TENNIS PLAYERS GROWL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 14

TENNIS PLAYERS GROWL

C9MPLAINTS OF NEGLECT WELLINGTON CRYING OUT FOR COURTS. "SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.” At the conclusion of the meeting of delegates of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, an informal meeting of the same gentlemen was held, when bitter complaints ware made of the treatment being meted out by the City Council to the tennis players of the city, who, it was said, numbered over 2000. It was suggested that unless the council gives the tennis players a satisfactory answer in the course of the next few days, they should use their influence at the poll, and it was stated-that the tenms players could- influence 10,000 votes at the city elections. - Mr J. C. Peacock was elected to the chair. CRYING OUT FOR COURTS. Mr E. Salmond said he would like to emphasise that Wellington was crying out for the courts, for thousands of players could not get a game, yet the unemployed were put on making golf links, football grounds, hockey grounds, every kind of ground except for tennis. Over a thousand players took part in the tournaments last year, and there were quite 2000 others. The chairman said a body of delegates had considered part of a piece of ground along the main Miramar road to Lyall Bay, about 200 acres in all, which was nothing but a sand waste at the present time. There was a small area of about 10 acres fronting on the main Miramar .road which .could be levelled at small cost and planted with trees, and in time made a Weltered spot for sand, courts. But the City Engineer was not in favour of it, so they could not have it, and other suggestions had also been turned down. They then fixed upon an area of 10 acres at Miramar, near Wonderland, and the reserves committee expressed themselves strongly in favour of it. Nothing was done for some time, and when approached again the reserves committee said it had not the power to grant a lease. After pressure they admitted they could grant a lease, and would do so. After definitely promising it the chairman of the committee wanted; to whittle it down to a smaller space, and up to the present they had not succeeded in getting anything done. The committee said the delay was due to negotiations with adjoining owners, and wanted them to he satisfied with five acres instead of ten, as they wanted to make a football ground there. Surely there were hundreds-of acres where they could put football grounds. They were spending money using the unemployed to make grounds for every ‘ sport except tennis. They had- agreed to give a £ for £ grant for a croquet pavilion. They must proceed strongly,‘ get the support of evory tennis player in the city, and assert themselves at the poll, and show there were sufficient of them to get j ustice. (Hear, hear.) ■ Mr J. L. Low said the City,Council seemed to have an objection to running tennis courts in any part of tho city. LOOKING AFTER REVENUE.

Mr G. N. Goldie said the City Council did not want, the Wellington association to have courts because it would affect the rent of their own courts. They were looking at the revenue that came from the municipal courts. The City Council should lease to the association, as it did to the Rugby Union, and they would provide for the children and adults of affiliated associations. On one occasion a City Councillor advised* him to put in for a piece of ground in Firie street, as he thought they would get it. On looking at the paper .later on he saw that it was being mad^'-Ifit6" M children's; playground. It showed how muoh City .Councillors knew of what was going on. (Laughter.) Yet to-day that piece of ground was in the same condition as it was twenty years ago. The chairman said the ground promised at Miramar, about ten acres, would provide fifty to Bixty courts, and with the money they had available they could get on with the work and make them fit to be played on temporarily. Mr Dennis suggested that the chairman should be nominated to the City. Council to represent them. He thought he would go in flying,* (Hear, hear.) The chairman pointed out that they wanted grounds on which they could hold championships and introduce interclub contests so ■ that the game would be kept alive. Mr Goldie suggested that tho Rotary Club be asked to back them Up in securing better prevision for tennis players. Mr Dennis said he thought the Rotary Club would take up the question after Dominion Day, which they were giving to the boys. 1 Mr Henderson related an experience with regard to an application for a piece of ground at Kilbirnie which was turned down. NO WAITING. The chairman emphasised the need of the grounds. At present it took some minutes to reach the present grounds, and then they had to wait half an hour or more to get a game., If they got this ground at Miramar they could get there in half an hour and would not have -to wait at all. They wanted to look ahead and make provision for the next fifteen or twenty _years. Mr H. I. Graves criticised the action of the council in providing for all sports except tennis. They must keep on hammering at the door of the City Council until they received the justice that was due to them. . The chairman said that unless a satisfactory reply was received from the reserves comnlittee in the course of a week or so, the delegates would again wait on them and press the matter as strongly as they could, and if necessary would use their influence at the polls. If the delegates did wait on the council he would inform those present so that they could attend and support the delegates if they wished. Mr Goldie said the Director of Reserves was agreeable to them having six of the ten acres, hut they ought to get it all. The meeting concluded by falling in with the chairman's suggestion, one gentleman adding that the tennis players! could influence 10,000 votes at the election.