THE DAVIS CUP.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14238, 29 December 1911, Page 6

THE DAVIS CUP.

What Dr. Poidevin, of Sydney, has termed "tho lawn tennis enthusiasm of "at least four continents" will be concentrated in this city for the next few days. The Davis Cup contest, which, if the weather shows a little mercy, will commence to-day at Lancaster Park, is by far the, most important athletic event that lias ever been held in Christchurch, or, indeed, in New Zealand. Our cricket matches against visiting teams are affairs that interest only a few people in Australia or the Old Country. If a football team comes from England, its doings are followed by peoplo in New South Wales and Great Britain. But tlie Davis Cup contest is tho champidnship of the tennis world, and that world is very large. Tennis, is now probably the most widely played of all outdoor games. Cricket is confined to English-speaking communities, and in two of these it is played very little, s. But tennis, besides being played in the United States.and Canada to a much greater extent than cricket, has spread over tho larger part of Eutopo. Teams from the Continent have challenged for tho Cup without success, but European, tennis is improving rapidly, and tho day may come when Belgium, or Germany, or France, will win the trophy. The eyes of tho whole tennis world are on Christchurch now, and peoplo here may think themselves very lucky that they have an opportunity of seeing the very best players in action under the best stimulus to good play. It is a privilege that they cannot enjoy again for very many years to come. The players on both sides have electrified spectators by their brilliant play in the New Zealand Championship tournament, but the best is yet to be. The two sides have yet to meet, to strike finer fire from tho clash of the highest types of skill. All indications point to a series of matches such as most of those who witness them will never sco again, and we hope the attendance and tho enthusiasm will bo in keeping with tho entertainment provided. Interest in the caucus of North Island Government members to be held to-day in Wellington, will largely centre in the attitude adopted by the Independent members, Messrs Coates (Kaipara) and Rhodes (Thames). For the Independent membor who attends a Government caucus, at which tho party's prospects and future course of action are discussed, at once abandons any pretence of independence, and becomes a recognised follower of iho Government. It will bo noted, m this connection, that Mr Atmore, tho Independent member for Nelson, was not invited to attend yesterday's gathering. Mr Isitt was, presumably, invited, for his name appears in tho list of thoso present. Of tho two North Island Independents, Mr Coates has announced that he will support Sir Joseph Ward for a year, if the Prime Minister retains office, otherwise he will bo strictly independent. Mr Rhodes's independence is qualified by no condition. The adhesion of both of these members would not, of course, give Sir Joseph Ward a majority, but it would define their position in Parliament. Their absence from to-day's caucus would, on tho other hand, make Sir Joseph's position even more awkward than it is at present. One of the most remarkable of interprovincial cricket matches ended yesterday in a, victory for Canterbury by three wickets. To win after one's opponents have made 300 in their first innings is always a good performance, but there were circumstances attending this particular win which mado it unusually meritorious. Otago, at one stage, had over 200 runs on for only two wickets, and with the weather behaving ia its present extraordinary fashion, Canterbury's chances looked poor indeed. The game see-sawed in a remarkable way. A short precis of the match might read thus: Otago, fino batting—collapse. Canterbury, collapse — fine recovery. Otago, collapse. Canterbury, victory in sights—partial collapse—victory. At the end, when the gam© seemed over, a sudden turn of Fortrme's wheel put Canterbury in th) position of having to fight hard for the-

few runs wanted. It was a memorable game, and the Canterbury team are to be warmly congratulated on the splendid uphill battle they fought. In view of tho form shown, Auckland's attack on tho Plunket Shield will be awaited with as much confidence as wise cricketers permit themselves to feel. Tho lesson of Saturday afternoon, wo feel sure, will not be lost, on the selector, and never again, in his time, will Canterbury take the field with so small a contingent of bowlers. The gathering at Tai Tapu last night at which Mr R. Hoaton Rhodes was entertained by his constituents, was a well-merited tribute to tho most popular member of the House. Ellesmero is. indeed, fortunate in its representative, and tho electors in tho district have, to their credit, shown their appreciation of Mr Rhodes's political services and personal worth at five successive elections. Tho relations between the member and his constituents have always seemed to be of the happiest nature, and their mutual trust and confidence grow stronger as time passes. Wo could wish, with Mr James Allen, that Parliament held more men of the same typo as M. Rhodes; political life would be pleasantcr for their presence, and there would be less of that class prejudice which occupies such an unworthily prominent place in tho political relations of various sections of the community.

A strong partisan address would, of course, havo been out of place on such an occasion, but no exception could bo taken to Mr James Allen's brief reference to party politics. The country, we believe,, is on tho verge of a chango of administration, and we are confident that when it has taken place, and the new Government has had a fair trial, the electors will recognise that, as Mr Allen said, the preparation that the members of tho Reform party underwent while in Opposition, fitted them for tho wider duties of administration. One of the most beneficial results of the Reform party coming into power would, in our opinion, be tho upsetting of preconceived and unfounded ideas as to the nature of their administration. As the result of what Mr Allen termed tho cruel and 'wrongful cultivation of feelings of distrust— a course of action that has been pursued for years and years, with, all the arts of misrepresentation and innuendo that malicious ingenuity could employ— there has been created in- many minds a belief that tho return to power of tho Reform Party would be synonymous with placing New Zealand, and particularly the workers, under the heel of a cruel and grinding plutpcracy. The idea is grotesquely absurd, but the only thing that will uproot it from prejudiced minds is a period of Reform administration, such as is doubtless coming. It will bo 6een then that the aim of the party is to knit together all classes in ono common interest —tho welfare and prosperity of New Zealand, a worthier object, surely, than the creation of class prejudice for the sake of retaining office.

Tli© suggestion which seems to have been made rather freely at yesterday's caucus, that Sir James Carroll, Mr R. McKenzie, and Mr Buddo should be retired from the Cabinet, indicates tho pleasing possibilities that are now floating before the eyes of a number of faithful followers of Sir Joseph Ward. In tho ovent of reconstruction taking place, there would, however, be a tolerably insistent demand from tho North that it should be better represented in the Cabinet than in tho past, and this factor must bo taken into full consideration by Canterbury members who are— wondering how Mr Buddo's boots would fit them. The idea that the Canterbury members "would have to fight out among themselves tho question of who was to go into the Ministry," suggests a method of Cabi-net-making that is quite new, and also quite Wardian, in its expression of a strong desire to evade personal responsibility in coming to a decision which would inevitable annoy more than it pleased. We shall see what wo shall see; in the mean time merely to doscribe tho situation as highly in-, teresting, is to ignore its decidedly amusing side-