LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 55, 6 March 1915, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

(By "Huka.") ♦ ■ ■■

INTER-CLUB MATCHES. Last Saturday, at the Day's Bay Courts, the Brougham Hill senior men's team had the championship within their grasp, but their opponents — the Victoria College team — sprang a surprise, and won by a single set. The losing team had an advantage of seven games, but the loss of a_ set by their first doubles pair was their undoing. Now Wellington, Victoria College, and Brougham Hill are equal, and in the try out the first-named club appears to have a slight advantage. Cleghorn (for the winners) and Butcher (for the losers) were the stars of the day. Both played well ; in fact, each gave his best display so far this season. It can hardly be said that the teams were arranged in order of merit, as far as actual playing strength is concerned. The arrangement was as follows: — Cleghorn, Henderson, Atmore, Foden. Atmore should have been number two. In the losing team the order was Keeves, Butcher, Kean, Warsaw. Butcher should have changed places with Reeves. Brougham Hill might have pulled the match out of the fire had their doubles been split up, Kean taking Reeves's place in the first double. Reeves, with Warsaw, might have captured the second double. Cleghorn beat Reeves 6-2, 6-5, the winner showing his best form of this season. On the other hand, Reeves was somewhat off colour. The loser can do better. Butcher never gave Henderson a look in; he played brilliant tennis. Atmore had Kean sorely pressed. The latter looked a winner at one stage, but suddenly faded clean out. It is fairly safe to say that he was not in his usual form. Warsaw had a good win from Foden. _ The latter played pluckily to the finish. In the doubles, Butcher and Reeves took the first set from Cleghorn and Foden, but lost the second set. They won the last set — 6-2— but the damage was done. Henderson and Atmore played well together, yet with some luck, and beat Kean and Warsaw, 6-3, 6-3. The courts were not fit to play serious tennis on. If something is not done to I them right away, it would be absolutely absurd to play the provincial championships at_ Day's Bay. The officials of the Association cannot afford to take risks in this matter. Better to cancel the meet- I ln ? *^. an k°Jd it on a rough paddock. In the senior ladies' contest. Brougham Hill won from Victoria College easily. Miss Davis was too good for Miss Wilson. The surprise of the match was the j defeat of Mrs. Goldie by Miss Sievi wright. The latter plays a nice free game, and catching the Brougham Hill player off colour," won on the post. Miss Sievwright took the first set, 6-2, but lost the next, 6-0. In the last set it was "five all," and the Victoria College I player just got home. It was a good win, and should encourage her to try to | improve still further. Miss Davis and Mrs. Goldie beat Misses Wilson and Sievwright, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. After "set all," there was_ only one pair in it. Mrs. Howe easily beat Miss Cooke, and Miss Morgan did likewise with Miss Mason. Mrs. Howe and Mias Morgan also had a comfortable victory from Misses Cooke and Mason in the doubles. Brougham Hill now leads, but has to meet Wellington— possibly before these notes appear. If Wellington wins, it means a play off. Brougham Hill won in the first round from Wellington, but the latter team is now strengthened by Miss Trayers. In the junior contest,' Newtown lost to Brougham Hill ladies by four matches to two. Miss Printzen, for the losers, put up a great game, and beat Miss Stevens 7-3 ; Miss Sinclair was too good for Nowtown's second lady, Miss Jenkins, and won 7-3; Miss Hunt beat Mrs. Rhodes easily 7-2; and Mies Millor treated Miss Asquith likewise. Newtown only captured j one single, but Misses Printzen and Jenkins made a recovery in the doubles, and won handsomely (7-2) from Misses Stevens and Sinclair. Brougham Hill's second pair — Misses Hunt and Miller— had a comfortable win (7-3) from Mrs. Rhodes and Miss Asquith, but the latter pair played well. In tho third-class matches, Petone ladies were beaten by six matches to nil by Brougham Hill. In the men's contests, Lyall Bay beat Victoria College by six matches to nil, and Brougham Hill beat Petone by the same score. j NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION. The_ Management Committee of • the N.Z. Association, at a meeting recently held, threw out, with quick despatch, the ball used last eeason, and decided that another make should be used for the next New Zealand Championship meeting. Shortly afterwards a quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Association was held, and the delegates, with equal despatch, decided that the Management Committee had acted against -general opinion, and with no quiet voice resolved' thatj. the ball used at tho last New Zealand Championships should again be used for the next meeting. The evidence was strong that the ball had given every satisfaction. It is contended that the committee blundered. If it did, it has had its lesson. SUBDIVISION OF MONEYS. The Australasian Association decided to cut up some of its Davis Cup profits amongst its seven associations. New Zealand received about £300 last Xmas, but has not yet given a receipt for it, and will surely not do so until tho matter has been threshed out. The position is this: Some years ago Professor Hunter, as chairman of tho New Zealand Management Committee, went to Sydney, and, after a conference with the Australasian body, came to certain terms regarding rules concerning Davis Cup affairs. One rule (19b) reads as follows: — "The net proceeds from all Davis Cup competitions held in Australasia, including 1 those already received, shall be devoted exclusively to tho purposes of Davis Cup competitions Provided that such proceeds may be devoted to other international contests, or to such othor objects, with the consent of all affiliated associations." The Australasian Association decided, apparently without the New Zealand Association's consent, to divide £2000 amongst its seven associations. As the_ above rule is the only one under which money can be divided — unless the Now Zealand and Australasian Associations "become disrupt" — it would seem that the head body in Sydney has acted wrongly. Firstly, it could onJy divide the proceeds of Davis Cup matches played in Australasia, including those already held, and as it had not received £2000 from such, how could it decide to divide that amount? Secondly, it had not tho consent of all affiliated associations, as New Zealand had not agreed— unless its Sydney delegates acted without instructions. But why does New Zealand object? Rule v P? 1 "" 1 '* 8 New Zealand to resign from the Australasian Association, provided the Davis Cup is not held by Australasia, by giving twelve months' notice, and rule 19e reads as follows: — "Upon such a determination of these conditions any then unapplied net proceeds from Davis Cup competitions shall be divided in the proportion of two-thirds to tho affiliated btate associations, and one-third to the New Zealand Association." It is clear that if the Australasian Association is permitted to divide proceeds from Davis Cup matches in Australasia, as lately determined, namely one-seventh to each association, then tho New Zealand Association is not being treated fairly. It is entitled to one-third of any moneys that are to be divtded. If ifc is not, then %U it has to do is to object to any cutting up of moneys, as provided for by rule 19b. The New Zealand Association would thus keep all moneys intact, and would, should it Bomo day separate from the Australasian Association, receive oneu" rd „°f tho net proceeds, then unapplied, of all Davis Cup matches. Of course, the expenses of teams for Davis Cup purposes a£ homo or abroad come out of the fund; but not one penny can bo devoted for anything els© if tho New Zealand Association does not consent. Will it consent to tho taking of ono-seventh now, when some day it will got one-third ? It would not bo businesslike. If the moneys are to be cut up amongst the seven associations, then New Zealand must demaad one-third of the whole