Canterbury Enters Wilding Shield

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 21

Canterbury Enters Wilding Shield

Canterbury has entered the contest for the Wilding Shield, the premier trophy amongst New Zealand provincial men’s tennis teams.

The management committee of the CanterjUl?' j wn Tennis Association last evening decided to rescind a previous decision and to enter the competition after receiving a telegram from the chairman of the N.Z.L.T.A.’s management committee (Mr W. Reid).

Mr Reid, in his telegram, expressed concern that Canterbury had not entered a challenge and asked it to reconsider because the decision could jeopardise the future of the competition.

Mr Reid offered to retain Canterbury in the draw until a final decision was made. The Wilding Shield is held by Auckland. The chairman (Mr F. H. C. Johnstone) said that official enries had closed on Sunday. He said that the Wellington player, R. N. Hawkes, was interested in coming to Christchurch if he could find a suitable position. This would make a great deal of difference. However, it was unlikely that Hawkes would be available this year for he still had three university units to pass before qualifying as a lawyer. Mr G. R. Lane asked whether a decision to enter for the shield would make any

difference to the proposed matches against Wellington and Hutt Valley. The committee was considering the Wilding Shield, said Mr R. G. Brown. ~ Financial Aspect Finance was a governing point, said Mr Johnstone. When someone suggested putting it to the players, Mr A. C. Felton said that was a bad policy. “We would have the same schemozzle as last time.” said Mr A. D. Atkinson. The committee was considering tennis not finance, said Mr E. Biddle. The committee would favour entering a challenge if it were not for the financial angle, said Mr Atkinson. It was a case of whether to risk the money or not.

Mr R. P. Murphy said that the committee would be wise to forgo the match this year and show people that it was aware of the financial situation. There were few sponsors in the South Island compared with the North Island, he said, and the New Zealand championships Would not be

held in Canterbury this season. Sponsorship “Why don’t we do something about at and get sponsors?” asked Mr Biddle. The Canterbury championships might be televised this year, said Mr M. C. Healey, and this ould serve as an added source of income. The sponsor could consider the championships worth extra consideration if they were televised and there would be television fees. Mr Atkinson asked the cost of sending a Wilding Shield team to Auckland.

Mr Healey: £BB, the cost of the air fare. Mr Atkinson then moved that a team be sent. The men would be far stronger than the women’s team that had been entered for the Nunneley Casket, apart from Mrs Ruia Davy, said Mr Brown.

Mr A. Hatch, who was not present at the previous meeting, said that he had been amazed at the decision. The four young, home-grown players in line for selection should be given an opportunity or they would be lost to Canterbury and tennis. “Instead we have entered a women's team, greatly dependent on an imported player.” Mr Lane said that when the selectors had recommended that no team be sent they had taken finance into consideration. The committee then rescinded its previous decision. Only Mr Murphy voted against Mr Atkinson’s motion. Raising Funds

Mr Biddle then said that he would guarantee £2O towards the cost of sending the team to Auckland. “It is time we rallied and raised funds,” he said. “We are here to promote tennis.” Mr T. Withers asked whether clubs could help from raffles. Some clubs had not taken part .in the raffle, said Mr J. Taylor. Mr Biddle: Any other volunteers to raise funds? The committee should not be expected to do this sort of thing, said Mr Johnstone. Mr Brown suggested that the committee take the tickets left in the raffle and sell them for the team. He then moved that the committee members and ranked players -e asked to sell raffle tickets, the proceeds to go towards the team’s travelling expenses. This was carried.