CORRESPONDENCE.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 19, 2 October 1930, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE.

HUTT VALLEY TENNIS

ASSOCIATION.

(To the Editor)

Sir, —In , the report of the .proceedings of the Lower Hutt Tennis Club's animal meeting, which appeared in your last week's issue, the following statement is credited to Mr. W. B. Watson, w-ho, although present, as he said in a personal capacity, is the secretary of the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association: "We do not wish to force you—■ if any force is used it will come from the eomlbined clubs of the Vailley; your club is still affiliated with Wellington .and has not Ween forced out."

This statement reflect^ most, unfairly on those in the Hutt Valley who are endeavouring to form a suib-association. The Hutt Valley Tennis Association, after being affiliated to the Wellingtgn Association for two years, was found to be unconstitutional and pending the negotiations to place the matter in order, an agreement was reached whereby tiie clubs in the Valley carried on last season. Subsequently, the constitution of the Wellington association was alteTed to allow the formation of sub-associa tions, one of the conditions being that a 60 per cent vote of the players in the area affected was necessary before such subassoeiation could be formed. In the Hutt Valley there were 16 out of

IS clubs already affiliated to the local but the conditions laid down by the council of the WJUT.A. - I were that the vote must be taken from

all club players in the Valley. Hence any association was only carrying out t&o ruling of the Wellington association, when it approached the Hutt and Petone clubs on the question.

I would like to point out definitely that as faT as my association is concerned, it has no intention of coercing or forcing any club into, becoming affiliated with it, or even into voting on the question. The decision that a vote be taken is that of the council of the W.L.T.A. Further, an assurance wa» given at the last council meeting of the ! W.L.T.A. that no obstacles would be raised to the formation of a smb-assoeia tion in the Valley, but the assurance does not seem to -have -been correctly interpreted by the association secretary We resent any reference to "compelling" and "forcing" as it ia-our desire that the sub-association be formed not only by the free will of the clubs, but also with their hearty co-operation. We v think that it is only fair that the Wellington association should allow the for-, matlori of a sub-association to take its normal couTse as directed by its council "instead of Taising an atmosphere of doubt and misunderstanding. There is no suggestion, of a breakaway from t>ae parent body in the move at the V&lley -at-ithe present time, but rather that the local association (already in existence five years) may conform to the Wellington constitution by becoming a. suib-association. That such localised control is not only desirablfe and necessary, but also very successful, is demonstrated in the growth of the existent association in the Valley—-in five yeaTS growing from four clubs (200 members]Wto 16 clubs (699 memibers). I tiiist that the above explanation, may clear the air a little and that the two clubs which, have not yet become affiliated to the Hutt Valley Lawn Tennis Association, may appreciate the opportunity that is given the clubs in the Valley by the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association, of controlling their own affairs as a sub-association. —I am etc., : F. STOUPE, Hon. Secretary, Hutt »tmoj i^aw Tennis Association.