A PHAR LAP WRIT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 37, 27 February 1937, Page 14

A PHAR LAP WRIT

claim for sum of £5000! ALLEGAHON OF LffiEL TELFORD SUING A PAPER ' i. , .1 MELBOURNE, Feb. 16. Henry Richard Telford, part-owner 'and trainer of Australia's greatest rgcehorse, Phar Lap, has issued a writ out of the Supreme Court against Herald and Weekly Times, Ltd., claiming £5000 damages for alleged libel. The statement of claim disclosed

only to-day, sets out inter alia in the year 1930 and the beginning of 1931 plaintift trained the racehorse Phar Lap for the owner, David Julius Davis." After quoting at length froni the issue of the Sporting Globe of November 7 last, wherein appeared alleged interviews between Tommy Woodcock and Davis and Telford, Bubsequent to which Telford secured a half interest in Phar Lap for £4000. The statement of claim continues "by the said wOrds the defendant meant and was understood to mean that while employed by the said David Julius Davis as trainer of Phar Lap plaintifE deceived and misled him as to its condition in order to obtain a" half Bhare in the said horse at a cheap price. "That plaintift instructed his servant, one, Woodcock, hot to inform the said Davis that Phar Lap would, reeover and to pretend to the said Davis that Phar Lap's leg was seriously afEected and was unlikely to get. better. That the said Woodcock carried out plaintiff's said instructions, misled and deceived the said Davis, and so assisted the plaintift to purchase a half share in Phar Lap at a cheap price." The statement concludes, "In consequence of the said publication, plaintiff has been brought into public hatred, scandal and contempt, and has been much injured in his credit and reputation as a trainer of racehorses and has suffered loss and damage and plaintiff claims damages against the defendant — £5000." Trial is asked by a judge and a jury of six men.