Mr Samuel Challenged

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 9

Mr Samuel Challenged

Waikato Racing President Denies Politician's Charges PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGES {Special to THE SUN.) HAMILTON, To-day. THE President of the Waikato Racing Club, Mr. G. W. Vercoe, when approached by a SUN representative relative to Mr. A. M. Samuel’s utterances in the House of Representatives during his speech on the Budget debate, expressed indignation at Mr. Samuel’s statement of the case, and emphatically states that it was not only coloured to suit his own purposes, but to no small extent was absolutely contrary to fact.

'J'HE president set out tlie following points:— The Waikato Racing Club was not ir any way responsible for the utterances of certain of its members ‘at the Hunt Club’s annual meeting, and any statements made at that meeting were without the sanction and approval of the Waikato Racing Club. “CONTRARY TO FACT” The statement that an eminent Darrister was briefed to appear before the Dates Committee on behalf of the Waikato Racing Club was not in accordance with fact. No member of the Legislature, high or low, had attempted to dictate to him (the president) in regard to the attitude of the Waikato Racing Club. The statement that the Waikato Racing Club had dishonoured a promissory note given to the Hunt Club was false. It was also contrary to fact that the Waikato Racing Club had bitten the hand that fed it. “THE EXCEPTIONS” There was one statement attributed to Air. Sanluel, which he (the presi-

dent) was in accord with, viz., that nobody -wanted political interference with racing matters. This, however, might be qualified to except Mr. Samuel and a few of his political friends, added the president. In conclusion Mr. Vercoe challenged Mr. Samuel to make the statement attributed to him in public, where he was not protected by Parliamentary privileges. Mr. Samuel, in his speech in the House of Representatives, said that the Waikato Racing Club was a four-day racing club, and in attempting to penalise the Hunt Club it was showing ingratitude to the Minister who had granted them privileges. The Hunt Club did not want to become wealthy at the expense of the public, as had been alleged by the Racing Club, which was financially embarrassed through land speculation and other causes. The Hunt Club advanced some £BOO to the Racing Club, which never honoured its promissory note for that sum. On top of that the Hunt Club advanced the Racing Club another £1,200. Now the Racing Club was biting the hand that had fed it. The Hunt Club was dependent largely on the goodwill and generosity of the Waikato farmers over whose country it hunted. Two wet days would bring it to ruin, and into as bad a position as the Waikato Racing Club. The Hunt Club was of great assistance to the local Agricultural and Pastoral Associations.