CLAIM FOR LIBEL

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1932, Page 3

CLAIM FOR LIBEL

DAIRY COMPANIES’ DISPUTE. OVER CONTENTS .OF CIRCULAR. .fVer Vress, Association Copyright.', I October 25. pjF^lOC• for alleged libel, in,, which'.the .parties were two dairy coni-f panics, was jieiiyd at Akarca. to-day b.yMy 'LAwry,( S.AI. TJie plaintiff . was the Tai Tapu(p>7-Q?enitive -Dairy Company, and the defendant the Akaroa Co-operative Butter Factory Com])ii,ny, .Ltd., . ... •The basis of the action was a circular alleged.to have-been published by the defendant company, which,, the plaintiff company claimed, referred to thp. operations of the Tai Tnpu Company. The circular alleged, in effect, That a company unnamed was .paying ■l2cl per' pound . for butter fat during August, which buttor; was being sold, .■.retail, at .Cluistcljui'CU .at l (id per

pound, whi 'h operation must result iiif the loss of L]d per .pound. (ft. was claimed by the plaintiff company that this circular hinted at some irregular practice by the plaintiff■ 'by which, this apparent lons was made up, aaid that such suggestion had ; injured the credit and reputation of the plaintiff company. ; The defence was a general denial that the matter in the circular, was libellous, and a claim- that it was .privileged in that it was (sent only to ,suppliers and past suppliers of the ..Akaroa factory. f J'Jie decision was reserved.