MAORI TENNIS TAKING NEW LIFE: FUTURE DISCUSSED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22889, 8 March 1949, Page 8

MAORI TENNIS TAKING NEW LIFE: FUTURE DISCUSSED

The re-forming of (he Takitimu Tennis Association by Maori tennis enthusiasts in the Gisborne area is to be discussed at a meeting. The suggestion was mooted at a recent meeting of the Maori tournament committee ancl found widespread support. The subject was introduced by Mr. If. Ngata, who pointed out that Maori teams could then be selected to represent the district in Maori tournaments, the next of which was to be conducted in Rotorua.

The chairman. Mr. P. Tuhoc, and other speakers, supported the request, Mr. G. Tupara suggesting • that Turanganui should be a sub-association. Mr. Ngata pointed out that the boundaries for Takitimu lay between Muriwai and Tokomaru Bay. The-chairman referred to the fact that there were two trophies in the old Takitimu association, the Wi Pore and Timi Kara cups, both donated from Gisborne families. The secretary, Mrs. T. R. Wawatai, was asked to make inquiries regarding the trophies. Tournament Rules

Concerning the tournament committee's fixtures, the following rules were decided upon for the conduct of games for the Tamarangi Cup in the A Section and the Ateriana Cup for B Section players:—Full control was vested in the Turanganui Maori tennis tournament committee; teams from Maungahaumia to Kaiti and Muriwai to Waihirere were entitled to compete; season to occupy five months; cups to be challenged for on the holder's courts, the winner at the end of the season to hold them for the remainder of the year; no Europeans permitted to play unless qualified by marriage to Maoris; holders not intending to compete the following year are to return cups to the committee; teams to consist of six women and six men; no players permittee! to play in two teams; no A Section players permitted to play in the B Section, but B Grade players may take part in the A Section without prejudicing their grading; all must play in positions decided by club captains; replacemets permitted on valid reason being given; decisions for singles, doubles and mixed doubles made on best two games out of three: in the event of a draw the holder retains the cup; objectors to Sunday play are not required to participate; date of games to be fixed by the club captains concerned; two weeks’ notice required for a challenge to be accepted; if within that time the challenge has not been accepted and the weather has been favourable the cup will be forfeited to the challenger.