" DISGRACEFUL SCENE"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 15, 19 January 1914, Page 2

" DISGRACEFUL SCENE"

o ALLEGATIONS ABOUT A PICTON GATHERING. < Recently The Post published aJi extract from the Marlborough Express with reference to an alleged fracas at the Waitata Bay sports meeting on 30th December. Various allegations were made, some of a rather startling nature. In this connection, the Editor has been forwarded a letter which was sent to tho Express by Messrs. H. E. Girdlestone and W. Perry, of this city. The writers state, inter alia : — " Wo were- members of a party of nine, including some members of the Star Boating Club, which spent a week in tho Sounds during tho Christmas holidays, and all our party were present at tho sports. We have no hesitation in saying that the reports of the proceedings which we have read ,are grossly exaggerated, and we cannot _ imagine that your informant was in his right senses when he made such statements to your representative. In the fii'st place, there were not 500 people present—-200 would be nearer the mark. " Secondly, your informant's state ment that ' about forty aggravated and drunken persons participated in an ignominious contest ' is utter rubbish. There were only four drunken persons in ths whole crowd, and one of these was drunk when he arrived. How your informant multiplies four drunken persons into about forty puzzles us completely. Perhaps the sun was too hot for him ! "Thirdly, what trouble there, was did not arise out of dissatisfaction at tho handicapping in the launch race. It arose because the launch first past tho winning post had started half a minute too soon. It's news to us that ' the raco was won with ease by a launch in which tho handicappers had a proprietary interest.' 'The several dissatisfied ones, who were in an extremely bellicose mood on account of the large quantities of beer they, had imbibed,' existed only in tho fertile imagination of your informant. Tho only man who was dissatisfied was the owner of tho launch which was dis qualified, and he, though angry, was quite sober. There was a lot of excitement at the prospect of a fight between this man and the judge, but the two men were kept apart. Two ' drunks ' were, in the meantime, challenging all and sundry to fight, but were not taken seriously by anyone. There were not half a dozen blows struck during ths whole trouble. " Your informant has cast a most undeserved slur on the Turner family. Wo unhesitatingly assert that the greatest credit is due to the Turners for the way the sports were conducted, and for their successful efforts to prevent the trouble spreading. "We write this letter purely as a matter of fair play, and in order that the facts of the occurrence may be placed before the public."