TROTTING

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 229, 28 September 1926, Page 10

TROTTING

N.Z. CUP ANJ) IMPRINT. Our Nelson correspondent writes: Many sporting people in Marlborough will no doubt be vefy interested in the real iacts surrounding tho exolusion of Imprint from the New Zealand Cup. Apart from being tbe only nommee outside ot Canterbury, he hae never yet raced in Christchurch, and 1ns appearance Wias being awaited with very great intenest. The acceptanoes closed at Christchurch on Thursday at noon, and on Monday Mr T. B. Louisson, the owner, forwarded the acceptance together with tho neoessary money, by registered letter wbich left here on Monday night in a special Christchurch direct bag and duly arrived in Christchurch on Wednesilay morning, some 28 hours betore the closing time. The acceptances were telegraphed withont lmprint's narne, and on inquiry Mr Louisson hnds that the registered letter was not actually received by the Club till 3 p.m. on the Thursday. The Chief Postmaster at Christchurch states that the usual card notifying the club that there was a registered letter ■was plaeed in the .Club's box at 9.45 a.m. on the Wednesday, the day betore the closing day. It was not cailed for then, nor on the Thursday, and was therefore delivered to the club by the postman on the Thursday afternoon. The sfecrctarj of the club, on the other hand, says that no notice ot a registered letter was in the box either on the Wednesday or the Thursday, .and the club has therefore refused the acceptance. lf the Chiet Po&tmaster's statement is to carry any weight at all, then the club would appear to havo no case, and on the faots "shown Mr Louisson has appealed to the N.Z. Trotting Association and is prepared lf necessary to talce the matter further. tV'bichever versioh of the affair is taken as correct, the position is incredible. One cannot imagine that the Post Offi.ce would neglect for two days to put a nolihcation in the club's box; and, on the other liand, if the card were there (uniess it was mixed up with other mail matter or not disoerned in a corner of the box) one would expect the club to have lifted the letter. Whatever the jx>sition, it is certain that at present one of the favorites is excluded from the race, and it is robbed oi a great deal oi interest to Nelson and North Island enthusiasts, while for Mr Louisson, who is one of the straightest sports to be found anywhere, the disappointment • is cruel.