NEWSPAPER SUED FOR LIBEL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1906, 14 November 1913, Page 7

NEWSPAPER SUED FOR LIBEL.

£10,000 DAMAGES CLAIMED. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyriKlit : Brisbane, November 7. The hearing of the action Denham Brothers, produce merchants, and Digby Frank Denham, Premier of Queensland, against the Brisbane "Daily Mail" for £10,000_ damages, for an alleged libel, the subject matter of which was headed: "Parasites Upon Society"—"Charge Against Producers' Agents"—"Alleged Fraudulent Dealings," is proceeding, A reporter who reported Mr. Bowman's, speech gave evidence. He Baid the cause of his making a mistake in reporting was the. way Mr. Bowman spoke, and his misunderstanding Mr. Bowman's words. The acoustic properties of the Chamber had nothing to do with it. ■. ' .

The libel complained .of purported to be a report of Mr.'Bowman's (Labour) speech in the State Assembly. ' Plaintiffs allege that the article meant that they had been dishenest in their ■ dealings with, the goods of a client, and had furnished him with fraudulent accounts. The defence in the caso is that the matter was published without actual ill-will, and in good faith, for the information of the public; that it was bona-fide; that it was intended, aiid w/»s believed to be, a correct report of certain proceedings in the State Assembly, but on ; account of the faulty acoustic properties of. the Assembly Chamber, part of the speech was incorrectly heard and reported; that the defendants admitted that so far as the report purported to.be a Teport of the speech, it was inaccurate, iand that the earliest opportunity was taken to prevent the further sale and distribution of that issue of the paper; and that the defendants unreservedly withdrew all imputations, and paid i£loo,into Court.