TIMARU TENNIS CLUB.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12474, 10 September 1904, Page 4

TIMARU TENNIS CLUB.

The annual meeting of the Timaru Tennis Club was held in the Grosvenor Hotel last evening. Mr J. A. Johnson presided over a fair attendance. The annual report of the committee stated that the membership comprised 30 paying and one life member (men), and 18 paying and eight honorary members (ladies). All subscriptions for the past year had been paid. The Club had purchased the present grounds for £250, paying £SO in cash, and the balance was left oh mortgage for five years at 5 per cent. Messrs Rolleston, Gray, and Cameron were appointed trustees. Three very successful club Yankee tournaments were played ; one handicap combined doubles for the president's trophy (won by Miss L. Bevell and Mr . Douglass), a ladies' handicap singles (won by Miss O. Hay), and men's handicap singles* (won by Mr F. Cameron). Five interclub matches were played, two against Oamaru, two against Waitohi, and one against Waimate. Of the five -one was won;.and four lost. The committee recommended that the ladies' subscription be raised, and that the ladies be given another day; and that to encourage new members no entrance fee be charged for the ensuing season. .

The treasurer, Mr Douglass, read the balance sheet and statement of accounts. The receipts were, from subscriptions £42 Is; extra subscriptions for balls £3 15s; from Sports Carnival £B7 15s 4d; and a few sundries brought up the total to £136 105.7 d. The expenditure items included debit balance £49 7s 2d, rent £lO. balls (two years) £ll 19s 3d, deposit o* purchase money £SO, and numerous small items made up £136 2s lid. leaving p credit balance in the bank of 7s Bd. The assets were: Ground £250, pavilion,£6o outstanding dues £4 Is 6d, bank balancr 7s 8d; total £314 9s 2d. The liabilhier were: Mortgage £2OO, outstanding accounts £4 12s 6d, credit balance £IOP 16s Bd. ■

Mr Douglass made a few; remarks on tli<--talements, and said they were about £I(V | better off than the previous year. M 1 Tennent suggested that the assets ough* j<o b? put, at" .a larger amount, as thr I Club, had spent a lnr7e sum on the conrtr I which cflulrl not well be reckoned on wink the ground was only leased. 1 The chairman moved the adoption o' *he report and balance sheet, with con gratulartory remarks upoti their contend except with regard to the record of matrbe" lost. He expressed wonder why the younger members had not eome to the fron< more decidedly. Timam. he tfcniiirhought to hnvs a, flub nbl« to hold \'r own against Oa.rnaru. to sny nothing c' igainst Waitohi. Mr Cameron Wis *>. pibest player when he {the chairman) ioisc" t'-e 01 "L\ einrht rznrx ago, and he ■nr.r, sli'' their best. .He hoped noms of the young would come forward this year, and ui-' the Club a better position amongst its neighbours. The balance sheet was Very satisfactory.

The documents were adopted. Major Lindsay, who had been president for some years, wrote resigning his membership, as he would be leaving Timaru, jncl Mr Cotterill also sent in his resignation.

On the motion of Mr Tennent, it was resolved "That Major Lindsay's resignation be received with much regret, and that the secretary be instructed to fender the hearty thanks of the Club for the kindly interest Major Lindsay has taken in its welfare."

An invitation to members was received from the Victoria Park Club, Tcmuka, to attend their opening day—postponed to September 15th, and very cordially accepted. Mr T. D. Young renewed an offer to purchase a strip of land 20ft wide along one end of the courts. —The . letter was referred to the incoming committee. Fourteen new members - were proposed and unanimously elected. Mr Tennent was unanimously elected president and Mr Smithson vice-president. Mr Knubley was re-elected secretary, and Mr F. Cameron elected treasurer.

Messrs Douglass, Raymond, Johnson, A. E. Hunt and W. White were elected the committee; and the President, Messrs Johnson and Cameron a selection and handicapping committee; two to form a quorum of the latter.

Mr Sbrimpton was elected .auditor. Mr Tennent moved four motions of which he had given notice, the effect of which, if carried, would Be-: (1) to make Saturday a mixed day, instead of Friday; (2) to make the ladies' days Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, other days till noon ; (3) to increase the fees for ladies from'7s. 6d and 2s 6d to 10s and 2s 6d; "and" (4) to waive' the entrance fee for the coming season. The proposed increase in the ladies' subscription waß balanced by giving them an extra day, and this concession- was objected to, on the ground that it meant that the courts would be available to men only for hard play for but eight hours a week.

After a discussion, the first and fourth proposals were adopted, and the second and third were withdrawn. A vote of thanks was recorded to Mr Tennent for his efforts in connection with the purchase of the grounds, and to the ladies, especially in connection with the bazaar. It was decided to open the season on the 22nd inst. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.