LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 6 December 1930, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

By "HUKA"

COUNCIL MEETING

JUNIOR TENNIS

A LENGTHY DISCUSSION

The quarterly general meeting of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association was held last; week, and was well attended by delegates of the affiliated associations, but-throe associations —Nelson, Maori, and Southland—were not represented. The question of holding quarterly meetings at 4 o'clock in the afternoon was. not" opposed to any great extent, "although some delegates expressed the opinion that tho change would not suit a majority of the delegates and the attendances in the future might show that the oxponment is not desirable. \ Tho next motion on the order paper concerned tho organisation and encouragement of. junior tennis, and was brought down by the Management Committee. This motion caused considerable discussion and was under review for. a good two hours. Most of the clauses were quickly agreed to, but clause 4 (a) proved a stumbling, block,* as it provided for an increase of,one penny in the annual levy. Delegates were also divided as to whether the juniors would be best served by a tournament held at tho same time and place as the senior national championships, or during the off season in May. Auckland moved an amendment to the clause that the tournament be held in May, and nine. associations were for arid nine against, the May date. Auckland, Hawkes Bay, North Auckland, Poverty Bay, Taranaki, Waikato, Wanganni, and Wellington voted for the amendment, as did one. delegate from Otago. The associations against the winter date were Canterbury, Manawatu, Marlborough, North Otago, South Canterbury, Thames Valley, Wairarapa, West Coast, and two of Otago's delegates. The amendment was carried by 15,761 votes to 11,220. The main argument, for the May- date was that the juniors should have a tournament solely to themselves during the May school holidays, whereas those in opposition were of. the opinion that the tournament should be held during the summer school holidays, and in conjunction with the senior national championships so that the juniors would profit by seeing tho best players of New Zealand in action. The Penny Levy. The Waikato Association moved to delete tho penny levy from the clause, and the Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Waikato, Wairarapa, and Wellington "Associations, with a combined vote of .8308, were all against an increase in the annual levy of ono penny for" the junior cause. Tho ,main reason given1 was that associations could not afford it as they, had to study economy at the present time. But the penny increase was retained in.the clause, as the balance of the associations; with 17,355 votes, were of the opinion that the encouragement of junior tennis was well worth the increase. Taranaki appeared to have a split vote, and it was not recorded. A few minor alterations in tho remaining clauses then saw the amended motion as a whole ready to go before • tho meeting, but a discussion arose in regard, to the tournament events being open to all-eomcrs under 18 years of ago. The mover of-the motion contended that other juniors besides the nominated players could enter if they so desired. In fact, that it was an open event, but the chairman ruled otherwise. It would almost appear that some of the delegates did .not quite understand the point, which is a most important, one as far as junior tennis is concerned. A championship of New Zealand that is not open to all juniors is, hardly worthy of .the name. A case in point arose in 1927, when IT. A. Barnett, a junior player from the Chatham Islands, wished to compote in the junior event. He was practically unknown, but being in Christchurch . played: for, Canterbury, in tho event and won . it. Had tho event • been open only to nominated players it is hardly likely that he would have been thought of. With an event open only to nominated players many young people who aspire to play in the national event would bo barred. When tho motion "was put to tho mooting, Auckland, * Canterbury, Marlborough, North Auckland, North Otago, Otago, Poverty Bay, South Canterbury, and Thames Valley.; voted for the motion with 15,788 votes/and the -associations againsfc. were. Hawkes Bay, ■Manawatu,. Taranaki, Waikato, Wairarapa; Wanganui, Wellington, and West Coast with 11,193 votes. Some surprise was caused by the mover of tho motion,..the West Coast delegate, recording 'his voto. against it. His reason was that any junior New Zealand championship events, as' at present, should be open to all juniors under 18 years, of age in the Dominion. On the voting it appeared that the motion had passed, but it was lost, as a two-thirds majority of votes had not been obtained. South Wairarapa. The seventh annual South Wairarapa championship and handicap tournament programme is now in circulation, and this popular tournament is certain to attract a good entry from the Wellington district. The tournament will be managed by the Martinborough Club, which has eight good grass courts at Kegtint street, Martinborough, ■on 26th 27th, 29th, and 30th December. The usual five championship and five handicap events are on Hho programme, and entries closo with G. C. Willis, secretary, at Martinborough, at 8 p.m. on Friday, 19th December. Any competitor requiring accommodation is invited to coimiumicate as early as possible with tho secretary, who will endeavour to arrange for same. The committeo is a good one, and all details are always well looked after by the secretary and his assistant, Mrs. G. 0. Willis. The referee will be Mr. H. M. Boddington, who with his experience fills the bill admirably. The grass courts are in first-class order, and promise to play fast and true. Players looking for an enjoyable holiday cannot do better than enter for this tournament. Marcel Porce Cup. Jean Borotra won the Marcel Porce Cup for the third successive time in Paris last month, and the valuable trophy is now his own property. He defeated C. Boussus in the final, 6-1, 0-3, 1-6, 5-7, 6-4. Last year Boussus also gave Borotra a good run in the final, the score on that occasion being 7-5,.'6-3, 9-7. ' The younger player is not yet good enough to displace Borotra, but he is getting near the goal of his ambition at each meeting.