LAWN TENNIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 65

LAWN TENNIS.

BY SMASH.

In so far as the ideal is to encourage the greatest possible number of people to engage in the exhilarating exercise afforded b~ lawn tennis, the association may look forward o a prosperous and successful season. Everywhere there are signs of increasing interest in the racquet game. In many cases clubs are obliged to close their membership lists to avoid overcrowding. If room were available for all the beginners who desire entrance to clubs there would bo. quite a small army of tennis players in Ofcago. As it is, the number of members of'affiliated clubs is probably well over 1000, and there are many more who play privately. In addition to the associatoin's six new courts at Anderson?s Bay, • the St. Kilda Club has opened a new court, which has been found playable whilst the other two courts held rain pools; Moana Club has almost completed, three, new courts, excellently situated on the Asylum Ground; and a new club is establishing three courts in an ideal location at Cosy Dell. . The last-named olub will probably not affiliate this year. . The spirit of emulation is at work. St. Kilda Club desires to rise to A Grade, whilst Moana and Hanover, who strove in the C Grade list* last season, desire this season to be found amongst the B Graders. The olubs are getting through with their official openings, and for several Saturdays already some of the courts have been fully occupied. The official opening of the seaeon by the association on Saturday next caused some thought owing to. the fact that the whole of the Anderson's Bay courts require to be top-dressed. It was ultimately decided that for the purposes of an opening tournament the present condition of the courts would be satisfactory, the top-dres-incr to be proceeded with immediately after the opening day. The whole of the affiliated clubs have been, invited to enter c-ne pair each, and an interesting competition is looked forward to.

It is proposed r o corrrmehcc match nlav as early as possible "in November. With the increased number of courts available matches will be carried through with less interruption to the playing of the large section of club members who do not aspire or attain to club representation.

To provide for players who desire to make use M. the association's courts at Anderson's Bay the association has adopted rules for the formation of what is to be called th" TTnited Club. None but members of affiliated clubs may join the TTnited Club, and to simplify the work of the association secretary all intending members [pc«t. anply throusrh the secretaries of the clubs to which they belong. For persons "-; + nin r> radiv of iml*>« from the Post Office the subscription will be £1 Is and ]fh 6d for r -''"""er "nd larli.o a resncctive'-\ these terms being increased automatically to £1 11» fid are not paid within three months from date of joininer. For picmbers of affiliated clubs beyond the 19- rv ul rl radius the suhscrintion is 10s 6d and. 7s 6d respectively, increasing to 15s end 10* fid. A locker (when such are available) may be rented at a fee of 5s per annum. when the courts are required .bv the association for any purpose^ —and -the rules reserve to the association the riTlvt to exemnt the courts from nlav o* »nv ti^o —olay will bo governed by the ordinary slate system, and the games p-n not to Dvcod the best of 17. No nrovision is made to meet the wishes of any party who may desire to secure the exclusive right of one court for an hour or two. Membership in the United Club will not ensure free entrance to the ground at anv time, It; being laid- down, that members shall pav for admission to tournaments. Kaituna should be very strong this year. Practically the whole of last vear's players will be available, and. in addition, the club will have Clark, a player of some repute from Nelson. The Brown < Brothers will not attach themselves _to Kaituna this season, but, in addition < to playincr for Balmacewen, they will join the .United Club,

Port Chalmers Club expects to have the same teiam as last year. C. W.hite proposes to take up tennis 111 earnest this year with Otago Cluib. Balmacewen will be considerably weakened this year. Stewart will be away in England, Boyd will not be available, and M'Kerrow talks of retiring, whilst Miss Burt is the only remaining member of the ladies' first quartet of last season. St. Kildia Club is quite well qualified to compete in the A Grade competition. Although the club lias lost its best man, Simpson, it has secured in Partridge, late of the 'University Club, a player whose merit should largely compensate for the loss of Simpson. Miss Crawley and Miss Botbing, of the University Club, have also joined St. Kilda. Miss Thomson, who won the St. Kilda Club ohampionship last season, „ Was joined Roslyn, but will still be available for St. Kilda for match play. Mr L. A. Lodge, secretary of St. Kilda Club, has been transferred to New Plymouth as teller in the National Bank. The club thus . loses. a secretary who was as capable as he wlas industrious, and whose place it will not be easy td fill. Valley Club is losing Bejrg, Miss Wright, and Miss Meenan, all of whom are settling. with Moana, whilst Miss Crammond also will hot be available. ' ■ ".

The American Davis Cup team has not yet been decided upon to meet Australasia in the final for the Davis Cup. Word has been received from America that - they are still very far from their final decision. However, it is fairly certain (says '' Footfault," in the Dominion) that La.rned, who has been four times chatmnion of America, will come over. Beals Wright, of course, is a strone: probability and one or more of the Californians. There is some talk of Touchard, and with very good reason, as he has beaten both M'Laughlin and Long, who represented America in the last Davis Cup, being selected, although he is somewhat erratic and frail physically. He certainly is, however,.', a, most remarkable player arid deserves.:consideration. The following is-a list of the 15 best players in the-" United States as classified by the National' Association: — 1. W. A. tarried owes one-«ixth. 2. T. C. Buridy owes one^sixth. 3. Beals C. Wright owes one-sixth. 4. M. E. M'Loughliri owes one-sixth. 5. M. H. Long scratch. 6. N". W. Niks receives one-sixth. 7. G. F. Touchard receives one-sixth. 8. T; R. Pell receives one-sixth. 9. F. C. Colston receives one-sixth. 10. G. R' Gardner receives one^sixth. 11. R. H. Palmer, receives one-sixth. 12. W. F. Johnson receives orie-sixth." 13. Dean Matbey receives one-sixth. 14. R. D. Little receives one-sixth. 15 F. C. Inman owes one-sixth. It will be seen from the above that a group of first-class players may advance together by practice among themselves. Mr Buridy, three selasons ago, ranked as twelfth on the list of- American-'players, while M'Laughlin and Long were some good distance below, being respectively 38 and 39. Touchard's. rise is very notable. In the Metropolitan Doubles quite recently he and Mahan not only won that event, but defeated such wellrkriown and formidable pairs as Beals Wright and Niles and K. Behr and R. D. Little. Secretaries of 'clubs both in town ano country are invited to send along for inclusion in these columns notes of interest concerning their clubs' doings. THE DAVIS CUP. FREMANTLE, September 27. Heath, the Victorian tennis player, who has returned from England, in the course of an interview regarding the Davis Cup contest, said: "There is a probability of Dunlop as well as Wilding not being available. I am aifraid we. shall have to go Home to beat the Yankees for the cup." , OTAGO ASSOCIATION. The. first meeting of the Executive Committee of the' Otago 'Lawiri -Tennis Association was held last evening. In the absence of Mr BauChop (the president), Mr T. Begg occupied the chair. For the opening day on October 7 it was decided :'"to play a tournament, for .mixed doubles only, at the association's courts at Anderson's Bay, each club to be allowed to enter one pair. It was decided to play the tournament in two sections — Otago, Kaituna, Port Chalmers, Roslyn l , Balmacewen, and St.' Kilda to compete' in tlie first grade, and all other clubs in the second grade, entries closing on Thursday next. . The secretary was instructed to write asking the various clubs to submit before October 10 the names of their first 12 gentlemen and' ladies, in ordstr to facilitate the grading of teams and players; also to state whether they were desirous of entering one or two trams. The Match Committee was instructed to submit at next meeting of the Executive Committee the proposed grading. '•;.»'. -i*. With regard to the annual fixture with Canterbury at Dunediin. it was decided to invite the Canterbury Association to send a team of eight men and six kdies on a date convenient to them, Otago suggesting November 11. ' " ■ ~, , An application from the Hanover Club for permission to enter a team in B as well as a team m C Grade was referred to the Match Committee. . ~ A set of rules governing the use ot tnp association's courts at Anderson s Bay was considered and adopted. • It was decided to have the whole of the association's oauirtfi at Anderson s Bay topdressed as scon as possible.

TOKO LAWN TENNIS CLUB. The annual meeting of the Toko Lawn Tennis Club was held on Wednesday evening when there were 21 members present, Mr" J. W. Petrio (president) occupying tho The annual report showed that during the past season the number of members had decreased from 46 to 36. The A beam had played matches against St. Kildia (&), Uutram (2), Lawrence, and Hauroro, all of which were lost. The B team had played one match against Waitahuna, which was won. The balance sheet showed a credit balance of £1 4s 7d, as against £5 19s 4d last year, but 'several items of a non-re-curring naturo wore incurred during the season. Tho report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted, and the following officebearers appointed:—President, Mr Wm. Moore; vi«>-3«>e6id«»Sß, Mcsssb J. A. Duthie arid G. H. Thomson;, secw£ary and treasurer, Mr E. Moore; General Committee—

Messrs H. Walker, A. L. Smith, W. W. P. Hall, J. W. Petrie, Dr Sutherland; Match Committee—Messrs H. Walker, J. B. Grant, and the secretary; delegate to Otago Lawn Tennis Association, Mr G. F. Mirams; auditor, Mr W. W. P. Hall; Ladies' Committee —Mrs Hall, Misses A. Moore, LittleJohn, White, and G. M'Laren. It was decided to open the season en Wednesday, October 4. Twenty-two new members were elected.