THE JONES LIBEL CASE.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1255, 15 March 1878, Page 3

THE JONES LIBEL CASE.

[By Telegraph.] Dunedin, March 14,

The argument of the demurrer, raised to defendant’s second plea of justification in tho libel case against George Jones, junr., was heard in banco to-day, before two judges. Mr Haggitt appeared to support the demurrer, and Messrs Rees and Hislop for the plea. Mr Haggitt moved that the demurrer to the plea be sustained on the following grounds:—(l) That it does not, in the manner required for pleading justification to an action for slander or libel at the time of the passing of statutes 6 and 7 Vic., set forth the facts by reason whereof the publication of the alleged libel was justifiable. (2) That the plea introduces and attempts to put in issue matters not alleged in the indictment, nor necessary to be alleged in order to support the plea itself, and seeks to justify the libel complained of in tho indictment by accusing Mr Whitaker, the person mentioned in the indictment, in general terms of acting illegally and fraudulently in a number of land transactions, some of which appear by the plea to have been connected with native lands, whilst others are shown to be quite unconnected with native lands ; and some transactions are not particularised with any reasonable degree of certainty, whilst none of them are referred to in the article complained of. (3.) That the plea does not cover the whole libel. (4.) That the plea is informal, uncertain, and argumentative, (5.) That the plea does not set out any particular facts by reason whereof it was for the public benefit that the article should be published. The Judges intimated that they would give their decision at noon on Saturday. The trial by the jury will commence on Monday.