FOX-GOODFELLOW SLANDER CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2971, 5 December 1925, Page 3

FOX-GOODFELLOW SLANDER CASE.

LAW POINTS DISMISSED.

JUDGMENT FOR £IOOO WITH - COSTS.' Hamilton Last Night. Reserved judgment was given by Mr. Justice Herdman on the law points raised in the case in which John Ignatius Fox secured a jury verdict for £IOOO recently at Auckland against Wm. Goodfellow, managing Director of the' N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Coy., for slander. Plaintiff, in his action, relied upon four separate causes of action claiming damages on each charge on the point in dispute. Plaintiff claimed defendant had slandered him by stating to Charles Parker, in respect of plaintiff’s war service: “Have you ever heard Fox was reported twice as a spy.” The jury found for plaintiff upon this cause of action and awarded him £3OO damages. The question argued was as to whether this part of the jury’s verdict could stand. It was contended by counsel for defendant that, assuming it to have been px*oved that defendant had imputed to plaintiff the crime of spying, such a crime was not published in New Zealand and therefore no action would lie. His Honour said that at any rate, such a crime was punishable by the Army officials in the field. His Honour decided that the words spoken which changed such a crime would support an action for-slander without proof of special damages. Defendant’s motion was therefore dismissed and judgment would be for-plaintiff on the three causes for sums amounting in all to £IOOO with costs.