To the Editor of the Observer.

Oxford Observer, Volume VIII, Issue VIII, 27 March 1897, Page 3

To the Editor of the Observer.

Sir Anent the Oxford Sports held m December last year you inserted a paragraph m your paper lauding Mr Meredith, M.H.il. for his prompt and liberal contribution towards the funds, and deprecating the want of courtesy and generosity upon the part of Mr Moore, M.H.R. m not subscribing, nor even answering the communication addressed to him. At the time, you had no authority for the statement, and I am certain animus suggested the remarks, as for a matter of fact, the Secretary of the Sporls Committee never sent an application to Mr Moore, but Mr Moore voluntarily gave a subscription of £1 Is. Od. Please allow me to draw another picture — In connection L with the Oxford Jockey Club's meeting held on 13th. ksfc, a letter was forwarded to the two above mentioned gentlemen, for a subscription towards the Funds, and within a few days a most courteous acknowledgement and subscription of £1 Is. Od. was received from Mr Moore. But up to the time of writing this note no donation, nor even an acknowledgement has been received from Mr Meredith. This latter gentleman has, too, been m Oxford since. Just as a matter of fair play I ask you to insert this. Yours, etc. JUSTICE. "Justice" is not stating the facts of the case — we made all enquiries before we published the statement above referred to. and we spared no pains to procure the information from a reliable source, and again repeat that the Secretary of the Sports Committee did write to Mr Moore. And days after the Sports and up to the time of our going to press he received no guinea or reply from Mr Moore, but some time after the remarks that Justice takes exception to, were published — then, and net tUI then, was tho guinea paid by whom best known to Justice, and we feel we are justified m saying that the Sports and Eace Committees have to thank us m a measure for the subscriptions they received. re Mr Meredith's "not subscribing to the Races — it was well known by the Race Committee from previous years experience that Mr Meredith would not contribute to Race funds, and as a preacher of the gospel ifc wrald be bad form for him to do so, and further we may cite the fact that the Race Committee were to a man. his political opponents, and the writer, of the letter of all others, one who had lost no opportunity to vilify Mr Meredith both pubHcly and privately on all, and every occasion, consequently it is no wonder he (Mr Meredith) treated his communication with silent contempt. We consider it was extreme bad taste on the part of the Committee to ask Mr Meredith for a subscription to the Race funds under the circumstances --Ed.