Lawn Tennis

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 72, 22 September 1906, Page 14

Lawn Tennis

[Bx Huka.] The Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association's annual report asks clubs to send delegates who will take an active interest in tho affairs of the association generally. It would seem that in the past delegates have not attended meetings regularly, or it they did attend left immediately their own particular affairs were settled. When a club elects a delegate he should attend all meetings if possible, as noD-attendance is something in the nature of a breach of trust. The proposal of the association to have a management committee is a good one, provided that active men, with a knowledge of business transactions, are elected to the position. There is every leacoa to believ* that with a good committeo the association will stimulate interest in the sport in Wellington. There is plenty of material available. Following is a lisb of new clubs forming or lately formed : —Foxton, Island Bay, Kdbirnie, Worser Bay, V.M.C.A., St. John's, Marist Brothers', Oroua (near Feilding), and several others not yet named The Wellington association is in a good financial position, and it will possibly make a big effort to secure grounds on which to play the inter-club matches. This Petone Club is badly in need of players, and rather than see that club die out, and its four courts (two grass and two asphalt) lost for the sport, town players should rally round and assist in increasing the membership. In a few years to come there will bo more tennis players in Petone than the courts there can accommodate, and every effort should be made to retain those courts. The association might with advantage move in the matter. In England, America, and on the Continent all the leading associations and clubs ar* now working hard to encouTage the school children to play lawn tennis, and the local association should not be behind the times. A year of slackness will ruin all the good that may have beeD done in the past, and the time is ripe for the association to see that a Public Schools Association becomes an established fact, and* also that an annual tournament, in addition to inter-school .matches, is played. The New Zealand Association holds its twentieth annual meeting at an early date. During the season eighteen tournament programmes were approved, and on the "whole it can be jaid that ths &port has shown advancement in all parts of the colony. Yet thore are plenty of n on- affiliated clubs to be fouSd in nearly ail tho provinces, an/ 5 the hon. secretaries of associations should make an extra effort this year to gather them all ie It would appear that tho association is likely to nave a lively timo with the Australasian Lawn Tennis Association, as in spite of the information received by the New Zealand Association from its delegate, in Sydney, that the amended rules of the "Mars Buckley" teams' competition would in every way 6atisly New Zealand the rules have been amended and adopted by the Australasian Association, with tho result that the first competition will be held in* Melbourne durrag the month of November. That is what the New Zealand body has been fighting against, and it will be interesting to see if that body has enough determination to adhere to its almost stated intention of resigning from the „ Australasian Association. Should it resi^n, it is considered by many that it will bo doing the correct thing, as it is contended that federation with Australia, is out of the question ; the interests of this colony, it is said, havo not been given tbe least consideration by the 1 Australian bodies. The Australasian body has just lately given a decision, without any notice of motion to New Zealand, regarding the qualification of players. On the 20th September, 19Uo, it was decided, at a meeting of the Australasian Association, "that the qualification of players in inter-State or intercolonial matches 6hall bo birth or twelve months' residence in any State or colony," but at a meeting held on the 10th September, 1906, it wrs decided "that H. A. Parker will be qualified by residence to represent New South Wales from and after 7th November next." Parker will not have tho necessary twelve months' residence in New South Wales until tho end of February, 1907. It would seem that tho Australasian Association does not knowits decisions of the past ; if it does, then the least it could have done would have been to advise the colony that has the only legal claim to Parker at _ present of its intention to alter tho standing rule in reference to the qualification of players. This latest decision is likely to cause trouble between the two associations. The result of the two leading Sydney clubs, Carlton v. Balmoral, in the singles contest is as follows (Carlton being mentioned first in each case) : — Pockley v. Parker 4—6,4 — 6, 6—5; Wright v. Kidston, 6_2, 6—4; Doust v. Rice, 3—6, 6—2; Goddard v. Bowker, 6—4,6 — 4, 6—2. Carlton. won by 6 sets, 43 games to 2 6ets, 31 games. The Carlton Club is almost certain now to v,in the championship. G. W. Halyard beat W. V. Evans in the final of the Northumberland Championship after a. great game, 7—5,7 — 5, I—6,1 — 6, 6—3.6 — 3. Eaves had previously beaten S. H. Smith in semi-final, B—6,8 — 6, 7—5,7 — 5, although j the loser led 5—3 in the first set. Miss May Sutton won the ladies' championship, easily beaiing Miss H. Aitchison in final, 6—2, 6—l. Hillyard and Eaves won doubles championship from Widdas Brothers, 6—l, 6—l, 7—5. Miss Sutton and Hillyard won combined championship from Miss H. Aitchison and Laws, b_o, 6—4. -i. F. Wilding, the New Zealander, won the South of England championship at Eastbourne, and holds the 50 guinea, challenge cup presente' 1 by the Dukeof Devonshire. N. E. Brookes, the Victorian player, secured this event last season. Wilding has been in a great winning vein this season, aud out of 23 entries has secured 18 wins.