Pahiatua Lawn Tennis Club (Inc.)

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 234, 3 October 1936, Page 2

Pahiatua Lawn Tennis Club (Inc.)

The annual general meeting of the Pahiatua Lawn Tennis Club took place in the Borough Council Chambers last night. The president, Mr P. K. Boagey, reported as follows: — The club is slowly but surely overcoming the difficulties uncounted in launching the now courts scheme, and there appears to bo no reason why the coming season should not be the most successful in tho club’s history. There is every possibility of a Saturday halfday becoming universal, and in this event tho players will bo brought together more, increasing the strength of the club’s playing teams. The social side of the club’s activities will also be considerably bettered. Your committee have already had several new applications for membership, and old members are urged to enrol others. The club can accommodate many more players, and the stronger the club becomes the more ini ducement will there bo to prepare more courts.

The strictest economy has, of necessity, been exercised by your committee, to meet its obligations, and the club’s treasurer has also arranged social functions for this purpose.

The club lill require to have a strong membership, and also supplement its income from other sources in order to carry on. May I, therefore, appeal tu every member for full support by attendance at the annual meeting, enrolling new members and giving service in every direction to help the club'} It-is only by the full co-operation of members that the best results can be obtained. ‘

Last season, in comparison with the preceding season, was extremely wet, and opportunities for play were limited. Nevertheless, many enjoyable days were spent on the courts. Tho committee, with a view to providing match play for all members, instead of for a limited number of the better players in representative matches, did not enter for the association’s teams matches, but concentrated on elub competitions. Several Yankee tournaments, as well as singles and doubles matches, were held, and thoroughly enjoyed by all members. The only outside club entertained was Makuri, to the members of which club your committee desires to convey its thanks for a most pleasurable afternoon.

The club men’s singles championship was won by Mr J. G. Swainson. Your committee extends congratulations to Miss Ngaire Graham as winner of the ladies’ singles championship, who has since become Mrs Keedwell, and who now holds the cup presented by Dr. G. D. M. Day. We also take this opportunity of thanking Mrs Keedwell for tho wonderful assistance she always gave to your club, and of wishing her every happiness and success in the future. Thanks are also due to Mr E. P. Badger and Mr W. Hall Watson for donating buttons for competition in doubles challenge matches. The first holders of the ladies’ doubles buttons wero Mrs L. D. Lovelock and Miss Ngaire Graham, who succeeded in holding them all through the season.

The first men’s doubles buttons were won by Messrs W. Hall Watson and J. G. Swainson, who later lost them to 1 Messrs Claude Harvey and P. R. Boagey. The two latter withstood several challenges and succeeded in holding the buttons till the end of the season. The committee regrets that wet weather prevented the completion of the competition for the cup presented by Mr Eric Grcgorie. Finance. The club's finances show a distinct improvement on the previous year’s operations. The profit for the year was £l7 12s, as against a loss of £55 la 9d on the previous year. This result was possible only through keeping working expenses down to the barest minimum and by the untiring efforts of your club’a secretary, and especially its treasurer in personally doing a lot of the court maintenance, and so saving the expense of employing labour for this purpose. The receipts from membership subscriptions fell from £lO9 5s to £BO 2s 6d. The club’s finances were augmented by a profit of £ls 10s Bd, being made from a ball and several bridge tourneys, arranged by Mr J. D. Thomson, whose energy and devotion to the club’s interests appears to be unlimited. A saving of £SB 16s 2d on the maintenance of the courts was effected, (£4l 12s lid having been expended, ae I against £IOO 9s Id the previous year. , The lack of cash prevented your com'mittee from proceeding with the re{sowing of further courts, and its efforts, both during the season and the subsequent winter months, have been confined to killing tho weeds and topdressing the courts in use. It is imperative that more plant be acquired, as well as a large amount of topdressing soil fertilisers for the efficient maintenance and improvement of the courts.

It seems certain that the annual subscriDtion will Jiave to be increased as

your committee are unable to carry out tho work required to improve and maintain the courts without additional finance. The only alternative is to secure many more members. General.

Your committee are of the opinion that the reversion to the old system of the lady members in turn providing afternoon teas did a lot to improve the social side of the club’s activities. The male members also realised their responsibility to assist by helping in the kitchen and did so, thereby relieving the lady members of this duty. The committee desires to thank all who helped to make the season a success by doing their share towards run ning the ball, bridge parties or assisting in any way.