JOCKEY’S CLAIM

Evening Star, Issue 21716, 10 May 1934, Page 8

JOCKEY’S CLAIM

DAMAGES SOUGHT AGAINST NEWSPAPER EXTRAORDINARY CAREER OF SUCCESSES [Pbb United Fkiss Association.] AUCKLAND, May 10. The career of Samuel Henderson, a jockey whoso extraordinary run of successes was interrupted in 1929 by an accident at Paeroa, was recalled to-day, when he began an action in the Supremo Court, claiming £I,OOO damages against George Thompson and Roy Cecil Temple, printer and publisher of the ‘ Referee-’ His counsel said that in 1932 Henderson decided to go to England, but tlio Racing Conference refused him a clearance. He went to England, but was unable to ride. Ho returned in July, 1933, and shortly afterwards, the defendant journal published an article giving reasons for the Racing Conference’s refusal of his clearance. The article said the conference had acted on medical advice that Henderson was not fit to ride again. The article also said that Henderson had a silver plate in his head, and another fall would be fatal to him. Counsel said Henderson had no silver plate in his head, and the paper had offered to publish an apology. Evidence would be given that Henderson found it impossible to get employment after the article appeared. Mr Justice Ostler said there was nothing defamatory in the statement that a man had a silver plate in his head. The case is proceeding. Plaintiff, in evidence, said he took up riding in 1910. In .1929 and the two preceding seasons his income was about £2,000 yearly. In April, .1932 ho considered himself fully recovered ■from his accident, and after seeing two doctors in England, he returned to New Zealand feeling himself capable tor resuming riding. He was granted permission to work in the stable, but various Auckland trainers refused him a job on the ground that they thought him unfit.