REJECTED BY JURY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 15 November 1939, Page 9

REJECTED BY JURY

COMPLAINT OF LIBEL CLAIM FOR £IOOO FAILS TEN-TO-TWO VERDICT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Finding that the words complained of were not defamatory against the plaintiff, the jury in the Supreme Court which heard the claim for £IOOO damages for alleged libel brought by John Robertson, M.F., against Garnet Hornby Saunders, of New Plymouth, and Harry Thompson, of Napier, returned a verdict in favour of the defendants.

The plaintiff is the secretary of the New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Association and editor of the Motion Picture Exhibitors’ Bulletin and the defendants are motion picture exhibitors.

The claim arose from an open letter sent to the exhibitors by the defendants before the election of representatives to the Film Control Board after their names had been missed out of a list of candidates published in the bulletin. The jury of 12 were absent f.or four hours and a quarter. They returned at 9 p.m. and announced that there was no possibility of their reaching unanimity and the verdictaccepted was that of 10 men to two. Judgment was entered for the defendants, but an application by counsel for the plaintiff for 10 days in which to move any motion was granted. The hearing began last Friday. Yesterday was occupied with further evidence for the defendants and addresses bv counsel. Mr. Justice Johnston was on the bench, Mr. J. S. Hanna appeared for the plaintiff, Mr. O. C. Mazengarb for Saunders and Mr. J. Mason of Napier, r or Thompson.