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Tennis.

The Tennis Championships were commenced on Saturday morning at the University courts, in beautiful weather. Dunedin, however, was determined to give the Wellington visitors an opportunity of experiencing its vagaries of weather, and play had to be abandoned in the afternoon on account of rain. The rain had held off long enough to allow nearly all the eliminating rounds to be concluded. The semi-finals and finals were played at the Otago Club's courts on Tuesday, when some very fine contests were witnessed.

Victoria's team this year was not a brilliant one, but it was a solid all-round team. During the tournament the team acquitted itself well, and was well up to the standard of the other competing teams.

The play in the Men's Singles was the best of the series. In the first round, R. Ferkins was too good for J. Watson (O.U.), while B. R. O'Brien accounted for L. R. Chisholm (O.U.). The semi-finals saw W. R. Robinson (C.U.C.) defeat O'Brien. This game was a very good one, both men driving hard, with good placements. Ferkins was too steady for V. N. Hubble (A.U.C.), although in the first set the Auckland man played well. The final thus lay between Robinson and Ferkins, and resulted in a win for the former in straight sets. In the first set Robinson used a powerful forehand drive with excellent effect, while Perkins's drive lacked length, and he was slow in coming to the net. In the second set Ferkins opened out, and by good net play led 4—3. Robinson, however, was equal to the occasion, taking three games in a row, and the match, 6—1, 6—4.

From Victoria's point of view the Men's Doubles was the most disappointing event. Both our pairs retired in the first round. Ferkins-Paul went down to Mercer-Chisholm (O.U.), while O'Brien-Burns were defeated by Turner-Hubble (A.U.C.). The final, between Fulton-Watson (O.U.) and Robinson-Loughnan (C.U.C.) was the best game of the tournament. Otago did not play up to form in the first set, but in the second set they combined well, and their volleying was very effective. The last set was very exciting, the team work on both sides arousing great enthusiasm in the large gallery present. The Canterbury men won out at 6—4.

Miss E. Partridge (C.U.C.) won the Ladies' Singles. She was fully extended in the first round by Miss Madeley (V.U.C.). Miss Sheppard (V.U.C.) played very well in this event, and was perhaps unlucky not to reach the final. She accounted for Miss Saunders (C.U.C.) in the first round, but then went out to Miss E. Miller (A.U.C.) after a long three-set match.

Misses Sheppard-Madeley (V.U.C.) won their first game in the Ladies' Doubles, but then went out to Misses Partridge-Saunders (A.U.C.), who ultimately won the event. Our second string, Misses Goodwin-Metcalfe, did not survive their first match.

The Combined Doubles provided some very interesting games. It was apparent, however, that our standard of play in this branch was not up to that of the Southerners. The root of the trouble seemed to be lack of combination in our teams. Ferkins page 30 Miss Sheppard had a good win from Watson-Miss Duthie (O.U.) in the first round, but found Loughnan-Miss Partridge (C.U.C.) too tough a proposition in the second round. Our second pair, Burns-Miss Madeley, went out to Fulton-Miss Ballantyne in the first round.

Thus the Tennis Shield again went to Canterbury, they having won every event. This decisive win in tennis placed the issue of the Tournament Shield beyond doubt. We congratulate C.U.C. on their splendid performance.