TENNIS TOURNAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 6 April 1945, Page 2

TENNIS TOURNAMENT

[To the Editor] Sir, —In reference to the paragraph which appeared in “The Mail” on Wednesday concerning the Easter tennis tournament, my committee has instructed me to make the following statement. This sentence was included in the paragraph:—“The event was organised and controlled by the Air Force Tennis Committee and was not in any way connected with the Nelson Lawn Tennis Association.” While the first part of this statement is entirely correct, the second clause needs some amendment. The position is as follows: The Air Force Tennis Committee conceived the idea of the need of a tennis tournament in Nelson during Easter, and met the N.L.T.A. to discuss the possibility of holding such a tournament. After a full discussion it was decided to offer the running of the tournament to the Nelson Club, with the promise of full support from the Air Force players. It was further agreed by the N.L.T.A. that if the Nelson Club declined the Air Force would be permitted to run the tournament. The point was clearly made by the officials of N.L.T.A. that although all Air Force personnel are automatically affiliated members of N.Z.L.T.A., the Air Force Club could not call the tournament the “Nelson championships,” as the club is not affiliated to N.L.T.A. It will therefore be clear that the statement “and was not in any way connected with the N.L.T.A.” is erroneous, as their full permission was granted. —I am, etc., R. McL. FERKINS, F/0., Chairman Tournament Com. Nelson, sth April. [The above statement of the position is endorsed by the Nelson Lawn' Tennis Association. The words “not in any way connected,” were intended to make it clear that no district championship titles were involved in the tournament as might have been inferred from the reports which had appeared. The Tournament Committee was not responsible for the use of the words “championship titles.”]