TENNIS VISITORS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 16, 20 January 1928, Page 9

TENNIS VISITORS

ENTERTAINED AT A DINNER ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING The three members o£ the French lawn tennis team, and their manager (M. J. Le Fevre) were entertained at a dinner last evening at the. Grand Hotel, tendered by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association. Mr. B. Hickson (of Auckland), who is a vice-president of the association, occupied the chair. Iv proposing the toast of .the' visitors, the chairman said that during the past day or two Wellington had been in a position to see how the Davis Cup had been won from the United States, the French players not only being wonderfully expert at the game, but their sportsmanship generally was an exuniplo to all teunis players. He felt sure that all.those players who had been privileged to see MM. Borotra, Brugnon, and Soussus on the courts at Miramar when playiug the New Zealand team must have learnt sometiling that would help them to play the game better in the future. He hoped it would not be long before the visitors returned to the Dominion, and for a longer stay, so that other parts of the Dominion might be priviliged to see them in action. The toast was supported by Mr-. Marumaru, patron of the Maori Lawn Tennis Association, who added that the Natives had taken very aptly to the game, and it did not' seem beyond tlie range of possibility to him that when the time came for a New Zealand team to contest the Davis Cup that one, or perhaps two, Maori players would be included in it. Tennis among the younger members of the Native race had received a wonderful' impetus of recent years, and the pakeha players would: have to move on if they did not want to. be eclipsed. At this stage the doors were opened and a party of Maori poi dancers filed iuto the room and delighted the visitors with their national dance of welcome, which, as explained by Mr. Kingi Tahiwi, is only given before the most distinguished visitors. Those in the poi party were Misses P. Cook, A. Aomarerc, P. Gilbert, M. Tahiwi, S. Hainahona, and Mrs. Tahiwi. At the conclusion of the Maori welcome 'the poi used during the dancing were presented to the visitors as a memento of the occasion. In replying to the toast on behalf of his team, M. Jean JUorotra said that they looked on England and London as their second home, and this sentiment might almost be extended to New Zealand. He had heard many wonderful things about the Dominion, its scenery and its hospitality being well known in Europe. The scenery he and his party had not the time to see on this occasion, but the hospitality they had experienced was equal and more to all that he had heard. He realised that the scenery must also be wonderful, as they had experienced same of it when entering Wellington Harbour in the early hours of Monday morning, on which occasion the light had a great deal to do with the beauty of the surroundings. "To the Government, in the person of the Hon. K. S. Williams, to the city in the person of your Mayor (Mr. Troup), to the Freneji Consul (Mr. Bendall), and to the individual members of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Associationj particularly to Messrs. Peacock, Denniston, Kean, and Goldie, our deepest thanks are due. We knew that this country, which has produced such great Rugby players, and had also been the birthplace of one of the world's greatest tennis players, the late- Anthony Wilding, is a place where one must expect to meet fine athletes and great sportsmen, and we have not been disappointed, for we have found them among the tennis players." He concluded by hoping that one day before long a New Zealand team would visit France iv quest of the Davis Cup. Other toasts honoured were: "The New Zehland Team," proposed by the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. G. A. Troup), and responded to by Mr. A. G. Wallace, the non-playing captain of the team; "His Majesty's New Zealand Government," proposed by Mr. M. E. Denniston and replied to by the Minister of Public Works '(the Hon. K,.S. Williams); and "Tip Secretary of the New Zealand Association," proposed by Mr. G. N. Goldie, to which Mr. Murray Jiean responded. During the evening Mr. K. Tahiwi sang "Waiata Poi," the poi dancers present performing at the same time. . .. .■ Apologies for. absenfce ;;>yere.j, received from the Hon. A. Ngata, Mr. Kirk (president of the New Zealand Tennis Association), and Messrs. Bartleet and Knott, two members of the team, who had been compelled to return that day to Auckland. The members of the Frenph team left for Sydney this afternoon by the Marama.