A FOOTBALL INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 104, 29 May 1909, Page 5

A FOOTBALL INQUIRY.

ALLEGED DISORDERLY CONDUCT. The management commit tee of the Stratford Football Club held an enquiry on Thursday evening into the allegations concerning the conduct of the Stratford first junior football team when in New rivmouth on Thursday, 20th May. The chairman said that the object of the enquiry was to thoroughly investigate certain allegations which had been published in- the New Plymouth newspapers, regarding the conduct of the team at tlie Imperial Hotel, New Plymouth, and also in the streets of that town, on the date in question. The committee, he said, should go fully into the matters, and, if the charges were found to be true, proper reparation should be made to .Mr. Smith, and steps taken to .prevent such an, occurrence in the future.

Mr. E. H. Ytoung read the following letter from Mr. J. Smith, licensee of the Imperial Hotel:—"lmperial Hotel, New Plymouth, 25th Mav, 1903. To tlie secretary, Stratford Football Club. Sir, —Re your interview of yesterday requesting me to put in. wrtting the facts of the allegations published through the New Plymouth press, I wish to state that I have read same and am sorry to gay that they are in no way exaggerated. It is to be regretted that a team, for the foolishness of perhaps one,or two, should all suffer. I have been a past player of the game and bate always green the same my best support and encouragement, but when, a tifiug of this sort occurs (and I might say it does not apply only to your club) I think the matter should have ,thu careful consideration, of the Taranaki Onion. I in no way wish that any club be shown up through the medium of the press, but the statements they have gained possession, of, I am sorry to confess, are true. Therefore I consider there is no necessity for mc to repeat them, seeing that I explained to vou in our conversation yesterday. I wis I surprised to see a letter signed by Mr. Masters c-ontra'dictiiig these cha'rgeM. No permission was given anyone by the barmaids to remove towels from a'ny 08 the rooms, and as to the feet of only three towels being used (his is totally erroneous, rt war* not my intention to write to headquarters afatl, but having been asked by yoursvllf and others I can see the only* way stands for mc to miibstantiate the fact*,—Yours, etc J Smith." " '

After several member? of 'the team bad given evidence concerning the orderly conduct of the team on the occasion, m fluwflon, the enquiry was adjourned.