OTAGO LAWN TENNIS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21600, 22 March 1932, Page 12

OTAGO LAWN TENNIS

TO THE EDITOR.

vSir,— At long last an attempt to justify the actions of the Selection Committee and oilicials in general of the Lawn Tennis Association has been put before the public. That it is only an attempted justification is only too obvious. It contains substantially nothing more than an unnecessary defence of the first player, although it was stated that this was not the motive which induced its publication. Although there has been no imputation to the contrary, it may here be stated that this player is undoubtedly entitled to a place in an Otago team, but must it be pointed out again and again that, on performances this season, he is by no means entitled to first place? It has been suggested that the various letters show a poor spirit of sportsmanship, but the writer would like to know what this has to do with making the public and lawn tennis players in general conversant with the actual doings of the executive body. It has also been suggested that a better spirit of loyalty to the association should prevail. What, in fact, is this association to which players are exhorted to be so staunch? The gravamen of the complaint against the members of the association with whom players come into contact is that they have more concern for the furtherance of their own particular interests and those of a few of their more favoured friends than for the sport they profess to play. It is to them that, it is pleaded, loyalty should be shown. The writer is of the opinion that until something is done to rectify the present state of' affairs, honest players, with the furtherance of this branch of sport deeply embedded in their hearts, will be forced to be nothing but revolutionary towards the astonishing actions and conduct of the official representatives of the association. That something must be done is quite apparent, and “ Smash’s ” convincing remarks with regard to the election of a future president will, in the writer’s opinion, be received with satisfaction by all conscientious lawn tennis players. It must not be thought for a moment, however, that all the dissatisfaction that has arisen of late is entirely attributable to this year’s president. The cause of all the prevalent dissatisfaction will.be found in the fact that the president and his band of worthy confederates, over-esti-mating the importance of their position, have blundered blindly along without due regard to the interests of the game. The present officials have had their day, and not before time is their vessel of good' fortune doomed to founder upon the rocks of fair play. A very fitting conclusion to this appeal of straight service, a square deal, and fair play is; Facts never lie. Verbum sat sapienti.— l am. etc., Slam. Dunedin, March 19.