VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1935, Page 7

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE

VIEWS ON CURRENT TOPICS CRITICISM OF TENNIS PLAYERS. CASE OF THE ELTHAM MEMBERS. <To the Editor.) ?“ Sir, —Recently your tennis critic “Half Volley,” in commenting on the Eltham tennis team, spoke disparagingly of itsabilities except as “terrific servers.” Facts speak otherwise. B. Clifford-Jones and I. Wylds, Eltham top men players, cannot be accused of being hard servers only, and their record in inter-club matches, both in this and last season, is one of a high standard of general play. Jones last season, when only 16, defeated every top player in the South Taranaki competitions. This season he is still undefeated in these competitions,- and he had the ability to represent Taranaki at the junior hard court championships at Auckland, winning seven out of eight matches, his only defeat being by the winner of the championship. For many years past the Eltham club has allowed school children to become members of the club at a nominal fee, and each year the' two best boys and two best girls are given free junior status. These boys and girls have been consistent winners at the Hawera tournament as school children, and later have developed into good juniors. At Hawera Jones and Nodder were the finalists, at the Taranaki championships Donnelly and Nodder were the finalists, Jones was top at the Stratford Technical High School, and Donnelly and Nodder were finalists at the New Plymouth Boys’ High School. AU these boys received their training in the Eltham club. Miss P. Wylds, who graduated from the Eltham club, this season won three titles at the Taranaki championships, B. Jones and his brother won the men’s doubles at Hawera, and altogether the Eltham club has encouraged all-round development and has given many good general players to Taranaki tennis. “Half Volley,” commenting on the selection for the - North v. South match, considered that McCarthy should have played top for the South instead of the Dickie brothers. After the match “Half Volley” must realise the selectors had fairly sound judgment. Although A. Dickie lost to S. Clifford-Jones,, after a hard struggle, E. Dickie accounted for Strombom in two sets, and J. Leggat easily outclassed McCarthy, while the balance of the South 'men won their singles. In his comments on the North selection “Half Volley” was also wide of the mark. He hinted that the x North ladder was not altogether a reliable guide of merit, but Saturday’s games have confirmed that it was, S. CliffordJones justifying his position at the top by beating A. Dickie, South Taranaki’s top, while Strombom failed to win in second position.—l am, etc., ELTHAM ACE. Eltham, Feb. 12. •* P.S.—I consider of the ability of Donnelly, Nodder, Jones, T. Gibson, etc., should receive every encouragement for the development of their tennis, That they have the ability Jones proved last season. Though only 16 years of age, he represented Taranaki against Wanganui in fourth position, and defeated Udy, who was a finalist in the Taranaki championships just past. NORMANBY VALUATION ROLL. ■ . (To the Editor.) Sir,—ln your report of the Hawera County Council meeting of last Saturday,“it is stated that the town clerk at Normanby refused the Hawera county clerk access to the valuation roll. This •statement is somewhat misleading to those not aware of the true position. The position is that acting upon legal- advice my board did not recognise any rights vested in the county clerk of access to the board’s records. The board, however, intimated to the county clerk that it was prepared to supply the information necessary to enable him to make the declaration. The county clerk at no time requested either me or my board to supply the information. It is difficult, therefore, to see the grounds upon which the statement made by the county clerk is based.—l am, etc., H. D. HUGHES, Town Clerk, Normanby Town Board. Normanby, Feb. 12. SHARK-CATCHING INCIDENT. . (To the Editor.) Sir,—l should like to correct a slight inaccuracy in your report of the sharkcatching incident at the harbour. I was certainly present, but the person who dealt the fatal blow was Mr. J. M. Poynter, who was going out fishing with me. He gave the mako a blow with the edge of the oar just across the peck, which no doubt paralysed it, and he and a Maori seized it by the tail and hauled it ashore. We discovered it was blind in the right eye, which accounts for its being approachable from that side. The most interesting thing about it, to xpy mind, was the sucker fish, about the size of a herring, sticking on inside the gill with just its tail showing. The sucker was oblong in shape, reaching from near the mouth down to the chest—l am, etc., A. M. SOUTHAM. New Plymouth, Feb. 11. ■