ALLEGED FALSE CHARGES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 16 August 1910, Page 2

ALLEGED FALSE CHARGES.

[United Pbess Association.j PALMERSTOX X., Monday. The Manawatu Rugby Union tonight considered the charges of disgraceful conduct forwarded by the TaranakL l T nion from a Hawera hotelkeeper, against monibcrs of the Manawatu team. The president of the Union reported having taken the evidence of members of the 'team, also Souther Fowler, of the Horowhenua Rugby Union, and others, all of which showed that the disgusting charges were abso. lutely false. It was shown that the roonTbad been thoroughly ransacked before the team left by five men searching for two articles which had been mislaid. One of the hotel employees and Fowler, of tire Horowhenua- Union, participated in this search. The evidence of all these men showed positively that there wa s not a tittle of justification for the disgusting allegation made some time after the team left. It was also stated that the Press Association had on Saturday morning disseminated a libellous message, sfajing that the Manawatu men had been guilty of disgraceful conduct. Mr Parson, the raanpger of the team stated that Milne, of the Taranaki representatives, who had occupied this room on the night iD fjue-tion, informed him on Friday that the charges were disgraceful and false. Several other independent witnesses were quoted. The members consider, od that in view of the manner in which the Taranaki Union was acting, and their_ failure to pTotect visitors from such false charges, that it was useless writing to them further, and the matter had better be placed at once in a solicitor's hands to deal with .'t'lii'ose imaking and publishing the charges, including the Pres s Association. This was unanimously agreed to. Also it was considered that the correspondence slvould be rjlaced before the Licensing Committee at Hawera. The members stated that the feeling of resentment in town was such that the expenses of the proceedings would be readily subscribed.