LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1915, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS.

OBy FOOTFAULT.) FIXTURES. April 2. .". and s.—Rotorua and Te Aroha Tournaments. A-[Tril 3 and 6.— VarsMy Championships at Remucra Lawns. The heavy rains which fell at the end of last week of course settled all idea of tennis on Saturday. Enthueiasts were naturally disappointed, but 1 feel sure that not oiie of them begrudged the country the welcome rain. 1 had a look a-t some of the lawns last evening, and, judging by the amount of rain that is falling as I am writing, it will take some very fine weather to make the lawns at all decent for play again. Those players wiio have been postponing their matches will now regret that they have done so, ac tennis on a sodden court is never enjoyable.

If the number of inquiries for entry forms for the Rotorua and Te Aroha tournaments is any criterion of the number of entries, then these tourneys should be a great success. I understand that olub secretaries did not receive anything like enough forms. It ie -too late now to get any sent along, as intending competitors must just send a-long their entries by letter. A local enthusiast received a wire from the Rotorua secretary to-day, saying tliat so far no entries had been received, but Jie must have patience —the entries rarely come forward until the last day. I would remind intending competitors that the entries for ie Aroha close with Mr. Palmer, hon. sec. Te Aroha Tennis Club, on Wednesday, 34th. at 5 pju., while Rotorua close with IX Jervis. Box 52. P. 0.. Kotorua, on Friday. -2ttth. at S p.m.

My hopes of the Taranaki match coming off after all wen' raised when I ascertained that Goldsmith and Duthie would be available on Easter Monday. I immediately wrote the eeoretarv of the Taranaki Association, asking whether there waa now any chancp of their team being able to come. I received his reply yesterday morning, which was to the effect that the Taranaki players were very disappointed with tile Auckland Association, as they thought that it could have put in a sufficiently strong team to warrant the trip being made. Thrv consider their ladies well, and with Dickie out, their men. after WaJlacp and Nicholson, would not be more than average. He said it was now too late to do anything as most of the players had made other arrangements.

From what I know of the circumstances, I to see why the Taranaki people should have a grudge against the local association. The first communication received from Taranaki was asking if we would suggest a date for the match. A reply was sent suggesting March 17th. 2f>th."or -27th. The Taranaki secretary replied, stating that none of thetie dates were suitable to their players and asked if Kaster would suit. Inquiries were made, and it was found tlrat neither Duthie nor Ciold Smith would be available at that time. The local secretary conferred with the president, and other members of the local association, and then all agreed that it would not be a fair thing to ask tbe Taranaki players to journey al) the way up here, and then play a. team of weak players. So a reply was .-.ent statins that Kaster was not suitable. It is. undoubtedly, a great pity that the match has fallen through, but I think that the good intentions of the, local association have been misunderstood by the Taranakites! and I hope that the good feclinc which has in the past been very noticeable, will soon be restored.

The bachelors of thp P>emuera Club had arranged to hold an "At Home " last Saturday, but owinj; to the wet weather it had to be postponed indefinitely.

In order to give my readers come idea of how splendidly the tennis players responded to the call of the Empire, I would, ask the secretaries of all the local clubs <to furnish mc with a list of the members who joined the various expeditionary forces, in order that a full list may be published in these columns.