CITY TENNIS COURT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 59, 7 September 1937, Page 8

CITY TENNIS COURT

SALAMANCA CLUB

THE LEASE QUESTION

, Following the decision of I lie City Council last month, on the Mayor's recommendation, to defer the reserves committee's recommendation to grant the lease of tennis courts to a tenderer higher than the lessee (the Salamanca Tennis Club), the higher . tenderer (the English-speaking Union Tennis Club) yesterday reopened the matter with the committee.

, Mr. H. L. Cummings, who headed the j deputation, said there were 600 mom- . bers of the Union, which was of finan- ■ cial stability and of repute. He maintained that the highest tender should | have been accepted. The council had 1 been liberal in renting such courts for £25 or £30. His club was prepared to pay £54, and considered it a reasonable rental for the facilities offered. The recommendation of the committee to, the council seemed to establish the principle of a lease in perpetuity. After calling for tenders, the council should find some difficulty iv passing over the higher tenderers. If the policy of the council were to be changed, it should have been done before calling for tenders.

Mr. W. Mason said that calling for tenders had caused the Union Club to go to a great deal of trouble. It was certainly of repute, and financial.

To Councillor M. F. Luckie, it was stated that the club was formed at the end of July. Rules had not yet been formed because there were rules governing municipal courts, and the result of the tender was therefore awaited.

Councillor Luckie: The Salamanca Tennis Club has turned the ground from a gofse patch into a tennis court.

The statements made by the Union I Club would be taken into considera-1 tion, said'the chairman of the committee (Councillor J. Burns). The .committee had acted only in accordance with the policy of the council. He was assured by Councillor Luckie that, although the matter was referred back to the committee, the majority of councillors were of the opinion that the present lessees should have preference. It was possible that the committee would have to carry out the wishes of the council. Perhaps the time had arrived for a review of the whole' position regarding sports 'grounds, and not only regarding tennis. BEFORE THE COUNCIL. . Messrs. Cummings arfd Mason attended the meeting of the City Council last night and placed before it much the~ same argument as they had submitted to the reserves committee. The successful tenderers had been allowed to enjoy the courts for 17 years and should stand by and allow other sections of the community to enjoy the same privileges, they said. The principle involved was the main point. A small body of the citizens seemed able to secure a lease in perpetuity of public grounds. He thought the old policy was a fair one, allowing the grounds to go round everybody at intervals of a few years. The Union tendered in all good faith and he asked that the council deal fairly in the matter, and not make them the scapegoats when the change of policy was made. Mr. Mason said there was a suggestion' that the Union club was only brought into being to do another body out of its rights. ■ There was no foundation for.this. ■ Badminton had been run by the Union, at night for eomc years, and it was thought that the badminton players .might play tennis in the summer. It was thus that the tender came to be put in. To Councillor R. A. Wright, M.P., Mr. Cummings said that the council had let the property to the other body foi; five years free of rental,' and for another five years at a reasonable rental, so that those people could recoup their outlay. He understood that that club had been given extra period facilities without rental. Councillor Wright quoted figures to show that £600 worth of improvements made by the Salamanca Club was much more than what, would have been a fair rental for 10 years. HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. The Mayor, speaking for the council said it was desired to provide grounds for the greatest number of neode These grounds were now ocSFed by 59 players; the Union Club with 60 players now wanted these grdurids. The whole matter would hawto be considered, but. it would Save to be ascertained if there-were not other grounds- available. Competitive tendering for one ground was an undesirable position.