well, sholtered from the prevailing winds, it would be difficult to find a spot better suited for doveloping this national summer game. ' That the club was able to take iv hand and organise so successfully the East Harbour Hard Court Tournament, last December immediately after linking up with the association, indicates that the members are possessed of the necessary "go"; to properly organise and develop tennis across the harbour. The club is, moreover, in the happy position of being on a very sound financial footing, notwithstanding the fact that, it has recently put down an additional hard courtwhich is being brought into use this season. It is proposed' to hold a Yankee tournament on Labour Day, at which 'Muiatai members will be pleased to welcome members of other affiliated clubs. In common with other clubs there is a strong feeling in favour .of iuterclub matches, particularly, if organised by the association. Failing this. it. is hoped to arrange a series-.of matches at regular intervals throughout the season. Whore ; most clubs are crowdod and have a waiting list, players should bear in mind that there are still a few vacancies in the membership of this club. The argument which has divided tennis players m Wellington f«r some years, regarding the relative-merits of the association "ladder" and iuterclub matches, is likely to bo resuscitated with renewed vigour this season. Tho ladder is mbstly patronised by tlio loading players in the district, but tho iuterclub matches proposal gives players not quito good enough to obtain a footing on the ladder a chance-to improve their game in matchos with players outside their club and in a less public manner. THE MIRAMAR SCHEME. It has been a matter of comment with many enthusiasts; of tennis that of the larger centres Wellington has not done its share of keeping cope with tho largo growth of the game throughout New Zealand. Year after year the school children who have shown that they havo in them the makings of potential champions have been forced to give up tho game as they wero unable to find room in tho various clubs. The association,., as yiati, has never been able to provide for championships, whether provincial or local, the sort of ground and accommodation that adds to the pleasuro as well as to the standard of tennis. Tho sport has always been recognisod as a healthy recreation for people of all ages, but as far as this city is concerned its development has been left in the .main to the players themselves. The Miramar Scheme, however, is an ambitious project to meet tho needs that havo so. long been recognised, and with the help of the general public, to whose credit it will ultimately revolve, the association h6pes''tomako possible the erection of. a recreation 'ground that will provide tennis facilities, .in summer and in winter, for 2000 individuals. It, should bo re-: lnembdl'ed that only the operation of such _ a scheme as this can produce iv sufficient numbers players who are likely to uphold the Anthony Wilding. tradition, for nowadays it 'is the sportsmen rather than the statesmen who reflect glory upon their country, Tho council of the .Wellington Tennis Association has called a special meeting for nest Thursday to consider tho constitution and rules of the association that have been amended to meet tfie requirements of the proposed scheme.. Tho purpose of the meeting is to approve the amended constitution, tho adoption of which hits been recommended by the Management Committee. Under the amended constitution, special provisions have been made in regard to school associations, which will be composed of clubs formed in the various schools. Provision is also made for the demands of junior members on such terms that the playing will be within the limit of their purses. Country members will also find the scheme an excellent one, while all classes of members, with the exception of the junior and school ones, will have the same privilege of introducing friendsas are to be found in various golf clubs. The completion or i even partial completion of the scheme should prove an immense stimulus to the holding of interclub matches. As it is, these are renI dered possible only by the members of the various clubs making personal sacrifices _ during .the week-end holidays. The playing of such, matches in the regular championship manner instead of ,in the curtailed fashion which the present cxi ; gencies of space makes necessary should improve tho game to a- considerable! degree. The main feature of the scheme and the one to which the attention of the general public is chiefly directed is the election of life members. By this means the requisite capital, apart from donations which, as in other good causes, are thankfully received, is being raised. Anyone can become a. life member on payment of" £100, which will give him or her full playing rights for himself or herself and the right to nominate three other persons as playing members.. The sum Of £50 gives full playing rights and the right to nominate one other person) while a life membership can be purchased for the mm of £25. Com- , Pauley -firms, sud bodies corporate may

become life members on payment of the ! sum of £50 or upwards, and such com- ] panics or firms have the right to nomin- ! ate two players as life playing members . for each £50 subscribed. The prospectus recites that a life member at any time can cancel his, her, or its nominations, or any of them, and appoint other nominee or nominees, but any persons so substituted shall not be entitled to play during the then current financial year, except'with the consent of the Management Committee. Life memberships, with full rights aiid benefits, can be transferred with the consent of the Management Committee. Life members and those nominated by life members are entitled to admission to tho ground and club-house and use of the courts for the period during which the association has the lease and com trol of the grounds at Miramar, but in no case beyond the Ist day bf January, 1974.' Upon the holding of tournaments aud matches, over which the association has no control, on the grounds, all members and other nominees may be required to pay the same entrance fees as charged to the' public for admission to the grounds and stands.

Already numerous subscriptions have been arranged for and steps have been taken to make the sums available as soon as the constitution has been adopted. Tenders will then be called for the work and the first section undertaken immediately. The present suggestion for the first section of the scheme (which runs into £20,000, andi will comprise 75 '.'courts and a suitable club house and pavilion laid .out and built cm the twelve acres at Miramar secured by the association) is the erection of a portion of the club house to give ample dressing-room accommodation, showers and conveniences, and the preparation of sixteen grass and sixteen asphalt courts together with fencing, fittings, and fixtures. These courts are to be followed by sixteen bitumen ones. At the meeting on Thursday the present subscribers to the scheme, and any subscribers before that date, will be elected as members. It, is thought that as soon as tho work is under way the inter-club matches can be proceeded with, and to this special attention will be given this'season.

. POSITION OF THE LADDER. The following is the position of the Wellington ladder as it was at the end of last season :—

1, France, L.; 2, France, _.; 3, Swanson; 4, Barkman; 5, Parker; 6, Wheeler; 7, White-Parsous; 8, Salmond; 9, Young, R.; 10, Foden; 11, Smyth; 12, Wilson, N.; 13, Mayo; 14, Hollings; 15, O'Brien; 16, Ward; 17 Melody; 18, Ferkins; 19,. Reeves, E.; 20, Elks; 21, Armstrong. The playing for the ladder will be commenced shortly. During the course of the next week or so it is hoped to make the announcement as to the provincial ranking TOURS THAT DO NOT PAY. ■ It is unfortunate that it has to be admitted that the visit of the Stanford Univorsity team to Australia has resulted in a financial loss to the Commonwealth Association and others interested, especially as such a loss is more than likely to affect future tours both to Australia and to New Zealand. Although the game has progressed in rogard to tho number of those who play, yekpn thp other hand there has been a distinct failure in building up a public who watch the game for the game's sake as is the case in so many other sports. Now Zealand suffers from the saino complaint, and until it is obviated, it cannot be expected that tennis can bo a really successful sport. How to get over tho difficulty is the greatest problem. There are great players in tho Dominion, just as there aro in Australia, England, America, and tho Continent, players who are well w>orth watching on the courts- Tho fault, if such it can bo termed, perhaps lays with the clubs themselves who spend all their enorgics j— and funds—in catering for players, leaving spectators who may be interested but do not play to stand in " outer darkness." These peoplo aro of vital | Importance to the game, quite equal iv ' Value to tho active player, and courts, When special games at any .rate aro in progress, should be made available for 'them to wntch the games being played. Proper accommodation would, of course, be necessary under these conditio, and a gate foe would havo to be charged to Warrant the expenditure on stands that may be required. Even the best of New Zealand's tennis players would blossom out and play their very best beforo a crowd comfortably seated, willing to be amused, anfl prepared to applaud when such was due. Tennis clubs in Now Zealand aro ti...little inclined to be self-cen-tred, to place all their advantages at tho disposal of the player. Tin's is a mistake for two very cogent, reasons. I'irst, an improvement would be quickly seen in the style of most players i'l they frequently performed before a number of critical spectators) and. secondly, where club iiiianco is now a most difficult problem it would be solved by tho regular attendance several times each month of several hundred spectators willing to pay their proportion toward* a very fine and spectacular sport. It is a question \yorthy of consideration by club committees in Wellington and other parts of the Dominion. By creating a tennis-loving public, not as players but as spectators, tours such as that of the Stanford University team would becomoa financial success, and, being so, would do much to improve the style of our players and bring out itennis gonitis which otherwise is likely to remain hidden and latent. PLACING THE CENTRE MARK. With the. coming, in 1924, of standard playing rules all over the world, the placing of the centre mark a universal practice. It is interesting, therefore, to review the steps which led to the adoption of the rule requiring this mark to be placed inside of the base line. By its use.the enforcement of an important part of rule 6 became possible. " Players frequently stood over . into the wrong court,'' says ." American Lawn Tennis," " and even when there was a linesman on the centre line he had difficulty in deciding whether the rule was being violated; ho must depend on his eyes detecting tha exact centre of the base line and then determining whether both feet of thn player wero on the right sidn of that imaginary centre mark. The result was that, as stated, the rule, in that one respect, was a clcafl letter.

The English, Australian, and Now Zealand Associations adopted the centre mark before America, did, and in this they showed superior wisdom. The Australasian rule provided that the centre mark shall be iv front of tho baselino, but the English rule Has exact]v the reverse, the mark being at the back of the line. Revision wa* side-tracked as a result of the war, but in 1918 was carried out successfully, and the centre mark insidfl the baea-line • became uni' versa 1,