TENNIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 16 September 1925, Page 5

TENNIS

PARK CLUB. ANNUAL MEETING. SUCCESSFUL YEAR DISCLOSED. The popularity of tennis in Hawera was reflected in the discussion at the annual meeting of the King Edward Path Tennis Club, which was held last evening. The finances of the club wero shown to be in a good state, the membership was steadily increasing, and the subject which received the greatest attention of the meeting was that of the proposed provision of an up-to-date and attractive pavilion. Mr. Pi AV. Horner'presided over a good attendance. The annual report drew attention to the large credit balance—the • biggest which the club had yet had at the end o.‘ any financial year. The credit balance at the bank was £6O 17s -Id, while assets amounted to £ls. There, ■were no liabilities. . Two guineas had been donated to the .Soldiers’ Club for the use of a room for committee meetings, and one guinea each to the groundsman and Football Club for services-rendered. The committee recommended that £SO be placed in the Post Office Savings Bank to be earmarked for the pavilion fund. The report also stated that the club had growri in membership from 09 fiifancial members in 1923-24 to 92 senior, 14 junior, and 9 half-season financial members. Tlic club had entered a team in the southern division of the Taranaki L.T.A. competitions, and had been successful in winning three out of five matches, thereby having to play off for the championship with New Plymouth. Altogether 1.0 matches had been played, i rind resulted as follows: A team played I 7; won' |3; B team played 1, lost 1 ; Wednesday team played 2, lost 1. Altogether 95 sets were won and 105 lost. The committee had gone into the matter of a pavilion, and after a. special general meeting plans find specifications, had been prepared. However, as the estimated price \Vas betiVeen £4OO and £SOO the mat ref was not gone on with. Tfie chairman, in' formally moving the adoption of the annual report and ba la dee-shoot, sard thiit a very satisfactory state of affairs whs reflected. If the' dub had not won all its matches it had nevertheless pldyed the game, and after all the object of true sport was to get physical and social enjoyment, such as was obtained by following up a

game like tennis. It augured well for the club to see its membership growing so steadily. As regards the proposed pavilion, the chairman thought it w T ds a great pity that the committee, had not gone oh with the matter when they had an opportunity. The Borough Council had given the club a very sympathetic hearing in the matter, and when the councillors had visited the courts they had been most enthusiastic in the matter of a pavilion. Some had gone so far as to say that if they were nV orice next tefm they would like to see the council erect a. pavilion. Unfortunately the new council had been elected ami had prepared its estimates for,'the coming, year without the club

following lip tlic matter, which meant, that flie players might not have their paviiiO'n erected until next winter. The adoption of the report and bal-a-icc-sljeet was secondea by Mr. Billows and carried.

Later in the evening the proposed pavilion was again discussed, the chairman' pointing out that the Borough Council would-recognise that Hawera;’s slur attraction was the park, and anything that could Ire done to .make itmore attractive to visitbrs should bo carried out. With a good payilioh visits could be made more attractive for outside clubs. Further, he did not s6c . why casual visitors to the town could not. play on the courts at a fee. TTio pavilion would need fo be a good one, and one that would be' an acquisifcierf to the pa'rk. The club already had £SO in' hand, and if it saved another £TOO this year it could go to the Bf.rough Council and ask for a grant of £600;

Tlffi question of other sports clubs sharing the pavilion was mentioned, but the general opinion was that while there would be nothing against the hockey players making use of the place during the winter, complications would arise if the cricketers used the building at .the same time as the tennis players. The recommendation of the committee that £SO be placed in the Post Office Savings Bank, to be earmarked as a nucleus for the pavilion fund, was adopted.

Messrs, F. AV. Horner,- D. Burgess and J. Tbbett were appointed as a sub-

committee to carry out a definite plan of action with regard to the proposed pavilion;

Officers for the ensuing year -were elected as follow:—Patron, Mr, J. R. Corrigan, ALP.; president, Mr. E. A. Pachy; vice-pf6sidcnts, Messrs. L. A. Bone, F. W. Horner, E. Dixon, J. M. Townsend, F-. C. Spfatt, W, G. Strange, R. Bullock, J. Goodwin, F. W. Sutton, C. Murch, D'. Strachari, W. T. Good, and P. O’Dca; club captain, Mr. W. Rudgc; vice-captain, Mr. Billows; hon. secretary, Mr. E. J. Yeartniry; lion, treasurer, Mr. D. Burgess; lion, auditor, Mr. Smith; delegate to the Taranaki Association, Mr. A. Bone; ladies’ committee: M'esdames J, Goodwin, Billows, M. E. .Tories, and Misses K. Reid and G. Sage; gentlemen’s committee: Messrs. M. Brown, R. Sage, E. Thompson, J. Ehbctt, E, Whi(cross, and E. K. Kirk. A decision as regards opening day was left to the committee. New members were elected as follows,: Mrs. Instone, Misses M. Squire', M. Judson, M. Instone, P. Grindrod, 1.. Haughtoii, E., Carter, Messrs. E. Taylor, A.' Judson, W. Mundy, G. Carter, A. Tregurtha, S. Neilson and N; "West. Votes Of thaplcs were accorded the secretary, the Borough Council for the use of the room, the chair, and the press. ,

The secretary was also voted an honorarium of five guineas.