MEMORIAL COURTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27094, 31 May 1949, Page 9

MEMORIAL COURTS

PLAN NEARING COMPLETION OFFICIAL OPENING IN AUGUST It was decided at the quarterly combined meeting of the executive of the Otago Basketball Association and the Dunedin Lawn Tennis Union that the official opening of the Memorial Park courts be held on Saturday, August 20, and that a sub-committee of three members from each body be appointed to make the necessary arrangements. Mr' E. L. Hope, the union president, occupied the chair at the meeting. The Basketball Association was represented by Mrs W. B. Taverner, Mrs Graham. Misses E. George, R. Mackenzie and E. L. Ferguson, and the Tennis Union by Messrs R. W. Facer, J. Judge, C. K. Pritchett, J. Keen, J. McPhail and D. H. Mason.

The meeting expressed appreciation of a further grant of £SOO from the Internal Affairs Department. This makes a total qf £ISOO received from that department. Ten courts were reported to be completed,' and it was stated that arrangements were now in hand to proceed with the second section of 10 courts next summer. This would be possible if a further £7OO could be raised by October. The meeting felt confident that this could be achieved and appealed to all members to make a final effort.

Miss Mackenzie, on behalf of the Basketball Association, thanked the working- party members of the Tennis Union, wno had made a special effort to have 10 courts and portion of the pavilion ready for the opening of the basketball season on April 30. It was reported that the New Zealand Basketball tournament would be held in Dunedin this year from August 22 to August 27, and approximately 30 teams from throughout the Dominion would be present. After a lengthy discussion it w&s decided that the sub-letting of the courts be under the full control of the controlling body if it be basketball or tennis, and not the Memorial Park Committee. It. was the opinion of the meeting that the Memorial Park Committee should come into being, and it was decided that each body should nominate its members immediately.

The secretary reported that a considerable amount of work remained to be done and the Tennis Union had organised working parties to continue every Saturday throughout the winter months. He appealed to all members to make a final effort and to attend on the days set down.

The treasurer’s report showed a balance of £799 in hand. To date £5117 had been spent on the scheme. Over £BOO had been raised by interest-free debentures and the first repayment of the debentures would be made next August, when £2OO would "be repaid.