ACTION DEFENDED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21155, 30 September 1938, Page 14

ACTION DEFENDED

Increased Charge At Maori Park “ Very Cheap Tennis ” Stating that the Timaru Borough Council had been a great help to the game in South Canterbury, the retiring president of the South Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association (Mr A. E. Sandral) at last night’s annual meeting, defended the Council’s action in increasing the charge for season tickets at the Maori Park courts from 17/6 to 30/-. Timaru, added Mr Sandral, had the cheapest tennis in Australia or New Zealand. Mr Sandral said that the Aorangi Club at its annual meeting had criticised the Council for increasing the charge at Maori Park, but it was pleasing that the executive of the club had since written to the Association stating that in view of the subsequent findings of the executive, it was considered that the Council had made a reasonable charge and no further action be taken regarding the recommendation at the annual meeting to protest through the Association to the Council. There had, said Mr Sandral, been a good deal of comment about the increased charge, but so far as the Association was concerned the Council had been of the utmost help The Council had invited the Association to be present at the meeting of the Reserves Committee, and he had attended. He had found the Council very helpful. It must be recognised that the Council controlled the ratepayers’ money and that the increase was not unreasonable. The committee had suggested that the charge be higher, but had agreed to leave it at £l/10/- a year. Praise For Courts “I believe,” said Mr Sandral, “that in Timaru we have the cheapest tennis in Australia and New Zealand.” The 12 courts at Maori Park were as good as any he had played on, including Australia. Players were obtaining their tennis on the asphalt and grass for about £3 a year, and the Council charges for the grass were not regarded by the Association to be excessive, especially when the cost of keeping the courts in order was considered. Maori Park, continued Mr Sandral. was becoming very congested, and efforts were being made to have four more courts laid down. The New Zealand tennis championships had made tennis on the grass in Timaru, and in view of the popularity of the courts, there was a possibility that the Council would do something in the matter when it was again discussed.