LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20892, 5 December 1929, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS.

By Smash,

The following applications for tournament have been approved by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association:— North Otago Championships and Handicaps, at Oamaru.—December 25, 26, 27. Southland Championships and Handicaps, at Invercargill.—December 25, 26, 27. Mid-Canterbury Sub-association Championships and Handicaps at Ashburton, December 26, 27, 28. Auckland Championships and Handicaps, at Auckland.—December 26, 27. 28. Canterbury Championships and Handicaps, at Christchurch.—December 26, 27, 28. South Canterbury Championships and HanUleaps, at Tlmaru.—January 1,2, 3. Wanganui-North Island Championships, at Wanganui.—January 1,2, 3, 4. Wellington Championships and Handicaps, at Miramar, January 22, 23, 24, 23. New Zealand Championships, at Miramar, January 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. and Keh-

ruary 1. Canterbury, at Wilding Park, South Island Championships, Easter. Otago Championships and Handicaps, Easter.

Owing to the conditions which prevailed on Saturday afternoon it was again found necessary to postpone the A and G Grade matches. The morning was unpromising, and as rain commenced to fall with depressing persistency early in the afternoon any hope of playing off the various games was soon out of the question. The B Grade competition will be continued on Saturday next, when it is also hoped to play some of the postponed matches. ■

Interest continues to be well maintaineed in the A Grade competition, in "j * kotli Moann and Kaituna are still undefeated. Kaituna, indeed, has won its matches so far by very .decisive margins. defeating, North-East Valley by 12 sets to 4 and Anderson’s Bay by 14 sets to 2. On" the other hand, Moana only beat Otago by the narrow margin of 9 sets to 7. and North-East Valley, it is interesting to note, captured seven sets from Otago. The University-Roslyn match was also closely contested. These scores indicate, therefore, that the competition -is not yet finally decided ami that there is a possibility of several interesting matches before the season is over.

In n challenge match played a few days ago Black and M'Dougall beat Guy and Moody, o—2,0 —2, 6—3, The winners gave a good display, but it cannot be said that Guy and Moody showed their true form.

In. a singles match Jensen defeated Rawlmsnn, I —s. o—2. Rawlinson be-' can well, but Jensen gradually drew level, and, by forcing the game, he held the upper hand to secure, a good victory. K._ Clark, who is taking up lawn tennis again after an absence of some years from the Courts, should be an acquisition not only to Kaitnna Club but to the game generally In Dunedin. He plays a good all-round game, based on sound stroke production in all department, and. reinfoiced by a fine knowledge of court-craft, he should considerably strengthen the Kaituna team. A few j-ears ago he was one of the leading players in Christchurch, and represented Canterbury m interprovincia] matches on several occasions. I n 1922 he placed against Otago, defeating R. A. Wilkie in singles. o—l, 7 —5, In the doubles, howeve.r ’^,- [ ' I P OU K aII antl Wilkie beat Goss and Clark, 6—4, 6—3. His return to the game is very welcome. Some clubs are making better progress than others with the preliminary stages of, the Champion of champions competiv , Pjayed, it is desirable that efforts should be made by the clubs to reach finality as early as possible. At Kaituna, the semi-final stage has been reached, the four remaining in being Moody. Pollock, Phdhpps, and Laurenson. The possibility is being discussed of the first four men on the association ladder pia>Hi£ exhibition matches in some of the smaller towns. While the idea is an excellent one and worthy of all encouragement, it presents certain practical difficulties in the way oE making the necessary arrangements that may nqt be easy t°. overcome. Still, a serious attempt might well* be made to put the plan into execution.

C. Angas and T. Ehodes-Williams, first men respectively for Avonsidq and Cashmere. played an interesting match when these two clubs met in Christchurch-on baturday last. Angas won 7—5. 6—3. Rhodes-Willinms led 5—2 in the first set, but Angas overhauled him and showed a definite superiority in the second set. the match was marked by some crisp volleying exchanges at the net, in which both men showed to advantage. Entries for the Southland Christmas tournament close on December H,.and the draw will be made three days later. That the tournament is going to be well up to standard is already assured (says Chop” in the Southland Times). J have received • letters from Mrs W. A. Scott and D. Dobie, both of whom are again coming down, Mrs Scott is the present Southland champion and has many Dominion successes to her credit. Dobie won the Southland tournament in 1022, and has been a finalist and semi-finalist several times since then. A. J. Deaker and his brother Cyril, who i s just as good, are both entering and are pairing in the doubles. The Sumpter brothers will again be competitors. Lindsay and Johnstone will probably be paired again. It is stated that N. R. C. Wilson will be paired with A. C. Stedman, of Auck- !? n i i 10 * \ B t Zealand championship doubles. _ Mrs W. J. Melodv and Mrs , A - .““tt vill Play together in the ladies’ doubles.

T. Rhodes-Wilhams is likely to pair with Ivan Seay in the Canterbury doubles championship at Christmas, and with M'*® M. Andrew in the mixud doubles. Ihe New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association has approved of the South Island Championship meeting being held at Christchurch next Easter. Messrs Van Maveren Bros., Ltd., have offered to present a . challenge cup for the men’s singles championship, and the offer has been accepted with thanks.

The Canterbury provincial championship and handicap tournament will be played at Wilding Park on December 26, fo,’ al | ,d u 2B ; Irl a ‘? dlt,orl to the events tor adult players, there will be boys and irii'ls singles, championships, the best of three sets in each instance. Entries close mi I’nday, December 13. The Wellington Lawn Tennis Association has been challenged by the Auckland Association tor the Anthony Wilding Memorial Shield, the competition bein'for teams composed of four men players! South Canterbury has also challenged the Wellington Association for the Kathleen Annneley Casket, the competition for which is for teams composed of four laclv players. With the Wellington championsup tournament and the New Zealand championship meeting being held at Wellington in January (remarks “ Huka ” in the Ecvening Post) the lawn tennis public is going to have a feast of big tennis on the Miramar grounds. In the third round of the covered courts championship at Queen’s Club in hi Af l he I' E. J). Andrews won his Way to the third round, where Nigel Sharpe defeated him, 3 —6, C—l, 6 1 6—3 Andrews had previously beaten Sharpe at Eastbourne on crass, but the hard surface at Queen’s suited the latter* play much better.

H. Cochct has avenged the defeat which he suffered at the hands of Harada on his arrival in Japan, when the French players had hardly had time to reach their top form. Tu the second contest Coehet won, 7—5, 11—!), evening matters at five sets each in the series between r ranee and Japan. M hen the question of playing lawn tennis on Sundays at Wilding Park was mentioned to a Christchurch solicitor recently. he said that it could not be prevented. 'flic legal ’position rested on an Appeal Court decision in the case Doyle v. Whitehead, decided in 1017. This case dealt with golf, but it applied ennally to lawn tennis. The respondent Whitehead. was a gnlfcr. and the appellant, Doyle, an inspector employed by the Wellington City Council. The headnote to the case sets out the facts as follows: “After establishing golf links on a certain portion of its public reserves, on which, for a small fee. all persons were permitted to play, the City Council passed a. by-law prohibiting the nlaying of coif thereon on Sundays. The respondent (Whitehead) was charged with breach of this by-law. and was acquitted, the magistrate finding that the playing of golf in contravention of the by-law involved no danger to the public, and holding that there was no other reasonable ground for the by-law than In enforce Sunday observance. The magistrate's decision w.;s annealed against on points of law. The Full Court, belli that, in view of the findings of the magistrate and of the sur-

isted fot the making of the by-law other than to enforce Sunday observance, and it was therefore laid under section 347 {») of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1008. as being concerned only with the breach of a religious rule.” The City Council bylaw referred to was as follows:—“ No person shall play or practise golf on any Sunday on any part of the Town Belt reserves that arc vested in the corporation.” The Municipal Corporations Act 1908, section 347 (c) reads us follows:

“ Inasmuch ns it is inexpedient that questions of religion or morals should be regnkited by by-law. no by-law shall be valid if a breach thereof would involve a breach only of some religious or moral rule.” In the course of his judgment, the Chief Justice. Sir Robert Stout, said: “If those who can afford to pay the fees for the use of private grounds are permitted to play, why should the public bo debarred from.using their own grounds for such a purpose? ” Air Justice Dennisfon ami Air Justice Chapman concurred in upholding the magistrate’s decision.