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Tennis

Another tennis year has ended and there can be only two opinions as to its success. Perhaps for the sake of inspiring this year's members it would be well to summarise the work performed last season. Hic it (Cicero=here goes). During the year just ended:—the Club's membership roll contained nearly eighty names; six teams were entered for the various local competitions; the aggregate number of matches played by these teams was seventy-five; of these matches no less than ten were won; the Club's representatives at the University Tournament lost to Canterbury the Tennis Cup which had been held by V.C. for the three previous years; a large amount of cliff has been removed by students, non-tennis players, to make room for a fourth court; the Committee decided to let a contract to have a fourth court laid down; this decision was arrived at about three months too late for the court to be ready for use this season; the nets and the umpires' seats were left in the open so that winter atmosphere should thoroughly preserve them; the preservative was omitted from the winter air by Captain Edwin; the drains, formed to provided an outflow for water, have been allowed for the whole of the winter to remain filled with clay—no doubt the Club is considering the erection of a brick kiln. In order that this year's play should be even more successful than last year's The Spike would respectfully suggest: (1) That the members of the 1908-09 Committee should show more energy than the Committees of last season and the season before; (2) That the members of the page 49 said Committee should condescend on occasions to do work for the Club other than playing tennis and consuming afternoon tea; and (3) That if the Committee wishes to raise the general standard of the Club's tennis, it should discourage the lackadaisical style of playing tennis in vogue last season and should encourage serious practice.

Since the above was written the Committee of the Tennis Club has made a crowning effort. The annual meeting was called for Saturday, 19th September and in accordance with the Constitution a week's notice was given. On the morning of the said 19th September, the Secretary, having in the meantime further examined the Constitution, made an addition to the notice, calling attention to the fact that the meeting could not constitutionally be held until the month of October. Perhaps an honorarium to the Secretary would meet the case.