SUPREME COURT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 441, 25 February 1909, Page 9

SUPREME COURT.

" TOUR OF BRITISH FOOTBAfcL TEAM. , SALE OF THE PROGRAMME RIGHTS. CLAIM,AGAINST N Z. RUGBY UNION. ■ - : a-::-v. 'IA/rolaim-'broughtiby. 'Albert.Sydney.-Watson, trading as the Imperial Advertising Agency, , against .the'.New' Zealandjtugby Union for 1 - i alloged .breach of; an . agreement relating. to the .; '■ .-- • offioial-prolamine;rights in• connection with . v ; th'e,':tour. of Sthe'ifßritish*''football - team • was heard by Mr. Justice Cooper yesterday. i' ■•.'■ .■ .-.i'/Mr;' Ostler (with lum Mr. M'Kenzie) appeared; .' on;behalf of plaintiff,'and Mr. Morisou for. the Outline of the Claim. 1 vfc'; .statement'^ibf 1 olaiin; ; s-jto; ffirth; that von - 5 f':iVi;^"^ApWi:!;9^plaihtiif; ;^ntered:!;iritbxan- agreement; .% . Kith the defendants, ;i¥horel)y'he secured the ij■' Bole"-right'oftpublioatioii:of;the offioiai:;souvenir y'Wy :.>'.v'progranime'for,the.whble;of;the.matbKesih:coi)-:j Y.-;::;J:;\;;:n6otion;.witnfthe..Briiishifobt)3aU.. i tour''for^ , * lOsij and in addition per cent; of the amount . . .. .. - received from the sale of the'programmes, tho . ■ ..:am6unt of:such proportion to be. not; less than •V. • : • The/union was to . use its best endeavours - .plaintifE' aii'd ati'ord aJI .iiit'ormatiou !^/Sv:P^oh^thati:migh6fbe:j-rcquesled: •: ii&S-' s^^f.-A^Bi'anj^opposiHoi/pr^grtiiimivW.pnbUshea.; Plaintiff coasented 'to .the ogreeiiieut .bniy 'on. ■ •'- -the condi K :n that defendants should undertake y' that neither'.it, nor its agen ta/i-nor; the ; .tlieV,viElHi^V.| i f': ./; -: body under its cou'r'l should supply to any v^jt.Mr.,/ ihforma : . St:"-''-. or-the'iumbfers, orhi'erii- 1 > ; : anyiteam,. and..the secretary,'on behalf: ; -;. :: Or the Union',■ agreed'to;that stipulation.-.:.Oii , !., and.aftcr the : .toui-th-match-of. the;tour'the pa'Ues : and' humberS''of playere-weie sumilie'd J° 'he prest .by and-;,with .the: authbnty ol de- '..' ' '-.V'.-'i fendants. By reasoii thereof plaintiff; \vas able, >0 .f>cll 01113 a total ;;.iof l 15,000 '. prograiiiines, . :v ,;- *\ e^ a . s ?ie ought,to have sold.at least 60,0C0. :/.;: :: ';:-''.: , -he. clainied -lc:-_*ecover: the sum' of:

j Defence to the taction and Counterclaim, }\'h]£.?) that.^plainti/T V~°^ rec \ .mtqj-the-.y contract . •>: r 1 hoy did not agree that niiither.they,-nor . their ' : ' •ti eu n''L"t r . the mM »^roent:> 'or/members .of r t am :Should;/ji6t;divulgeithe/hame6 ■ : . ' - i e — 'P^ a^ers - ./If/their/secretary ' did: moke any. such agreement •as was alleged, •' • • • S? 11 . 0 . 1 empowered so to do. They denied I ■■ i*PT^ e .'PA tc hes /twos f inS dusa'rvance ! of ii'any'' such /•....' condition; as was '.alleged. " Every.' effort was '■¥'& e^i?^-^Stt^;®^: tnan . that published .uiider tlio'contract./ Tiiev ■ , : .; neyer refused or iie?lecfad : to supply-plaintiff ....... with arty official information.:-. Under rio'cir- .: cmustances would plaintiff have.sold more pro- :'' -'-EI? m t . han . l » actually:did sell. 'Defendants i ! -::-" :■>vv°®Uncerclaimed. that- & a.acoountvbo take'n';of<tbe -"'it 163 , • rf.the amount : due -'" -" -'.: •„r^ ntlff J t ?' tliem '-°n a -J nd gnicnt for the sum i aQ y amount in excess which ; V -6.found to., b.s. due to. them..-. . What the Press f$ Alleged to Have Done. v' ? 3tl^^i n iu O Pf?,^ n 8 10 cas e for tho: plain- •'. ,-• •'••'•/ . *'/§ name f, a ?d: " l .®'' field, /numbers. ,of the. : i'?/fi- .W"'~iSfelw , fJ ler<! w ns any- ambiguity; the' pro-i •; n P to a'certain period. l According to : p- ' ■' neWs 'J'aper 'estimate the'^aggregateof the -:^^pSS!Sa ! Sii' ''-iwV-.'i:''P^Rj. 6 . a Pd the pressthe tw ! .-:. '. faC6 !PJB"itifE/:rather;fHhinj;K l Sa^ ? o^*w |llßi®Bßiil

t Evidence of -Plaintiff. - • , » programme \ alan(l f ? r t,ie ' ; 6ecretary then mu) - ''nf „ auaa meant. -aud the 1 \ mation? 1 " bo . ent > tie d the mforFerguson ahd Hicks 635 flnn rder '° essrs v ' ' theZSTco^. ; '-'':b!m e r o^ srp (l different num- ' " •:' ••'match"' ?Lt P yer 'V in , the su<i ceedin"g. f DWulfled the Information? j r ' fr ™ advertisements' inserted an, the pro■i;"'.*impißS.?r"l.. ■ aulv in f-b'A -->^1 vert mug m the Wellington piommme 6 ad " v.--, ; .^)' r x 5 ' ? • in;y:^S&W^amimr^t.;froh^the^oint"df'^ow'df ' ' ? e public should know thA ' rrtVt* each 6«» wV" ••; y.-iesnffi .? e,v Zealand: Union.in .that' . Mr ;'Ostler:'l : iubinit that ho was ii'yv^^WtefHghfcirbnr^ , Details of tho Sales Made, ' Robert D, Moore, commission agent who .: .. .. -the Mr/.;Harn(!tt, told him that - / : ' : v t^ en "? r(?a H/ Postered by. the press for '? 1 : J iife;Considered-,he"--:had:>be"eh . rif c 4 nnder a: very hard rule. The sales -at , U^ajrar^ Ra , qt c h; to tailed .£2l Is,- Over l.yKrßTO'^^worth^llll;'4s.':6d.;-:.were;sold on - ,v- '-:fe , L"?fV s ": i o^'t^'^ellmglon;'ib6teh(-iPri6ri P'.K: / ™ at ch.;agaiiist; Otago;,there.'was a ■ ' -®-'°W- i ?v'' , ibf'-p'rd'-- ; '■•''SnM » ?s :' w^'e ' So )d''at-Duriedi n ,-:although 15i000 -'6 ? At,- Invercarpllv Svherb :^^»?-tt^^^ o ' ooo '"the'sales:aggregated > i that : -m'ch' : - ""ffinoi - ntimber ntinrh-iir 1 v o ' l !ll ls:;ret.urri. : to Dunei. ;.%ji djn.i-pri'or,to fest..match;;-iie', saV: th 3 - «®: BP^\,before: they :i.Svere giveii ; to him.; Mr. Hornett. told, him .that.ho had :.: T® o '^!7?4:®:V^r- 8 -.vfr?.' n .: : :th.e-'.u.nion" t^ -tf'tuSMl* aS;'possible; V.'Al-: .:'v: r^"??"^i?'^;i' r - ere: vP res ent : ,forS'the': first ' -!vA SP. v P. r^: ; o '' Programmesfwas:"sold. :; On - • ; 'i : the> qcpMon ;^f '.snbsequent;matcfies'the 'names - at>n"arad in' the press prior to the games.-and : rival nrogrammes were' sold. in and out'of the ' grounds, .At.the .third test, when .15,000 pco-' ' -' Pi.?, :?fK n ded|^'bnly.-:between-400' and- 500 - . ; grammes were', deposed of. The' arrangement ' r o; ' I " l adhered;'to::pretty well/ ■, .; but.-.some t 0f..; the '.visiting '.players.: refused" to ' wear-numbers in some of the matches- : , ': - dat . happened' when, yoh' protested, to - tho jnandgerlof the.BritiSh team and the-.travellirig'' ■:v. <;repifewntativP s i-.of i;th?:";union?— I They:7; y aidn / i - , : wieem- to troublev'much'abont;it; they-appeared to bo having a picnic Edwin Hicks, member of the firm of Ferfnson. and Hioks, gave details of the arraiig'e: ; , msnte for.itho .orinting of tho Brogrammeo. ::

■... A Team That-Signally Failed.: •' •■MKilo.fisdii/outlined the position ;talten up ■: by ;the :defendarits. ; - It had been the ; practice : to : give;;naiiies ;of jplayets; etc.. to the .press over ;-siac'6, :,TOatcliesj-.were played in - New. ; V taken in"' the) doings ■. of ; the visiting teain -until .it was idemonstvated ! th'at it : -(lid-::not : c6me ; up .t.o.':.tlie ; Btnndard cXt'. ' pected,i : Subseqiiently, interost in, the matches. waned,-':; and the sales = -of-programmes '. also ' flagged;•'^The ; ,ivhole- thing would tnrri oh'-this: there . was .110 contract on .tlie part of 'the . union?;.to.';keo'p' back'.from ,the press:, the; iriforr. mation 'which was .ordinarily ; supplied- to"it.' . .'' Ctisiom as ■to Similar Contracts. ■ VEdgar. Wylie.Va'.'meinber of :the New : ■Rugby. Uniohj fiaid that in ,the . case of a .tounjng ; .cdmbinaticih,'.especially' towards 'the 1 close'. ■ iof..ftliour, 1 it.;\i-as, advisable ;to Jeave the selebtion: of its tcam- 'until tlio last , possible, .mo-., : mentV '.never knownC an' instaiice/in : which;: the nam'ss 'of.. a'-, team had, bf.t'.u V.'itll- :, held from ' the .' press.*-: The ,success .of a match . ■ .'depended" n" great :deal on . the 'comment, relating' : 'tb.'it,'":which;appeared-in;^'the;newspapers. '- .On- . tho occasion;, of; the last: visit of a New, Zealand: team to Australia,' when he tho posi; ' tioni' of manager,.'' : thej contractor' invariably ; oiime; for'tlie jbrseysjthe; day ..before'^each 1 , match. : faid 'put;' the, numbers on .to >■ suit ; himself. ;■ v : :'.Witness'',was ! brpss-6iamine'd, at length /on the;j (iuestion: .of the'; control of : 'a to;uring :'team.; ' .Mr;-.'Mbrison;?Has<thß::-New.;;Zealand.lJnioii:-ever i.attempted :jljO.. dictate {to a ivisiting •: team, as.: to.^': what ..'information .it :, shall .cerhing its - members ?—Witness ; ■ Not ' niy ; knowledge.' . • • :, .v^ r 0:"W V " 5-Mr.i;Ostler:.'-Is' it not :.a..fact:.that'in ,nearlyt every , instaiic'o .tha British , team : was. picked . the\ night before ,Hhe; match p-^-Witsess: ■;I .be-.. ' liovo so. . . . : . ',■ ■'■ . What the Union Contracted to Sell, a,- Gedr^evK.^Disdn,' Chairman .of the defendant: unioni'.said that' in; tho case of a. touring c'oinbinatio'fl: .'there v wer'o Btroh" reasons why . the. . selection', of 'a . team ..should be delayed as: much as possible.' • • .yry X\._ ■.<, i: .;- Wliat is . the,'practice in connection with tlie' giving l 'of :'the(.,naiues"of. a. team to the press'?— :When. ;it : is^decided* to;:mak-i the names known .the list-is put up in the hall 1 of the hotel where the: teani.>vas!' staying^ : ; ...This ■ practice was: followed by the.British team. ' ■ '.>-'v:.'-"¥'r '' ■•Replying l , to ..further questions - put; by. ; Mr. Morison;'.:witnessi said that -the. Management' Comm;ittee r .,had ,reaueste'dfMr.:-ITarnett:to sup.ii ply - the .'names ■;tocithe/:'pr'BM'.-',;;Tr-. , Mr. : .''.JHirnetK nad's*rtfi^ed-:j^o i . ; aivnlg;e.H.the.-: information-,' :tho" ' ,union "coiild ; nbt-' have .coltipeHed^him'.'.to-do'/so:-: ; Nothing; outside,;the Avritten-.contract; was ap,-, : proved'by tho committee. "■ :, -VSuppbsmg/.thoiT-umoh;'.refused 7 - to■:■ give the press. the- naniesV-of, the' 'teams -. what- would jbo the result?— Such' a .'course';"is inconceivable. The ;bnion;iever;.'hadVany. intention .of keeping the informatibh.: from. the press.. If names: ; -.were .not..^yeaie'd- "popu- ■ larity of the game. ..' •" : ;-y" ■ ..." l-Si'Wnati'--isVfiWy/practicßViwi^h/."-regard ? :.'to : . : ':th6, nnmbe¥s?--ThV;;;cohtractOr, ! 'is:. given; tho,- sole ' right: in itheniatter; of'.filing ::themuhibersy; Of : bperatian.r'.o'f.\iuembers:;o"fv,tHe;':yisitihgr ;We:'can*;;bniysmake::suggestiohs : ' 'to visiting : players,\i'we : cahnot' ! 'direct'them;'ih!:subh'.ia'.mat- ; ter. Jfr Ostler: What did the union give-in consideratiph ; , :andi-undert6oK{-to;theVbest:-of;its;abnity' to pre-, '.veiit;- tlie :'sale:;of : • various grounds (but'took no responsibility in that rfegard),* and agreed;tOfgiv'e all information :atUtS: ; t;>, \ \;:^Vas/.thefe ;^ot^a. s Uipulation:pn';tlie •; agree-; ; ; ."in.ent , ith'at;"thelWsitiiig!'-'.fe.am-: , : niatches,!in]rAiistralia, ; --''AnieficaV::or.'elsewhere " first .obtaining.' tbe-consent- of .the'.New . ■Zealand Uniou?—Yes. .. , ' / •. . . . ::;Tsi'it ; notrav fa'ct'i',also'ithat ' wheh:':.thefteam loft-the;Dominibn.the:6um ofr^io()>as'handed ;byer: by, the' Nejv- ZeaUhd-Union'for unforeseen ■ about the ::' . Counsel:, But I am, for 'I. had an- opportunity to.;Jpok ,through'the'correspondenco of union, in :connection : ,witli (his case..■ i '-y: \ • ' As. his'jHonour-had to leave for 'Ealmerston ; .;th'c:;afternbbn ! -train|-> the ;taking.:of . .and:';the:.;,:heann'gVbf:; was - adjonrded ' sine:die: - '