LAWN TENNIS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 299, 14 September 1936, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS

Three Wellington Clubs Open Season OFFICIAL CEREMONIES ... . .... . . . Three clubs affiliated io the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association officially opened their 1936-37 season on Saturday afternoon. They weje Wellington, Newtown and Miramar clubs. The afternoon was fine, but marred by a strong wintj. Wellington Club. The Wellington club’s opening ceremony was performed' by the president, Dr. Slater. Welcoming new members and visitors,; and mentioning particularly Miss K. Nunneley, who never failed to attend, the club openings, Dr. Slater said the past season had been a most-success-ful one, financially and from the sporting view. The. club had dope remarkably well In the inter-club-matches, and many of ite member*, especially D.'C. Coombe. who had reached the. semi-final , of-the New Zealand championship men’s singles, had achieved distinction in open tournaments in Wellington and elsewhere, He congratulated also Miss F. Fernie and E. A. Roussell on winning the club championship; the former for the fourth sueceseive yeagAand .the l,attpr for the sixth successive yedr. The dub committee; he said, bad kept steadily ip view tlje erection of a new and up-to-date pavilion. In this connection Mr, L. Wise had put in a great deal, of time 1 and thought, and had brought-for-ward a scheme for raising the £300,. estimated to be required, by 60 debentures of £5 each, bearing interest'at 5 per cent. It. behoved club members,>as. far as. they possibly could, to take up .these debentures. If they did so, then there was every likelihood of the pavilion bt|ing ready for the next Season's Opening! * Dr. Slater then called on Miss K. Nonneley tb serve the first ball oyer the net' This'was the only time, he said humorously, that Miss Nunneley now played tennis. Miss'Nunneley showed that she has lost none of her old skill in. serving, the two balls she served being real beauties. The prizes won last season in the yjarious club events were next presented by Mrs. Slater as follows Championships: —Men’s singles, E. A. Roussell; women’s singles, Miss F. Fernie;- men's doubles, G. A. Pearce and M. Gifford-Moore; women’s' doubles, Misses K. Dennahy and N. Tucker; mixed doubles, E. A. Roussell and Miss F. Fernie, Handicap events! Men’s singles, D. C. Coombe; women's single®, Miss A. Heard i men's doubles, A, Shaw’and F. C. Fears; women's doubles, Misses A- Heard and L. McGregor; mixed doubles, N. Peterson and Miss F. Fernie; Boyes Cup for most improved woman player, Miss Jean Mattersbn* General satisfaction was expressed- by members at the satisfactory solution of the recent difficulty encountered in the filling of a vacancy on the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association management committee. The management committee last Friday offered a representative from the Wellington club a seat on the management committee. Representative® of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association management committee, as well ao the secretary of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association (Mr. H. N. Burns) were among the large number present. Newtown Club. More than 100 players and visitors among them being representatives of the Wellington Lawn Tenn:® Association, were present for the "opening of the Newtown club’s season. The ceremony was* performed by Mr! W. Morgan, a vice-president, who was introduced by Mr. L. H. Pollock, chairman of the club management committee.- ■ Mr.. Morgan stated. thaA. the club had been in existence 38 years, 26 of them on the present site. The present. members owed a great deal to the foundation members who had literally dug the courts out of the side of a -bill, doing the work, and bearing the expense themselves. Mr. Morgan wished the club future success and then served the first ball over the net. In the evening a dinner and a dance were held in the pavilion- in the association grounds at Miramar, when the prizes won last season in the club events were presented by Mr. F. H. Watley, a vicepres'dent, as follows:—Championships: Men’s singles, T. F. Lyons; women’s singles, Miss I. Small; men’s doubles, P. A. Joblin and T. F. Lyons; women’: doubles, Mrs. P. A. Joblin and Miss J. Highet; mixed doubles, K. W. Dyer and Mrs. P. A. Joblin. Handicap events: Men’s singles, T. F. Lyons; women's singles, Miss I. Small; men’s doubles, E. J. Scotland and K. W. Dyer; womens doubles, Misses I. Small and M. Whisker; mixed doubles, K. W. Dyer and Mrs. P. A. Joblin. Robert McKeen Cup. for most wins in inter-club matches, K. W. Dyer and A. Ashby, equal. A cup has also been presented by Mr. F. H. Watley for mixed doubles competition. Miramar Club. Well over 100 members and visitors, including nearly every member of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association management committee, attended the opening of the Miramar club. Mr. A. W. Cooper, club captain, introduced Mr. G. O. Bell, the club president. who performed the opening ceremony? Mr. Bell urged players to be loyal to their club and to support the game of tennis ne much as they possibly could. He referred also to the great loss to the club by the death of its first president, the late Mr. A. Townsend. Mr. J. L. Mac Duff, chairman, of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association, ad dressed the gathering and complimented the club on its successes of the past season and praised the keenness of its members and their loyalty to the association. It would be the nim of the management committee to serve the best interests of tennis in Wellington as a whole. That aim could only be achieved by the loyal co-operation of all tennis players of all clubs. Mrs. Bell served the first ball over the net. > Tn the evening the club gave a dance. It was stated that Mr. G. A. Morris had donated a cup for junior nlay, and Mrs. A. Townsend had presented a memorial cup. in memory of Mr. A. Townsend, the club's first president, for competition CLUBS’ ANNUAL MEETINGS An increase in membership and an improved standard of play was reported by Mr. F. L. Hister, who presided, at the annual meeting of the Broadway Tennis Club, in the Miramar South School last week. The financial position, he said, was sound. The election of officers resulted as follows: —President. Mr. F. L. Histed; vicepresidents. Messrs. J. L. Forrester, C. Donnell, F. M. Thomson. H. J. Tomlinson, J. Reid, and S. Forrester; club captain. Mr. W. Pakes; hon. secretary. Sir. R. A. Browne; hon. treasurer, Mr, A, O. Aitken; hon, auditor, Mr. C. Donnell • committee, Mesdames M. Leonard, E Minifie, V. Hawker, Messrs. A. McLean. C. Kaywood, and A. Minifie; selection Committee, Messrs. U. P, Calcinai, A. 0. Aitken, and A. Minifie. Wellesley Club. The president of the Wellesley Tenuis Club, Mr. S. Fernandez, at the annual meeting of the club, expressed regret that the secretary, Mr. Wilson, and last year’s club captain, had resigned their positions Both, he said, had served the club well in their respective positions. The election of officers resulted as follows :—Patron, Mr. W. P. Walker; president, Mr, S. V, Fernandez; vice-presi-dents, Messrs. G. Gore, W. G. Harrison. W. J. Melody. W. J. Stevens, and L. T. Donovan; club captain, Mr, Geo. Gooch: hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. Mitchell; committee, Mrs. G. Gooch. Miss F. Smith, Miss S. Garshook, Messrs.

Hume, Sinclair, and Craighead; bon. auditor, Mr. Ivan Mackersey; delegates to W.L.T.A., Messrs. Fernandez and Fraser. It was decided officially to open the courts on September 19. Bible Class Union Much enthusiasm was displayed at the annual meeting of the Methodist Bible Class Union Tennis Club, held in the Taranaki Street Bible Claes rooms on Thursday, when the president, Mr. W. E. Howe, presided over an attendance of 32 members. 5 ... The annual report was adopted with out diesent. It was deluded to retain affiliation with the Lawn Tennis League. Officers were elected as follows: Patron, Rev. P. Paris; president, Mr. W. E Howe (re-elected); vice-presidents. Mrs. 0. E. Burton, Rev. J. Richards. Miss E. Paul (ex-officio), Mr. E. L. Howe; captain, Mr. C. N. Smith (re-elected); vice captain, Mw L. Young (re-elected) ; secretary, Mr. R. Gaunt ad (re-elected); treasurer. Mr. T. Lewis (re-elected) ; committee, Miss D. Plumridge. Mr. D. 0. Walker Mr. Ray Richards; auditor. Mr. .1. H. Gaustad (re-elected). The official opening of the season was set down for October 3. While playing near his home at 112 Washington Avenue on Saturday morning. Francis Sangster. a child aged 7 years, fell and fractured his right arm. He was taken to hospital by the Free Ambulance.