“NO AUNT SALLY!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 354, 15 May 1928, Page 11

“NO AUNT SALLY!”

COMMITTEEMAN OBJECTS ASSOCIATION AND CLUB Intense indignation was expressed by Mr. J. McCreanor at the New Brighton Trotting Club’s meeting last week, at the conclusion of evidence in the rehearing of the Bryce interference case, because of allegations made against him by Mr. W. Hayward at the last meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Association. When the Trotting Association referred the Bryce affair back to the club after the Brighton body’s first decision to fine Bryce and reverse the placings of first and second horses, a resolution was added that Mr. J. McCreanor, patrol steward, who witnessed the interference, should be given the opportunity to deny the rumour that he was financially interested in the result of the race. Reference was made at the association meeting to the interest of Mr. McCreanor in the stable of J. N. Clarke, the driver interfered with. At the meeting last week Mr. McCreanor, to employ a colloquialism.

“hit the roof.” He was ably supported by Mr. B. McKenna. In the first place, the chairman, Mr. E. H. James, read a letter which he had received from Mr. McCreanor, in the capacity of chairman of the Judicial Committee of the New Brighton Club. THE SWORN STATEMENT The letter was a sworn affidavit that Mr. McCreanor had no financial interest m the result of the race, and read as follows: “I notice in the papers that when the Free Advice case came up before the New Zealand Trotting Association certain members of that body thought fit to cast reflections on my integrity as a patrol steward, and to allude to the fact of my having a horse in training in the stable of Mr. J. N. Clarke, and further, that I was the only man on the course who saw anything wrong during the progress of the race in question. “Every member of your committee knew that I had a horse in Clarke’s stable, as I had informed them of this fact at a meeting held shortly after I was elected to the committee, but then I decided never to race at any of your club’s meetings, and this decision, ag you know, I have strictly adhered to. Furthermore, I made it a standing rule never to bet on any race on which I was acting as patrol steward, and this rule I have never broken. NO FINANCIAL INTEREST “For the satisfaction of the Nevy Zealand Trotting Association, I hereby affirm before a justice of the peace that I have no financial interest whatever in the decision of the race in question. I would further mention that the interference which I considered it my duty to report was seen by at least two of my fellow committeemen and numerous others, and that the first person to accost me on my return to the birdcage was Mr. Davey, stipendiary steward, who immediately asked me what happened at the position at which I was stationed. “I naturally very keenly resent the reflection cast on my character while simply doing my duty as a patrol steward for the New Brighton Club, and would respectfully request that the Trotting Association be asked immediately to remove the suspicions which they have levelled at me, and that the same publicity be given to my exoneration as when the reflections were cast. “Signed before Robert Bargrove. J.P.” It was decided that the letter be received with great satisfaction by the club, and that a copy be sent to the association. A unanimous expression of confidence in Mr. McCreanor as a patrol stewards was made. RESENTMENT EXPRESSED Mr. McKenna urged that the club strongly express its resentment of remarks made at the Trotting Club meeting, and he asked why members of the association had been taking so much sub judice interest in the case. “A member of the Trotting Association spoke to me on the telephone on the morning of the day when the club was to consider an application for a rehearing,” he said, “and he asked me to use my influence to soften the charge down by cutting out the word ‘wilfuy’ in the interference! This man happens to be more deeply interested in Bryce’s stable than Mr. McCreanor ever was in Clarke’s stable. He is not the only member of the

association who has been talking about it, either. It seems unfair that at the Trotting Association there should have been any innuendos and those remarks about the ringing-in cases, and the charges they were attempting to level at Mr. McCreanor. Mr. McCreanor: May I ask who was this man to whom you refer? Mr. McKenna: Yes. The man was Mr. W. Hayward. I think this club should make a very strong expression of its opinion. The chairman said that he took it that the feelings expressed would certainly be supported by the majority of the committee, and would be placed before the Trotting Association at a later date. “A Few Things!” T should like to take this opportunity of saying a few things,’’ said Mr. McCreanor. “From this report of the association meeting I notice that in the first place Mr. R. A. Armstrong saw fit to infer that I was the only man on the ground who saw the interference. As you know, this was not the case. I think it was most unfair and unjust for members of the association to take advantage of the shelter of the association to drag the name of an honourable member of a club in the mud as they have. If Mr. Hayward had anything to say about me, he should have said it to my face, not behind my back. He’s more keenly interested in Bryce’s stable than I have ever been in any stable. “I think they have gone about this in a very rotten manner, and my blood boils when I think that any man can stand under the cloak of the New Zealand Trotting Association and level insinuations like this, and then to mention the ringing-in cases in the same breath—l can’t find words—it’s an un-heard-of affront to offer any man! These men are elected to the association to administer the sport, not to listen to rumours. I object most strongly to being used as an Aunt Sally to be flung at like this.” The chairman again remarked that all this would be put fully before the New Zealand Trotting Association.