THE GRIBBLE LIBEL CASE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1630, 8 August 1887, Page 3

THE GRIBBLE LIBEL CASE

• . ■ ♦ ■ . i. Judgment has been given by Ohie Justice B tone and Jostles Stone, who sat as a jury m the libel aotlon brought; by the Rev J. B. Grlbble against the West Australian Newspaper Company; damages claimed; at £10,009. : The libel complained of »bs contained la the words "lying, cantlnp. humbug," 88 applied to the plaintiff m connection -with his lectures delivered m Victoria and New South. WaleH, his statements appearing m the Melbourne "Daily Telegraph" and other newspapers and his statements contained and poplt6hed m pamihlets, m all of whioh he made charges against tbe settlers of enslaving the aboriginal natives, cruelly treating them, assigning the native girls to immoral purposes, selling the natives, ordering half-caste ohildren to be murdered by their mothers, etc, a!ao charges against the, Government for conniving at these misdeeds. The defendants pleaded justification and the judges agreed m giving a verdict for the defendants on that plea. The Chief Jaatide said m all his experience he had never seen a witness who so prevaricated, who bo suppressed truth, and who was bo disingenuous as the plaln< lff. Both jadgea Bpoke strongly regarding the plaintiff's statements made m the oastern colonies, and Bald that m the circumstances the defendants, as public journalists, were justified m using the words complained of .

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