THE PEERESS CASE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 598, 3 October 1873, Page 3

THE PEERESS CASE.

—o—[Me have been reqested to pub'ish the subjoined letters f roin the “Otago Daily Times,” in reference to the above case ] TO TIIF, EDITOR OF THIS DAILY TIMES. Sir, —Chance lately threw in my way your paper which contained strictures on a letter of mine addressed to the Secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, giving some account of the sale of Peeress. As a lover of fair-play you have doubtless given publicity to the prominent “castigation” given me by tbe “(Australasian £’ and in in the same spirit 1 hope you will favor me hy printing the following letter which 1 have just addressed to that journal, as my answer to your remarks. I am, &.C., H. REDWOOD. Spring Creek, Marlborough, Sept. 15, 1873 TO THE EDITOR OF THE AUSTRALASIAN. Sir, —I have no desire to keep alive the Peeress correspondence ; on the contrary, I shall be glad to see it closed, thinking far too much has been made of tbe case ; but I feel called upon to'set you right in one or two remarks contained in your paper of the 23rd of August, when replying to a contemporary whom I infer had written in defence of my conduct. Allow me briefly to recapitulate the naked facts of the case. I reached Christchurch in October last, with my horses, about three weeks before the races, and found Peeress the favoiito for the Cup. I had determined on soiling her if I could get my price, namely, SOOh, and and she was at once publicly advertised 1 received several offers for her, but all short of the price, until three days before the meeting, when I obtained the price I set ' upon her, on condition that 1 did not divulge the sale until the next evening. ! You blame me that I kept faith with the parties who purchased my property, instead of divulging it to men with whom 1 had no dealings, or because I did not sacritice the sale of the mare to suit tbe views of men 1 to whom 1 was under no obligation. The 1 one gave me my price, the other failed to offer it until after 1 had sold her.* The whole question turns upon this. Is : a man who breeds and races horses, hut ; who docs not bet, to bo at liberty to deal with his property to his own bast advantage, or is lie to bo debarred from this to suit the interest of men who follow the the tin f with the object of making money by berting, and with whom he has no concern ? I contend for the former, and so long as I run my horses honestly when brought to the post, I claim the liberty to sell or scratch whenever I please, and for such conduct I have the sanction of the highest turf authority. In the case of Peeress, the fact that she was publicly for sale should have put backers on their guard, and if they were so foolish as to back her when they knew that she might change hands at any moment, and wire bit, they- have only themselves to Llauio. I am, <£-c., H. REDWOOD. Spring Creek, Marlborough, Sept. 15, 1873.