LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION REPORT ON PAST YEAR'S ACTIVITIES. WEATHER. A HANDICAP. During the past year the unfavourable climatic, conditions that prevailed were a serious handicap to the ventures undertaken by the association (states the atnual reg&rt of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association). Few open tournaments or matches were held without delays caused bv wet weather. The same disadvantages were met by the men's team that visited New South Waies; the test match being played on very wet Coutts. Under such conditions it is difficult to comment fairly on the standard of play shown. One result of the wei season experienced is the greater demand for hard courts, and when this demand is met, th© better facilities for a longer period of play in each year will give our players an opportunity to develop their game in a similar manner to the more favoured players overseas. MORE TOURNEYS WANTED. Tier© is an increasing demand for tourraments, and the majority of those held during the past year were hampered by oveularge entries. In some cases d ore entries were accepted than could be dealt with, and tho results have been most unsatisfactory to competitors, aid not conducive to a high standard of play

Now that the council bad decided t<. select permanent centres for the New Zealand championship tournament, -hr high cost of preparing grounds and pio viding temporary arrangements for the convenience of competitors and spectaio.s will be saved. BETTER. ACCOMMODATION.

The cost of preparing and maintaining the courts at Hastings and proviuin-* such additional conveniences as were absolutely showed the wisdom ot the council's decision. The popularity of the New Zealand championship meeting as shown by tbe entries and attendances of the publje during the last three years, made it imperative, in the interests ol the game, that good courts and adequate provision for the comfort ot competitors and spectators should be provided. WILDING SHIELD. . The committee regretted to report that no matches were played during the oast year for the Anthony Wilding Memorial Challenge Shield. The Taranaki Associa tion challenged the Canterbury Associa tion, but, unfortunately, the dates suit able for the former association clashed with the visit to Christchurch of the New South Wales ladies* team, and th*. match could not be arranged. No doubt tho desire of most of the associations to conserve their funds for the purpose of obtaining grounds, compelled careful consideration of the cost of sending a team away, but the success of the inter-State matches in Australia compelled the conclusion that all the affiliated associations would reap the benefit of a series of inter-association matches. Only five such matches were recorded during the past year. 1923 NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. The 1923 New Zealand championships would bo held in Christchurch. The committee had arranged with the Canterbury Association to provide tho necessary courts and spectators' stands, and also to make provision for proper faeili- ! lies for tho convenience of the competi- | tors, end in return for these arrange- ; ments tho Canterbury Association will j roceivo 25 per cent, of the gross receipts of the tournament. NEW SOUTH WALES LADIES' TEAM. A team of four ladies representing tho New South Wales Association made a tour of Now Zealand during the past year. Tho members of the team were: Miss S. Lanco (captain), Mrs Lascelles, Miss A. Gray, and Miss N. Lloyd. Throughout the tour, except while the visitors were in Christchurch, unfavourable weather was experienced. The test match was played in Wellington. Exhibition matches were played in Hamilton and a match against a team representing tho Auckland Association was played in Auckland. The members also competed in the Now Zealand' and the Auckland champioi.ships. RULES AND REGULATION?:. At the annual meeting to-night. on behalf of the management committee, Mr M. E. Denniston will move:— "That tho rules of lawn tennis as promulgated by the International Lawn Tennis Federation on March loth, 1923, bo adopted by the Now' Zealand Lawn Tennis Association as from November Ist, 1923." Air G. N. Goldio (West Coast) will move:— 1. "That rule 5 of. the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association's rules be amended to road: —'Competitors, whether residents in New Zealand or else* where, must be members of a club nffiliated to an association. A player may represent an association if he shall have resided for one calendar month prior to the opening date of the championships, within the area of this association, provided always that a player must apply to the Now Zealand Lawn Tennis Association for a transfer from tho asscciatio i which he previously represented, or was entitled to previously lepresenii, befo.e representing another association, provided, further that no player m&v represent more than one association during one tennis year. UTntil such player is qualified by his transfer to represent another association, ho shall be entitled) to represent tho association for which he was previously qualified ' ” MEMORIAL TROPHIES. "That rule 62 of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association'# rules be amended to read: —‘The affiliated association scoring the greatest number of points in the New Zealand championships shall hold the Anthony Wilding Memorial Cup, and the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association's banner for tho ensuing year. The (points to be scored as foilow: —Men's singles, 3; men's doubles, 2; ladies’ singles, 3; ladies' doubles, 2; combined, 2; junior singles, 1 each. If the partners winning any of the doubles belong to different associations, each association shall count half the points.’ REPRESENTATION. "That regulation 10 of the regulations for the Anthony Wilding Memorial Challenge Shield competition be amended to read: —‘A player may represent an association if he shall have resided for one calendar month, prior to the opening date of the match, for which he may be selected, within the area of this association, provided always that a player must apply to the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association for a transfer from the association which he previously represented, or was entitled to previously represent, before representing another association, provided further that no player may represent more than one association during one tennis season. Until a player is qualified by his transfer to represent another association, he shall be entitled to represent the association for which ho was previously qualified. "