The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1896. THE LAW OF LIBEL.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 73, 23 September 1896, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette Published Daily. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 1896. THE LAW OF LIBEL.

Tj-k Defaimition Bill which Jias passed its third reading in the House provides that :— It is a good defence to a prosecution that the defamatory matter is true, iiud that the publication was for the public good ; but this defence must be pleaded specially, either with or without the general plea of" not guilty." A proprietor, publisher, or editor of a newspaper or periodical is not enmin ally responsible for defamatory matter cont»incd therein if he shows that the mutter complained of was inserted with out his knowledge and without negligence on his part. Innocent sellers of ut w>papers, periodicals, etc., are also protected from penal consequences There is a further and most important provision for the protection of the Press a»aiust malicious prosecution or criminal proceedings on trivial grounds. The Bill enacts that no criminal pro*secution shall be instituted against the proprietor, publisher, or editor, or other person responsible for the publication of any periodical, for any defamatory matter published therein, without an orrtor of a judge of the Supreme Court, made after notice to the person accused and after that person has kad an opportunity of being heard in opposition. A Stipendiary Magistrate, upon the heaving of a charge against a newspaper or other periodical for defamation, may receive evidence as to the publication being tor liie public good, as to the libel being true find published without maiice, and as to any matter which might be given in evidence by way of defence at the trial en indictment ; and, should he be of opinion that there is a strong or probab.'e presumption that the jury would ,'icquit the person charged, may dismiss the case. It is \ei\v desirable, for tnauy obvious reasous, that the Bill should pass, since the law at present is in a very unsatisfactory state, being involved in great uncertainty and confusion.