TOURNEY CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1920, Page 9

TOURNEY CONTROL

LAWN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS COMPLAINTS OF MISMANAGEMENT Complaints regarding the management of the last New Zealand tennis tournament were discussed at some length at the quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Tennis Council last night. The secretary (Mr. Petherick) reported ..that the Canterbury Association had noC replied to a request for further particulars of the matters complained of. The Auckland , Association wrote complaining of the lack of provision for refreshments j for players, the crude appointments to' the grounds, poor accommodation, the state of the nets, and other minor matters. Reporting on behalf of the Management Committee, the secretary stated that every effort was made to obtain the services of a. -caterer, but without success, owing to the impossibility of obtaining labour. As regards accommodation, the gentlemen's dressing-room was in the college gymnasium, where the accommodation was under the circumstances satisfactory and the conveniences handy. The ladies' dressing-room was in a. portion of the new •college building, and a lady was placed in charge each day. The fact that some competitors elected to make the pavilion a dressingroom possibly caused the critics to make this complaint. New nets could not be procured, but those in use were repaired as soon as holes were observed. ;','lt was with grave doubts (the secretary concluded) that I entered upon the arrange- j ments for the Wellington meeting. I had in mind many difficulties to be experienced in holding a New Zealand Championship Meeting on other ' than properly-prepared and equipped grounds with all conveniences available. The experience gained in Christchureh in 1911 was the first proof that only under great disadvantages could a meeting be held in a portion of an , open park. In Auckland and Hastings, where club courts were used, I was really satisfied with my administration. At Dunedin, Carisbrook Ground lent itself fairly well to tennis requirements, but at some expense. It is my intention- not to handle other 5 New Zealand tennis championship meetings, and I now place the matter in the hands of the council for such consideration as it may wish, to give." Mr. B Keesing said ■ there -was nodoubt that arrangements were not what they should have been, but he understood that the Management Committee was under strength at the time, and laboured under difficulties. He thought the delegates should have been called on to assist when difficulties were met with in the matter of accommodation. The President (Mr. H. M. Gore) said he did not now believe that they could have done more than they did in endea vouring to arrange for catering. He did not notice the holes in the nets until the «nd of the tournament, but the nets, were rotten, and it had been impossible to get new ones. Mr. Melody said the members of the Management Committee must share an> censure with the secretary. They could ', not expect one man to carry the whole of such "a tournament on his shoulders. Mr. Henderson: "He has done marvellously well in the past." Mr. Geo. Gore considered that the delegates, of whom he was one, were to blame for not taking more interest in Lheir duties. . Another member mentioned the difficulty of securing umpires, and to this Mi Henderson replied that many play ere were too selfish to aot as umpires, a\en when they had time to spare. The association could not pay for umpires. | . The Secretary '(Mr. Petherick) said no one could appreciate the difficulties in holding a big championship meeting on what was practically an .open park. Under such circumstances they must )>-ave difficulties with regard to accommodation. He did not receive one complaint from a player, but the public required full value for its money, and unless it received it thero would be growling. He had had experience now in handling the public, and that was why he had decided not to handle another ■championship meeting. The public should.be a little more . tolerant, and I should understand the difficulty of getting stands erected and other arrangements made in these times. He acknowledged the assistance given him by the Management Committee, but it was not fair that he should expect the committee ti> allow him to handle a meeting' elsewhere. And lie would not handle another meeting. He suggested that the council should revert to the old order of placing the management in the hands of the local association to which the championship was given. Various members stated that the complaints were not a reflection on the secretary, who had handled previous tournaments well. Mr. Henderson said in Australia championships were held regularly on courts which were specially prepared for the purpose. It was coming to this in New Zealand: that they would have to say that the disadvantages of conducting championships in certain districts outweighed the advantages. Mr. Melody considered that the Management Committee and the secretary made a fatal mistake in placing the whole burden oirtTie secretary's shoulders. There was seething discontent, a.nd the statements made called for the resignation of the Management Committee. On the motion of Mr. Kean it was decided to pass on to the next business.