ACTION FOR LIBEL.
AFFAIRS OF FOOTBALL CLUB.
PRESIDENT LOSES CASE. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. LONDON, Feb. 6. After a most searching cross-examina-tion of the plaintiff, there was an abrupt ending to the libel action brought by Sir Henry Norris against the Football Association in connection with the publication of the report of a commission appointed in August, 1927, to enquire into the affairs of the Woolwich Arsenal Football Club.
Tho words complained of related to the manner in which Sir Henry had charged against the club the expenses of his chauffeur, and also the hire of a motorcar to enable him to carry out his duties as chairman of the club. Tho defendants pleaded justification, fair comment and privilege. Under cross-examination Sir Henry admitted placing his chauffeur Ryder's name on tho club books for staff wages. He signed Ryder's name 47 times for £3 10s a week, but Ryder received only £3 a week, as plaintiff kept 10s to cover Ryder's house rent.
In reply to a question regarding a cheque for £l7O received in 1926 for the sale of the club's motor-bus, plaintiff said ho endorsed it in the name of the secretary, whose authority he had, and he added " pay >.to the order of Lady Norris," and paid it into her account. Re-examined, plaintiff said the club owed him £BSOO on a loan account which was absolutely unsecured. He had paid over £2OOO out of his own pocket to get players for the club. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Hewart, ruled that the occasion was privileged, and that there was no evidence of malice, and no case to go to the jury. He gave judgment for tho defendant with costs
Sir Henry George Norris is a member of a firm of land agents in Fulham. He was Mayor of Fulham from 1910 to 1919, and Conservative member of the House of Commons for East Fulham from 1918 to 1922. He is a Past Master of the London Mayors' Lodge of Freemasons. Woohvich Arsenal has for many years been one of the leading professional football teams.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20175, 8 February 1929, Page 11
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348ACTION FOR LIBEL. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20175, 8 February 1929, Page 11
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