The New Libel Law

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 44, 1 October 1887, Page 3

The New Libel Law

The long-promised' -BiU to amend the newspaper libeblaw (prepared by the English Attorney-General;-: Sir: E>. Glarte); is»t last issued-. ' By its.;prp-. Vrisions any j ot? iiialist- 'd^f eufl tini in an "actiott-foi flibeL'ciay apply suui^ uiarily to a 'judge; sitting in Ohambeis to order the a<itk)hjtotibe atayed ©it.tbA ground^ of :-atßi trifling: ina'tuTe,v;9.t be-. sause the plaintiff! has' not . suffererd ■ r other grounds^ and if k$ c?,n ■ptff&nQW m.. ithtimM tbe-fiatiafa.ction> ol.r.th^. \Jpfa®n the-actiQnas t6 be,- stayedj^or.jat^l^ast. the. Jttdge#hall order, ; the plaintiff) U> f , give secuirty for the defendant^ .c^t^j before he be allowed- to proceed. This provision wtill at: lonce put an. end,, to actions by men of straw, whp :i haT r 6. so much to win and nothing to lose" under tne present system ; and it will prevent the recurrence of a great hardship on newspaper men, who have so often been put. to great trouble' and expense .to. defend themselves against a frivolous or unfounded charge brought by a person who is unable to pay the costs when defeated. By the second provision the Judge is obliged to order security for; a defendant's costs wherever a plaintiff is without means. Itris nQt tp;b^ i expected that. so. great a rejorin-as this Hop meet with keen opposition, ;' but i?e are certaitlly l not without hbpe that justice will prevail, and that; the : newspaper man yill be placed 'on' 1 an equal footing with defendants in other bases'. : ,