ALLEGED LIBEL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 266, 22 August 1936, Page 5

ALLEGED LIBEL.

EX-NEW ZEALAND JOCKEY. CLAIMS £SOOO DAMAGES. (United Press Association—Copyright.) SYDNEY, August 21. A libel suit, claiming £SOOO damages against Thomas Ge’orge Hopkins and others of the sporting paper, the “Newsletter,” brought by Maurice McCarten, a former New Zealand jockey, began in the Supreme Court to-day before his Honor Mr Justice Owen; creating much interest in turf circles. ■ McCarten denied the suggestions of malpractices attributed, by the “Newsletter” and defended his record as a jockey. ... ~ Leading officials of the Australian Jockey Club gave evidence that McCarten was an “ornament of the turf.” According to a message from Sydney on February 13, McCarten’s claim is based on the’ publication of articles by the “News-letter” which he alleges “formed part of a systematic attack made upon him by the paper for some time past.” McCarten declared that the articles meant that he was “a dishonest person and had been guilty of improper and corrupt practices, that he had betrayed the .trust of his employers, and was not fit to fulfil the calling of a jockey.”