ACTION FOR LIBEL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 676, 29 November 1909, Page 9

ACTION FOR LIBEL.

THE LJV\V OP COMMENT. . ; ; (By : Telet;rnph--rrcsa Association.) *-■ ~ s i'.-vr*',Chrlstchupch, 'Novotnbor 26,; - .'Robert Grantham Money,.ac one timo editor %v.pf;:tn(j AL r.^iiariiete, •/v proprietor Vof :• the'-paper,.fori; JJIOD foi 4 - libel vj.•published-in• th<*j ouriid-i T aftdr;;a;civil case, in; ;V/'tfhi6fc^Monoy :: '.w jiour s v ' In- 1 evidence ;it 'wad staled that'tho, ariiclo complained of was -written by Mr. , •• Mitcholl, editor of .y *J ustico vDennistoa;': in- giving"" judgment • . for. said his first'impression ot the case i v - htifl :been' that' i| iwasi only 'question of. "how — irtufchP" and he -had .not .wavered ivom that I v vioW.;by anythiii£,.he had heard. .It >was quite > /•; impossible that, ov-'iury could. come ' i ('• t^any^thercoacl^ipn^Hero- ; \ras:. a' journalist: . whoiftad been drivon' into va Court' of justice ; l^g a l frights and,;ho,.::obtained - therii.lv The; least; that v could''haro ' bccn. : done' Vy :for;' the J others .fto.Vhold.; their ; about ''if, Obnt: occurred'V^to'anothor •4; journalist-.that plaintiff was a good-subject as if; the ;inan V :was-,being;: paid > off /tor-having, asserted his' . .rigllts:. His assertion of his legal rights was : v . inttdoKi.the.i ground -of •..-an'.:article which' -the •i; ailtn6r v 'admittedwas.-not compliiuentaryj and ■ irhich;•might injure plaintiff in'his profession. •• H6;,(his Honour) had seldom como across a aoJo unjustifiablo publication..- \ ,Why could they not let this young• man alone?' Tho only ;.:T;vi#(;;hB; i could;take:pf .it ;iyas l that vras ivil- • • fnllyjntcnded and calculated to damago plaintilj.'i It. \ras an ab?olutely gratuitous and un> ■ called-for - attack. The- dofence scetnod to 'bo founded on an . absolute 1 . Inisconception 'of -the ir: laiy;.,of.comment,.. 'fhat.law. wa3 that ft-public tho capacitj' of a critic, politician, or •v« jiidgV or 'other, capacity,'was subject to Vrislt , of :! h?iTihg his action's.commented upon with' the greatost - severity, - even:, frith the Kreatest Inr' jnstico and incorrcctness. "'Surely that did not apply in this case. i