£350 FOR SLANDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2244, 26 February 1921, Page 2

£350 FOR SLANDER.

Christchurch, Feb, 24, A slander action, Frances Mary Gerity, drapers assistant, versus Frederick Armstrong, draper, Christchurch, in which £525 was claimed on each of two causes of action, was heard in the Supreme Court before Mr Justice Herdman and a jury of 12. Plaintiffs statement of claim set out that on November sth, 1920, she was in the employ of T. Armstrong and Co., Ltd., High Street, Christchurch, drapers and milliners,'and defendant was manager of the company. As the first cause of the action, it was stated that on the date mentioned defendant falsely and maliciously, without just cause or excuse, said, “Go upstairs and get your money. J saw you take a blouse, it was asserted that defendant, by these words, meant that plaint ill was a thief, and had stolen a blouse from the company. Plaintiff in consequence was discharged by the defendant from her situation, and had suffered damage to her credit and reputation. It was further stated that defendant used the words: “She is no good, and any fellow a- i round the town can do as he like 4 with her, and that is the way she gets her clothes,” meaning and imputing thereby that plaintiff was unchaste. The defence was a denial of plaintiff’s allegations. After a retirement of nearly two hours the jury returned a verdict for plaintiff on the first count of £IOO, and on the second of £250. Judgment was entered accordingly.