SPORT AND WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 17036, 10 December 1915, Page 8

SPORT AND WAR.

THE GREATER GAME.

'TENNIS ASSOCIATION MATCHES ABANDONED.

At the meeting of tire Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association last evening, the attitude of players in connection with the war was the subject of a discussion.

The matter was brought up first by tho chairman (Mr J. L. Berry), who. in his introductory remarks, said that, considering tho precarious situat.ion of the Allies, delegates should endeavour to persuade all eligible tennis players to go to the front. He did not think, however, that lawn tennis should bo abandoned altogether.

At a later stage of the meeting a letter was read from Air A. I. Wright-, in which ho mentioned that he hoped that every inducement would be given to eligible tennis players to enlist, and asked that the meeting would give the matter its earnest consideration. Lawn tennis was an important branch of sport,, and therefore every care should he ta-Kon that it was not in any way hindering recruiting. Mr A. Borrows said that the asssociation should give tho lend and stop all competition matches, which really attracted little interest. Clubs could be kept open, so that anyone who wanted a game could have one. Mr E. J. Tnyler said that he did not think the competitions offered any inducement which would prevent men from enlisting, and ho felt sura that they had not prevented any. One club had already retired’from the competitions owing to many of its members enlisting. It had beon suggested that tho tennis clubs should follow the lead some of the cricket clubs had given, but he did not think that tennis and cricket were on the same footing. If a man were barred from playing cricket his, game was practically stopped, but . this was not so in the ca=e of tennis. A man might be barred from playing in the competitions but be could still play a friendly game on the dub courts or. on private courts. The best step the association could take would be to stop the whole of the competition games. Mr C. T. "Asclinmh h& fully endorsed flip last speaker’s remarks. If the association took the step suggested it would do away with the need of dubs .r.iviyig to inquire into ihe reason why d man had not enlisted. Clubs, however, should be asked to fm ther the scheme in a tactful way. and try r .o induce their eligible membeis' to enlist. Mr Taylor moved—“ That no more association matches bo played until the conclusion of the war, and that vlie association considers that every eligible tennis player should enlist,'and a -ks that affiliated clubs should consider the advisability of holding no dub dr tournanfent matches.”

The motion was seconded by Mr A ciiman and carried unanimously

THE CALL TO CRICKETERS.

ST ALBANS CLUB MEMBERS TO BE CIRCULARISED.

A special meoting of the committee of the St Albans District Cricket Club called for the purpose of discussing the attitude to be adopted by the club in connection tvith the recruiting question was held on Wednesday evening. The president, Mr F. C. Raphael, presided, and every member cf the committee was present. It Was resolved that a letter, should be sent to every member of the club stating “that, in order to stimulate iccruiting, your committee desires to ask you to do all in your power to assist the club to attain the desired effect.” It was also decided that the club’s delegates to the Canterbury Cricket Association should be instructed to move a resolution to ascertain if, in the opinion of the association, the continuance of cricket is hindering recruiting. Should the motion he affirmed, the delegates would further move that it should be a recommendation to the association that steps should be taken to abandon all cricket played under the auspices of the association for this season.

The secretary moved that, in view of the newspapers having incorrectly repotted a statement purported to have been made by Mr J. S. Barrett, that the club’s letter ns published oh December 4 be withdrawn, and the reflection unwittingly cast on Mr Barrett is regretted. The motion was seconded by the president and carried unanimously.