TENNIS.

Waipa Post, Volume XVII, Issue 960, 26 June 1920, Page 3

TENNIS.

THE DAVIS CUP. The Referee comments as ’follows on the Davis Cup matches: This year if the team has to go to Auckland all four men will again go from Australia. Their expenses will be similar, and the takings cannot be. much higher than in 1911. We really have to consider not only ourselves, but the Americans. Their expenses of sending a team to Australasia will be very great indeed. Certainly little less than £2OOO. If their team goes to Melbourne its expenses will be well covered by the takings. If it goes to Auckland their Association will have to bear a very heavy loss. It is well that a contract should be carried out between the parties, but if a third party is to suffer the matter needs re-consideration. The United States Association should certainly have the difference clearly placed before it. It should be told by cable that if the match is played in ’ Auckland there will probably be a big loss, -and if in Melbourne a big profit. If then they leave the matter to us, good and well, and there will then only be negotiations between New Zealand and Australia to be entered upon. There will still remain the really greater question of the danger of our men losing a big advantage by playing on strange courts at Auckland, after suffering the unnecessary fatigues of travelling on a possibly rough sea voyage. When the c.ontract was made New Zealand was just as much a home for Wilding v as Australia was for Brookes. If there were a New Zealander in the team -the argument would be all in favour of playing in New Zealand. The (nanagement committee, indeed, as such, has nothing to do with any contract entered into between Australia and , New Zealand. It should, if it were possible for its members to dissociate themselves from the - contract, only consider which is the best place for the match to be played at. But it is not possible for them to do this. To do so would savor of trickery; and theirs is a disability that must be suffered so that they shall not be charged with bad faith. None the less the matter must be looked at dispassionately, and what is well to do must be decided quickly. It may be the courts are already in preparation at Auckland. That will be necessary if they are to be in anything like good order by December.