LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1218, 29 August 1911, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS.

QUARTERLY COUNCIL MEETING.

DAVIS CUP AND TOURNAMENTS AFFECTED BY IT. The quarterly council meeting of tho New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association was held last evening, Professor T. A. Hunter (Marlborough) presiding. Also present were .Messrs. I). Kccsing (Auckland), P. P. Wilson and F. Grady (Hawke's Bay); H. G. Didslmry and J. C. Peacock (Nelson); A. L. Berry (Otago); C. A. Jeffries (Wanganui); G. A. Hurley, A. G. Henderson (Wellington); and A. J. Pctherick (secretary).

Tho Hawke's Bay Association applied to have the New Zealand championships (1911) played at Hastings. A similar application "was in hand from Otago, asking that tho championships should ho piujt'd at Dmiedin, but a later loiter withdrew the application. Mr. F. Grady moved that tho Hawkes Bay application shonld be granted. It had been the rule to allocate tho championships alternately north and south, and it wa9 the turn of Hawke's Bay.

Messrs. J. C. Peacock and B. Kccsing opposed the motion, the latter remarking (fiat it was impossible to grant tho application at the present time, although. Hawke's Bay undoubtedly had a claim. The Hawke's Bay Association might ho informed that its' claim would bo met ik the next opportunity. Tho motion was lost.

There was a motion on the order paper, of which notice had been given by Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, setting forth that, owing to the holding of the Davis Cup competition in New Zealand, it was desirable that the New Zealand championships should bo played under changed conditions. Mr. Fisher therefore proposed that the Davis Cup competition should bo played on December 2G, 28, and 30, and tho New Zealand championships on December 25, 27, and 29; further, that tho four players remaining iu (he New Zealand championships on tho third day and tho four Davis Cup competitors shonld play off for the championship of New Zealand on New Tear's Day and the day following if necessary. Mr. Fisher dil not attend tho meeting, but. forwarded a request that his resolution should Iki withdrawn.

When a motion to this effect was proposed, Mr. G. A. Hurley moved as an amendment to Mr. Fisher's motion that an invitation singles tournament should be played if possible on the morning of January 1 and on January 2, and that details should be left to tho Management Committee. The New Zealand championships, ho said, should lie played out to the final, determining in tho ordinary way who was tho champion player in New Zealand, and all the other championships similarly. They had the chnnco of a lifetime to get players from outside to como and play in friendly struggles with New Zealand players. The tournament would cost only about 20 guineas, and this should .be covered by "gales." Tho available Davis Cup players fehoulrl bo invited, and the remaining players should be invited on the vote of competitors in th? championship singles.

Mr. J. C. Peacock (Nelson) said it would 1)0 useless to arrange tho tournament until it hud been ascertained whether the Davis Cup competitors would play or not. Otherwise it would bo a caso of baring tho Now Zealand championships over again. Tho method of selection ' proposed by Mr. Hurley was unsatisfactory. Ho considered that tho tournament, if arranged at all, should bo an open one.

Mr. Hurley said time would not permit of this being done. Mr. Wils in suggested that a triangular contest might be playol between Davis Cup, Australian and New Zealand players. Tinder Mr. Hurley's schemo no New Zoalanders might lie 6clectcd at all, for jiossibly the whole vote might go to Australians. Mr. B. Kecsing suggested that the invitation tourney might be played at another centre than Cliristchurch, possibly Wellington. Professor Hunter said he would prefer 'that tho selection of players should bo left to'a competent' committee. It seemed to him a very, risky scheme, if the, tournament were'to be played at Christchurch after the Davis Cup. 'It would be more likely succeed in another centre. 'In any caW it Would be inadvi'sablo to attempt to come to a decision then. Ho advised that tho proposal should "bo withdrawn in the meantime. Mr. Hurley explained that ho desired to have the. resolution carried in order to mako the tourney a definite fixture if possible. . All details could bo arranged later. This tentative proposal was thereupon adopted. Mr. Kecsing proposed that tho invitation tourney should bo played at Wellington. , The proposal was rejected. A motion, of which notice had been given by the Canterbury Association, proposing . that the Davis Cup competition and the ,Now Zealand championships should be played in different cities, was withdrawn. The position now is that the Davis Cup competition is to bo played at Christchurch on December 2!) and 30, 1911, and January 1, 1912. Tho New Zealand championships are to bo played in the sanio city on December 20, 27, and 28, 1911. The chairman announced that the Management. Committeo had arranged that a team of Australian ladies should visit New Zealand and play a match before or after tho Davis Cup on a date not yet fixed. The chairman slated that tho association's delegate to the English Lawn Tennis Association was usually appointed at' the annual meeting in October. It appeared that unless the appointment was notified in England before October 10 it' would not take etfcol. . Tho matter was referred to the Management' Committee.