LIBEL.
AN OFFENDED FARMER FALLS IN. New Plymouth, March 6. In the Supreme Court to-day a farmer named James George Johnston, of Fraser Road, Hawera, lost his case against Thomas, C. List, proprietor of the Taranaki Daily News, for £5Ol damages, for alleged libel. In commenting editorially on the unsatisfactory state .of the libel laws of the country, which permitted a case of such a trumpery' nature as one brought by plaintiff to be brought against a newspaper for doing its duty by the public, arguing that before a writ of libel or slander was issued the merits of the proposed action should be investigated by a magistrate, and only - proceeded with if the magistrate was satisfied, a prima facie case had been established, and that the amount of money to cover the costs should be deposited with the Court. Johnston demanded an apology from the News for reflecting upon his bona fides, which was refused. Ihe jury, after five minutes’ retirement, returned a verdict for the defendant newspaper, with costs on the .highest scale.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1073, 8 March 1913, Page 3
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175LIBEL. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1073, 8 March 1913, Page 3
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