INNER SIDE OF MURPHY CASE

Chronicle (Levin), 19 August 1947, Page 7

INNER SIDE OF MURPHY CASE

— — — 1 Press Association)

COUNSEL'S ALLEG ATION S AT COURT HEARING

(Per

WELLINGTON, August 1S. A sensational note was struek today at the opening of the latest. stage of wliat has become known as the Murphy case, when Mr. C.- A. L. Treadwell sought permission to appear before the Court in the interest of Willie Jones '•'owing to the Yact that last Saturday night, botlx by threat and bribes, it was attempted to suborn him,." Before Mr. Goulding, S.M., Murphy claimed -£25 from William Matthew Brosnan, a former member of the committee of the Hutt Valley Boxiug Association, James Kussell Bimpson, chairman of the counhil of the New Zealand Boxing Association, and Alan Stanley Parker, a member of the couneil of the association, for defamation of chaTacter. Mr. Goulding ruled that as Willie Jones is not a party to the case, Mr. Treadwell could not represent him officially at the hearing. Mr. Treadwell did not enlarge on his opening assertion that an attempt ha,^ been made to suborn Willie JoneJ though he shortly afterwards point^tf out that he made no suggestion as to which side attempted to suborn Jones. Mr. E. E. Harding, who appeared for Murphy, said the whole matter was grossly untrue. "I'd like to' know how he knows, " said Mr. Treadwell. . Mr. Harding said he knew nothing more grossly improper than the sug- . gestion of Mr. Treadwell and Mr. Treadwell rose again to say the question of suborning was no doubt a matter for police action. Mr. Goulding said he did not think it proper for Mr. Treadwell to make such a statemeut as he had made and he could not be allowed to take anv ofhcial part in the hearing. If the Court beeame aware that a witness had been approached it was the Coux-t's duty to put the matter into the propei . quarters, that was, police hands. The hearing then began. All the morning was takou up with Mr. Harding's review of det'ails of the activities and incidents. involving the Hutt Valley Boxing Association, the New Zeaiand Boxing Couneil, Brosnan, Murphy, Jones and others, since even before the Murphy-Patrick liglit in 1946. Upening the case for Murphy, Mr. Harding said the action arose out of certain libels and slanders by Brosnan against Murphy, probably the best professional boxer in New Zealand. The aetlon was brought as a last resort because of continued discussion by the publie and in the press doing boxing no good. It had been made clear from the outset, said Mr. Harding, ■ that Murphy was prepared to have the case heard by a judicial tribunal but the Boxing Couneil consistently refused to do this. Ile contended that the New Zealand Boxing Couneil worked like any commercial monopqly. In law. it was not necessarv to have a licence from the association to box but in.fact it was necessarv as the couucil monopolised all boxing. The associatiou appeared coneerned with the rising of a rival, the Hutt V!alley Boxiug Association, • which had. defied them. Mr. Harding contended that oue oi the things which had caused dissention between the' Kew Z'ealaud Boxing Coun cil and Hutt \'allev Association had been the Hutt Association s action ii, oil'ering purses above the "beggarly' £300 stipulated -by the- couneil. / Tlu. Hutt Association had made its own ar Vangeniehts regardless of tlie couneil, kno'wing that in the case of the Murphy- Jones fight it would not gei the mei> for the purse sanctioned b) the couneil. Murphy had a contract fo. £1000 for tlie light, win, lose or draw The Boxing Couneil had insisted oi. the £300 limit 10 stop Jones coming into the country and the Hutt Vallei Association 'from going ahead with its olaus, contended counsnl.

Later in his submissions Mr. Harding referred to the Boxing Couneil 's annouucement on March 5 about stopping the Btevens-Jones fight. The publisheo statement purported to oe an announcenient by the couneil. It was not an an nouucement by the couneil at all but was published without authority bv three persbns purporting to act as a committee of the couneil. Another matter to which Mr. Harding referred was the arranging of the welterweiglit title fight when Murph\ iiad not signified his intention of reiinquishing tlie title. lvnowing thai Murphy was in hospital at the time. 1 said Mr. Harding, Mr. Aldridge, former secretary of the New Zealand Boxing Association, had got Mr. L. Btewart, chairman of the Hutt Association, to go.to Murphy 's home to ■ollect tjie chamiiionship bclt. Mi. Aldridge must have known then tluit Murphy was going to be disqualilied otherwise he could not have arranged -i itle fight for a title which had not and did' not become vacant. Tlie inference i'rom this was that an attempt wa." being made to end Murphy 's career. Mr. Harding dealt at length with an ilfadavit made by Brosnan which, . lie iaid, had " provided means for thc Boxing Couneil to act against Murphy and the Hutt Valley Association. "It -lrips with wialice against Btewart and in spite of that the Boxing C'ounci: swallowed it wholc," Mr. Harding said.