Libel Action.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1922, Page 1

Libel Action.

[nr TELEGRAPH —.'ER PRESS ASSOCIATION] NAPIER, August 24. Before Sir Robert Stout, nt the Supreme Court to-day/ Helmore Henry Brown, assistant secret and organiser of the P. and T. Association sought to recover £5Ol damages, from tho “Hawke’s Bay Herald” for alleged libel.

, . NAPIER, August 24. The Hawke’s Bay Herald” published a report on a meeting, held at tea rooms, of lady members of the P. and T. Service, stating that Mr Brown addressed the meeting, which was terminated abruptly, the proprietress stopping the speaker, and alleging that what was being said was unloynl.

Mr Brown gave evidence that he was bringing under the notice of the lady members the anomalous position of the members of the P. and T. Service, when the proprietress came in. She said she would have to discontinue the meeting, as “it was most disloyal 1” The meeting terminated by those present going to another hall. Labour and socialism were discussed at great length. The plaintiff denied that the Alliance of Labour was a political body.

Ilis Honour said : “The Alliance was political. It dealt with the government of the country. He (Stout) could not >seo what its object was, except, to get greater political power.”

Witness stated that in the Alliance there might he a general strike, hut the support might he financial or moral. His Honour: “Not « word is said about Industrial arbitration and conciliation. You are going behind the law and if that is not disloyalty, I don’t know what disloyalty is,” Witness denied using the words: Join up with the Alliance of Labour, and make it so strong that the Government will have to give us what we want.” He had never east a slur on His Majesty. No .reference to violence, or to the use of any but constitutional methods, was made at meeting. NAPIER, August 24. In the libel action Brown v. Dinwiddle Walker Co., (Hawke’s Bay Herald), the jury found for the defendants.