TENNIS.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 18, 25 September 1930, Page 12

TENNIS.

HUTT VALLEY TBKNIS ASSOCIATION.

MEETING OF DELEGATES.

The annual meeting of delegates to tho Hutt Valley Lawn Tennis Association, was held on Monday c veiling, September 15tk, Mr. R. D. Smith, cbairnian of the management comimrttoe, presiding over an attendance of sixteen. The rtsport and balance sheet were adopted. A review of the . association stated that an effort was made to form a Hutt Valley Association in 1923, •tout its o&reer was short lived. The present association dates from. 1925, when four «lubs became meniiber^. Sixteen clubs are now affiliated to'vthe association. The annual report stated, that Jinan- j cially last season was a particularly ■ lean oo«, owing to tihe increase in fees r; payable to the Wellington Association, and this aroold. have, to 'be rectified for tfcd coming season to allow a working siAVgin. Success was assured in the holding of its status as a sub-asaocia-tioa of the Wellington L.T.A. An appeal is being made also for funds for more grounds in the Hutt Valley. The inter-club competitions were suooesa•fully run by Mr. R. A. Usmar. Regret iraa expressed that so few niemibers %*A interested themselves in the association ladder. Tho balance-sheet showed capitation feos to the Wellington L.T.A. as £33/3/----and the assets over liabilities £37/14/-. Aflliiation fees received amountei to £2PA2/6 and £11/15/- were sSiown as outstanding. There is a cash balance in the Post Office Savings Bank' of £43/2/-. A donation of £7/7/-. was . madu to the WellLnigton Lawn Tennis Association grandstand. ,' lv moving the adoption of the annual report, the chaii-man considered tkat the iimnagement eonunittee had made definite progress upon the question of the ■affiliation of "the Hutt Valley Tennis Association as a. sufo-association of the W.L.T.A. The constitution of the W.L.T.A had now 'been altered to allow the formation of a sub-association, but it was necessary for t2ie. el'ulbs in- the Valley to regsster_aJ3o per cent vote in fawour of affiliation Jjefore it could become an accomplished fact ... He appealed to delegates to back up the efforts of the management committee, and see that all, votes were recorded. S.everal grounds had been inapeeted for now courts, he said, and* a favourable one was procurable provided the finances were forthcoming to put do,wn, courts. Several schemes were under 'Way. ■ . '.■:■'.'. ....;■ ■ The balance sheet the chairman conjtinued. disclosed a fairly favouraible position, but the committee : had been obliged to work oip-on ttie previpii's. year';* balance, as the affiliation fees collected from', the elu-b'during the'season, (one s-liilling per member), -were all j>aid to-.the W.L.T.A by agreement with that ,bodyv ', . , The lioed ,f or immediate '■action for the obtaining of new grounds was' strewed by M.r. E. Q; House. Many chubs w<?re labouring under, coiifiideraible difficulty as! far us tlic' "i'htcr.-elub games were concerned.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS,

i The following were elected the offit' cers far the ensuing year:—Presidenty/ Sir. Alexander Roberts; vice-pi-esidenfe Messrs.Waiter Nash M.P, H. M." Jones/ D. Mc^enzie, ,P. Robertson, J. M. Power, W, J. Melody, M. E. Denniston/ J. Kerr, H. F. Johnston, X.C, ; A. Meßain, W. Dyer, H. Or. Teagie, S. Keogan, H. Fi ¥ th, M' J. Power, E. EV Stoupej hon. secretary, Mr. H. F. , Stoupe; assistant hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. J. Darnell; hon, auditor, Mt. R. T. Wrightj management eomanittee, Messrs A. G. Smith, R. D.' Smith/ R. A. Usinar, W. V. Fisher, G. As&eroft, G-. Robertson and J. Hill. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr; W. S. Keegan, who resigned -from the management committee during; the year;-fox the very able and enthusiastic work he had put in on be-' half of clubs in the Valley; FORMING A SUB-ASSOCIATION. Efforts are : being made in the Hutt Valley to form a sub-association to be affiliated to the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association which has made it a condition that GO per cent of the members of *he 18 clubs, affected must ibe in favour of the proposal. At present Petorie. chib and Lower Hutt club are affiliated with the Wellington association district / /■. ••■'■■• At the annual meeting of tiie Lower Hut* cluib last week Messrs W B Wat-, son (secretary of the Wellington Laswn Tennis Association ) and R D Smith and R. A. UsmaT (Hutt Valley) .presented the case for their, respective organisations. ; ' ■•'■.• It was/ however, made plain by Mr Watson during the' discussion that he was present in a personal capacity. Tfie siice'ess: of tennis in the Hutt Valley,- he said 1, 'was dependent on the •success of tennis 1h Wellington City, a^d nothing should be done to upset -that position. •■ . Mr. Bush asked what benefit the Lower Hutt club woud derive from affiiliiition witSi the Wellington association. ''if .. '; .'..■■ ''" ..;■ -; '. "■ ■'■ : "The principal advantage," said Mr W»tsonf; "wbivld be- unity/ which gives firtrengith. 7''1 ■-'■;''■''.' -v ':-' :'..' ; ■ . ■ Mr. Power, secretary of Lower Hutt club, said that as the Lower Hutt club had;most courts^ and the standard of its players was> higher generally than. iii the other clubs, it would have to keep out of the inter-club com.petitions if it joined the Hutt Valley sub-associa-tion. ' To a question from Mr. T. Sherwood whether in tJie event of the Hutt Valley sub-assbcisttibri being properly formed Lower H;utt club would be compelled to titeiliate With it, Mr Watson replied:, _'*WcAdo not wish to force you If any force is used it- will: come from the cornibiiied, clubs' in the Valley- Your club' is still afliliated with Wellington aiid has not been forced out. ' M:f. R. ;I)^ Smith said the aim and ■■ ' object 6f the Hutt Valley Association would be to foster and encourage tennis; in the Hutt Valley by conducting■< its own administrative affairs, -and run its' own: tourriaments and/ interciub ■matches' : ; .'• ' • '■ ■'"■'■■■'" ■..';:;'1--:'- :. ,'. "•'■■■ It was admitted by Mr. Usmar that the objects of the association would :

be (.'iilisnn-etl by the inclusion in it of. Lower Hutt and Petone cluib*.

In Air. • ShiTWood 's opinion tlic gun was loaded against Lower Hut,t and Pctone clubs. Tlie Hutt Valley Association had 69J) iiietnber.s, and, in connection with (50 jh'i- cent of the votes to form. an association, only 581 were required of the total'players in the Hutt Valley. . * : ;

It. was suggested by Mr. Power that perhaps the delegates in Wellington did not understand that the delegates, who attended the meetings from the Htutt Valley were not fully representative of tonnis in the Hutt Valley district.

It was decided to instruct the delegates who should.go along to a meeting to be Iheld in Wellington this week to unge that nothing be done on the question; of Vafßliation until the Ltwrer Hutt club had discussed the position with the Petone club.