Two More New Zealand Champions

As in 1934, the conduct of the New Zealand Championships was delegated to the Wellington Association. The tournament was held at a larger venue and, with entry fees and spectator admission fees reduced from last year, greater numbers were attracted. For the second year in a row the men’s final was contested between two Auckland players. Frank Paton (pictured), runner-up last year, beat J Herbert three straight. Last year’s winner (Errol Cheal) was eliminated in the fourth round by Dave Hayvice of Wellington. Two Aucklanders also fought out the women’s singles final, with Iris Dove having an easy two straight win over Miss Bond. Aucklanders D McAdam and A Carter won the women’s doubles while the men’s doubles went to a Wellington pair, Gerald Bell and Hec Pyle who narrowly won the final over yet another Auckland combination. Only the mixed doubles title was retained from last year, by Ron  Dennis (Wanganui) and Laura Hughes (Manawatu).

The first evening of play at the championships was attended by former Prime Minister Gordon Coates and his three daughters.

Tables for the tournament had to be borrowed, several of them from business houses participating in Wellington interclub. Shell Oil and the Milk Department were among those who responded to the appeal.

Title winners were presented with badges. Trophies had not yet been donated.

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Large Player and Administration Base in Wellington

While Aucklanders were gathering most of the titles at the NZ Championships, Wellington was by this year well ahead of all other districts in terms of interclub participation. 216 teams played there in 1935, with about a quarter of them competing in the neighbouring sub-Association of Hutt Valley. Hutt Valley would become a separate Association in 1937.

The next largest Association was Auckland, fielding 53 teams followed by Otago with 40.

The management of the New Zealand Association was largely in the hands of Wellington-based administrators.

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First Annual Meeting

At the AGM on 11 July, 1935 the Management Committee and delegates from the six affiliated Associations met to celebrate the first full year of NZTTA’s existence.

Business included the election of a President (Malcolm Fraser), a Secretary/Treasurer (Keith Longmore) and Management Committee (new members included Messrs Barker, Randall, Osbaldistin and Pyle).

The other main agenda item was a strategy to promote the 1935 NZ Championships.

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