LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 647, 26 October 1909, Page 9

LAW REPORTS.

!■ : vM; COURT OF APPEAL. : ; . -iCHmSTCHURCH LIBEL ACTION.': ; ; : Tho appeal case, John JJprton' versus Thos. Walter. Stringer, was further argued yesterday in: the Appeal,. Court, bofore thoir Honours > Justices Williairis (Acting Chief Justice), EdV wards," Cooper, and Chapman.' ■ .(.'. Mr. AvDunn appeared for tho .appellant, and : ,Mr;.C. P. Skcrrett, K.C., .with him Mr. A. 11.I 1 . Wright, for the respondent;': ','.', , ■ Tho faots, assot out for. the information of .' tho/Court,-were that in May: last, before -Mr.. . Justica.iDonniston, at Christohuroh, Thomas ■ Walter' Stringer/ K.C., Crown Prosecutor at Christchurch, ; ;sued John Norton for £2000 dam- ; ;ages. for ; alleged. libel published in tho news- ;; 'papor : ''Truth,''':'.oh .March 14, 1908. .Plaintiff alleged that tho 'article in quostion meant that hohadbeon party, or privy A to tho payment of -SipO- for-, the "purpose: of suppressing, the-pro-. :. socution 1 of: Francis: Honry- Bruges,:: solicitor, :; .nnd'of, 1 dofeatinf:,-tho,cnds of justice. A common/jury of twelve gavo.a vordict.in plaintiff's >' favour for tha, full amount of damages claimed, "and" costs wore; allowed: amounting, to .£99 18s.' ' On? August '30 of 'this: year/'defendant appeared :' in'personin' support of -a motion .that a new ;'■ triai'::,should ! bo: allowed, but' Mr. : Justice. ; Denniston refused to.grant tho application. Ah' . .-appeal'from'this.decision.was now.brpughtj on ', the grounds that: .(1)' 'damagesiworo ; .excessive; •{2) counsel'for plaintiff,' in addressing, the jury, l ' ibadrcfdrrcd to;tho of the paper in : ■&■: disparaging.'manner, 'although no evidence had been called or could-have.been called as to its-character, and: had; thus'inflamed: the_ jnry- '■■■ .in,to':giving.punitive damages; and (3) the judgo : 'had misdirected'tho jury in not defining : what "a'libel-was, and 'in directing them that it was' ; 'a.qhestibn whether aliberhad.beon.intended or- '' not.;-It.was.alleged:-that counsellor the plain- ' tiff (Mr.'Skerrat't);had mado use.of.thd;following .words, in the. course;of his address, to -the ■'■ j iiry t' "What - was the reason -. for tho existence, '■'■ of such a'paper?"?Ho:would'a6k'tho'jurY, was -there.in tho pnper'.any high inission, any.'pnrsuit: of'respectable'ideals?. -Was -there anything but' sordid money (grubbing and;wickednessiwithin.it?-: tot this-sort;of paper,m and ■: as-sure is f stand .here-you will--have': a. diOtor-. ; entstate of things.; You will -have, a degraded . press.'and a degraded moral tone, and:you will '-■ha-vfc*nnMinclean : community.'. ~':'■:■ "': : ;'\ ■' ■Mr.'Dnnn,'Wh'o:o'pened : :on;Friday .morning,' - concluded: Ms address-at/.S/W p.m. ..Mr. , Skcr- .■•' rctt' :had : not finished argument',for,';thoyre- ' sponderit whou' the- Conrt adjourned, 'i: .. :.'... , ■}:'. '' < i^(Befpi:e : :Dr.':i;;M'Ar(hnr,;S.M;);, ;. \Mi,} •'•;;•:/ ' ; A:young'.man'named' Walter -Piatt appeared' ■in answer to 'charges of assaulting: Violet -Colhv coatand damaging a coat to .the .extent of 105.,: : ; the':property:'of .; .^'V,'/; .'Violet. Collicoat stated in .ovidouco that she wont:-to'' the traces on .Saturday, accompanied: 'By.';-Mrs.',Clarke.;;"if,the Government'.station on their 'return -a" ."scene"; took; place on the •- 'platform!: Acdiised''W(*ted::her.to::.'walk-,,01t ' L witli'him,'and'when'she"irefusedihe. caught her, P by- the■ wrists ; and' throat.:-' Her /clothing, was' i:torn'in:tho>tnigglc.: ■-:•?-. V'. :';'^:?.' ,; ' , >k ..Mrs;..Clarko,stated that she:.thought accused ['}.had .enough 'drink;to make him■■• vicious; -and ■ he was not behaving iin a rational manner. She • -gave-corroborative evidence!'as to. .injury,,'%. 'flictedVbhVMiss' Collicoat.;:-': -:■;, ~\:;.:''l :l •■ ■; Constable; Th'om'ps6n\despribed. the -.scono, at -'the' station'..- ' ; : -r:',v;' -^: : -;,/ v" ; > - ; -' "fy -C ■'■■ " Giving''dvidencefon his, own behalf/'accused : stated that he 'had ! known" Mies! Collicoat,' for seven .years..; He. did ■ not• drink, -neither did he. go '-to races. ':\He :morely went .:on'v.Saturdaji. to get' £30: from: her; which he had :given her to mind while he saved moro to.purchase a busincss..v'With a view of'securing a settlement ho entered .'into' conversation with: h'er.' and' touched her on'tho :armi'',.He. denied the'.oth'or. allega-: : --tionS;made; ■':■'::.:::': ■■■■:- / -^•■■^:\"-■''■,/. -•: ■ ' •..:■':".•.••; .His Worship said that whatever the cause «c.cnspdhad\no: justification .whatever for, be--'having as. ho'-had done on-tho'-'platform.:. He would ho. sentenced to two '.months'. imprison-; •.mont- and'O'rdered to,-payitho'cost:of:.-' age-to; the' coat.. :..:- '■;:;:/; :-...;. v. '",-/•; ''';-; V '^NS;'pA i ■ 'Eis' : .Wbrship delivered rjudgriient :; ..in:.thoease the "Collector of- Bmi janp:. JonoL This'-Syas an information, Utie Mtigistrato .said, ■ Jaid byithc Collccto'd. i ".6ff,':Cus!:oins:vagaihst' a steward:'of-..tho..stean!ef!jri)mutn|:9y^^ .ingiy:'harbonring- r o3rtaH,'Snc'us%i&'(l I jgesJ«9', of ''the total'valuo of;«10;-;c.o^trarjf : tb(-Sioticii 23G (f)..6{:the.Custom3'taw^'ct,' i l9oß.'-:.-.St;;w.:is ad-. mittcd.lthdtj-iHe defendant, had" the: goods, ! 'in his possossidn,':but it' was alleged. that-; ho' did .not'know.^that.they were : . liable to.jluty. The' •dbfendant had signed a dodiimeht-addressed to theColleotor, in which ho decla're'd ; ;that. ho had :in' his'posse'Ssion certain'artioles/-;but''the goods forn'iing the basis of'.tho information were not included'--in:this;.declaration.', .'.,.:;>'.'-. .-Assnming': that'.the defendant was entirely innocent --morally, his'. Worship :,'and:' that. he: did liable to duty; had .ho. committed , : anpffencp, against tl(o. iCnstorhs law? : His-.Worship'th'ousht.ho'.hacl.' This was.one .of'.the class-of.■;c'ases....m!which, the '.tegislaturo had,.iircffeot,,determined that meni; ■ rea: -was not J necessary .to, constitute the" offenco. i;i...;,'-.,'%;'.!' "■'■'•'':.; ■■'.'.'..'.-. : -,;;'.:;'; '■-A.-fine..of (£lo,. in: default, fourteen days, imprisonmen't,; was imposed.:-The goods-were or. dered-to bo;forfeited.' ~..:: .;':■'■;■:\; ' V-\-^#'(^ELTY : ',T6' i: ; Charges of cruelty, toa horso'wero preferred against. Harold and, Emily Morgan. .The former, pleaded, guilty, while tho-latter'.entered, a ' plea-of 'not: guilty-. Mr.' T oogood-; the .prosecution, :and Mr. Jackson appeared for. .defendants.-Vv'.':-';;■ ~;•.•:•■■'-'-:'; ' .: . '. : : - ! -. : : Inspector. Seed, stated that;the: horse was in lowicondition, and. it-.had.'a' bad sore .under -the ; girtlu ; ; ; ': ;' W'r. ['■'.:.'■'■..'_'. y ': ; ' ■■"W.-.-C. Quinnell, ivcterinary surgeon, stated that;ho.examined the'^^horse. ..He was of opin.it.'was.crhel to .drive it':while 'jt was ,in"'such:a'. low" condition, j':':: ' ■ :: -, /: , : .'Defendants *era respectively. fined : '£}, with costs 75., in default. 48 hours' imprisbnhient, a'ud i2,.-.with; costs J22 125., in-default 7 days' imprisonment.. ■■-;,.:,;: ~•'::.;..'';, ;.'.' ;■;•.■';V ; '0;.;;;-,-;'sTOLEN: v: \:;;v;, .''' -.Charles-Edwin'King, alias, Harvey, appeared on, the remanded chargo of stealing from some !perion" unknown;-, : ' : ';■;.;•■. '■'"--/; -'-:',Y\ '.'■' ". :Mri Jackson, .who'- appeared ', for . accused, stated that it was not clear where he got the 'money, :.;..'.:::':'.-' ■■■...'■-■'■■■.'■•".'."■'■: ;•■ The' magistrate: ■. I .received - a ...letter, saying that ho stole itfrom'his sister. I do not believe' it.: '. ::;.; .;■ -'-.',■: ■ ::.-'-.' ; .Chipf..Detective Broberg: I have a very, good idea where-ho got'it.from. , ....;:■:.. \ ;'-v-- - A: sentence of three.months* imprisonment' ; :Was':,impb-sed.-: ; ;:,V :.-• ; i; ";•'■•: "■:':';),- i:: ''■~.■ '■' , .'':;';,/; '~: ■' :;iIAINTENANCE.. '; ''>'-\] Pot disobeying an order for the maintenance of 'liis 'illogitimflle child, Edward' Breen ■ ordered to pay :the balance of, arrears,, 75., 6d., on 'or'.'.before NovembCT 1,: in' default .'4B, hours',, imprisonmeTit. ; .:,:..' , ' -.-,■';•■ '.'':-'v--'" INSOBEiBTY. ' X'v ••'•■■ No fewer'.thitn: : ten, fifst offending inebriates .were dealt with. Two were,convicted and dis- . charged; two were , each fmed ss:. in .-.default H honrV imprisonment, while the remaining Six • who failed to, answer • to' their names, were eao'h : nnod lOs., indefanit 48 hours', imprisonment. A white-haired old man named Arthur. Scott pleaded: guilty to a charge of, habitual drwikehness.: He asked for another cliance. - His Worship:... You have oik-ondy had i 2. : You will be Beut:'to :Pakatoa .Island, for. twolve months.' .'Arthur'.Carson, was fined 205., in .default •" • 6eveW. - days' imprisonment. :: James Lauder, who '. was found in •' a, state; of helpless. drunkenness, owing to consuming 'methylated spirits, was convicted and ordered to pay medlcal i and other amounting to 175., default'seven/days'..imprisonment. ,:.. :..-• ;'--,-;V--/ ''/...OTHER CASES.,::-.;-■.;':.'.,;. r Edward .Corbett;'was charged with, drunkenness,' and with committing an indecent offence. On the first count ho was convicted and. discharged, and.on the othor ho was fined 405.,. in default seven days' imprisonment;. : ..George Woyd'wfls.similarly.dealt with for committing; an indecent offonco. .;. .-:\\-, . Charged with using threatening^.behaviour, <ind with using obscene language, Harry Malpus was fined 10s., or -4P hours,-and,- i one month's imprisonment, on • the. rpspechvo ■ counts.'; ,; '. . . ,''■•'■■'; ' '~', . A fine of £5, m . default one month s imprisonment, was inflicted.on.ThomasXaory for using, obsceno Inhgungo in a public place. ...