RAETIHI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 10

RAETIHI

PERSONAL. Miss Esme Pearson, of Lakes Road and Miss Betty Wallace of Kakatahi, accompanied by Mrs. R. O. Pearson and Mr. and Mrs. R. Wallace, are at presnt in Wellington, where the Misses Pearson and Wallace are to be presented as debutantes at the Government House Ball. RAETIHI TENNIS CUB. ANNUAL MEETING. There was a small attendance at the annual meeting of the Raetihi Tennis Club which was held on Tuesday evening last. Following disposal of formal business the meeting discussed an offer received from the Modern Bag Company of Auckland, to present a trophy in consideration of the club purchasing tennis balls from that company. Some members pointed out that good service had, in tne past, been obtained from Messrs. Mason Struthers and Co. Ltd., of Wanganui, and it was finally decided first to approach the latter company to ascertain upon what terms it would supply tennis balls to the club.

, The resignations of Miss J. Ward and Mr. and Mrs. S. Moor were accepted with regret. The question of engaging the services of Mr. A. N. Campbell, professional tennis coach, of Wanganui, provoked considerable discussion. It was agreed that his services would be valuable early in the season but the club could not see its way clear to undertake the financial liability of engaging the coach. It was finally decided to request Mr. Campbell to make a visit to Raetihi about November 20 and to give individual lessons to members desiring tuition, and to collect his own fees so that the club would be involved in no financial liability.

Mr. D. G. O’Toole, of Wanganui, was re-appointed as the club’s delegate on the Wanganui Lawn Tennis Association.

The report and balance-sheet were then read, received and adopted. The report has already been published in these columns. Election of Officers.—The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows:—President, Mr. H. V. Marshall; vice-presidents, Miss L. Legge and Messrs. R. T. Colthart and D. V. Sandford; club captain, Mr. H. P. Manson; honorary secretary, Mr. J. H. Mcßride; honorary treasurer, Mr. L. J. Keucke; men’s committee, Messrs. C. M. Turner, J. S. Macdonald, F. A. Barker, L. A. Alley and T. Burgess* ladies’ committee, Misses T. and J. Anderson, M. Robertson and M. Manson and Mesdames M. Towler, A. G. Urwin and 11. V. Marshall.

The following were elected as new members of the club subject to their signing and completing the newly innovated forms of application for membership duly signed by the proposer and seconder of each new member. Misses Ruth Burrell, Jane Dunean and Joan Mabbot, Mesdames B. J. Brady, J. Shaw and Roy Smith, and Messrs. T. Burgess, B. J. Brady, Gordon Lynch, Joe Haley, Ray Christofferson and G. Hardy. At this stage Mr. S. Sims, who was present at the meeting, was approached to become a member. He replied that he could not see his way clear to join but that, if it would be appreciated by members, he would be willing to give instruction in tactics, court-craft, etc. His offer was enthusiastically accepted and a hearty vote of thanks was carried by acclamation.

After some discussion the meeting decided that all subscriptions should be increased, but that a rebate to the extent of the increase should be allowed if payment were made on, or before, February 16, 1938. The subscriptions are, therefore, in effect, the same as Isat year.

The courts were declared open as from the date of the annual meeting and an invitation tournament -was fixed for Sunday, November 14. A working bee at the courts is to be held on Saturday, October 30. The serious problem of the courts occupied the attention of members but it was finally decided that the matter was sufficiently difficult and important to warrant consideration at a special meeting of the committee. On the motion of Mr. R. Colthart the ladder rules were altered to enable new members joining the club in future to challenge any person on the ladder whom he might choose. In the event of a new member making three unsuccessful challenges in this way he shall recommence from the bottom of the ladder. It was also arranged that players on the ladder shall be able to progress only one step at a time instead of three as previously. The necessity of making some arrangement by which more inducement and assistance were given to new members and poorer class players to encourage them to remain keen members of the club was mentioned by Mr. L. A. Alley. After exhaustive discussion on all aspects of the question, the meeting decided that Miss M. Robertson and Mr. J. S. Macdonald, in conjunction with the club captain, should be appointed as court stewards. The duties of these stewards will be to arrange sets on days when the courts are full so that all classes of players will play together, to welcome and assist new members and the poorer class of players, to arrange for more club tournament days and generally to endeavour to foster the social life and happiness of the club.

A hearty vote of thanks to the chairman (Mr. H. V. Marshall) concluded the meeting.