STRIKE COMMITTEE IN TROUBLE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 7

STRIKE COMMITTEE IN TROUBLE.

TO APPEAR BEFORE MAGISTRATE TO-DAY.

A notice was served on E. J. Howard, of the Strike Committee by the police yesterday in connexion with tho publication which tho Strike Committee has been issuing. He is called upon to appear before tho magistrate to-day, at noon, when application will be mado for leave to commence a prosecution against him under section 11, of the Law of Libel Act Amendment 1910, for tho publication of a defamatory libel in a publication called the "Christchurch Strike Bulletin," dated November 26th, under th© heading "Scabs Male, and Female."

Tbe notice is issued by Mr T. W." Stringer, X.C, Crown Prosecutor. It is understood that similar notrces are being served Messrs Ellis, McCombs, Hunter, _ Sullivan, Howard, J_urch, and Thorn, who are understood

to bo also members of the Striko Committee under whoso official authorisation tho "Strike Bulletin" is issued. Section 11 of tho Law of Libel Act Amendment 1908, is as follows:— <

AN INDICTABLE OFFENCE. (1) Tho indictable offence of publishing a defamatory libel or of criminal defamation within the meaning of the Crimos Act, 1908, shall also be an offence punishable on summary conviction ; before a magistrate by a fino of £100 or i by imprisonment for threo months. (2)ln any such summary proceed- | ing. it shall be a good defence that the ! defamatory matter published by the defendant was true, and that the publication thereof was for the public benefit, but no evidence of tho truth of such matters shall be admissible until and unless the defendant proves that, assuming tho matter so published to be true* tho publication thereof was for I the public benefit. (3) An information for any offence punishable on summary conviction j under this section shall bo taken and heard before a magistrate only, and no such prosecution shall bo commenced without the order of a magistrate; and notice of the intention to apply for such an order shall be given to the defendant, who shall have an opportunity of being heard against the application. Under tho Crimes Act, 1908, criminal defamation is thus described:—"Every person who without legal justification or excuse, speaks any words which are likely to injure the reputation of any other person by' exposing such lastmentioned person to hatred or contempt, or to injure him in his profession or trado, is guilty of 'criminal defamation,' which is hereby declared to bo an offence: Provided chat the speaking of such words shall not constitute or bo deemed to constitute an offence unless spoken within the hearing of not less than twenty persons at a meeting to which tho public are invited to attend or have access: Provided also that no proceedings in respect of tho -off-jnee or criminal defamation shall be commenced after the expiration of two months after the commission of tho offence."