TENNIS IN DOMAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20720, 13 November 1930, Page 12

TENNIS IN DOMAIN.

RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC.

CITY LEASES THE COURTS.

USE OF SOME FOR MATCHES. Criticism of the action of tlie C ity Council in leasing to the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association the ten hard courts recently laid down in the Domain was answered yesterday by Mr. J. B. Pater son, chairman of the Parks Committee of the council.

The arrangement was criticised by a correspondent, who stated, inter alia: "There are ten chip courts which are very well patronised, especially on Saturday afternoons, when the accommodation is general!v rather severely taxed. From the tenor of an article recently published the whole ten courts are to be closed to the public on Saturday afternoons, the very day they are most wanted. It seems to me grossly unfair that these courts should bo monopolised by the association when tliev were laid down oil city property for the benefit of those citizens who wanted to use thein. It would be very interesting to know just precisely why such arrangements should bo made. If the association wants additional accommodation I would suggest it obtains tlm at its own cost and not at tbe expense of (ho public."

Mr. Paterson said tho courts had been rented to the association, which had agreed to keep them in order. The ns sociation had been given the right to collect tho charge of threepence a half-hour mado to the public for tho use of the courts. Mr. Paterson said tho association had agreed to leave four courts available to tho public on Saturday afternoons. On other occasions, for all practical purposes, all ten courts would be available to the public. Mr. E. Hickson, past president of the Lawn Tennis Association, who, with Mr. E. Griffiths, had completed the arrangements with the City Council on behalf of the association, said he would be sorry if tho public gained tho impression that tho courts were riot available to it. "Wo Jiavo rented tlio courts and in return will run them and get tho takings," lie said. "Naturally we want tho public, as tho public will finance the concern." It was pointed out by Mr, Hickson that the association required six of the courts on Saturday afternoons for the inter-cluL> competitions, which would occupy about 14 Saturdays. Tho council allowed the use of the Domain for cricket competitions, and ho could not sec what exception could be taken to similar facilities beinc; given for tennis competitions. Cricketers desiring a private game of cricket on occasions when competition matches were being played would have a poor chance of gratifying their wishes, whereas in tho case of tennis four courts would be set asido for the public while competition matches were* in progress. Tho details of the agreement between the council and the association were fixed at a meeting of the council's Parks Committee this week.