The Parkes Libel Case.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 36, 13 January 1885, Page 4

The Parkes Libel Case.

-' -' ■',:-?- — ■ j At the second trial of thc libel actidri'Si^Heii ! ry r . i i l ,! arko'fi'. v. : i (proprietor of''tne ' Oampb'clltown Herald"-); Mi* Justice Fawcefct7 gave ail-exposition of the -law of libel much more in. accord with common sence than sirailar cxpositionrecently made from the Supreme .Court' 'Bench at Sydney.- Referrmg' to %*,W- I'arkc's.position as a public mah. the judge is reported to have : -r--.'-f. n .tiiesc? ~, 'th,ere was?''_io questioh'whatevcr- ' the iitmb'stffeb'dom was allowed I to the writers in newspapers m cliscdssin ,tlpe conduct in „ character of am 1 an 'in" sn'<_h' ; 'a position 't ancl tho-gh. tilings might be ; libc^Uous. stud of a priyate persbii in h]s,'individual capacity,'they mighty Be'7said of a. public man in that position, without being libellous. There; Jwijs a !degr.ee of freedom : - : Allcf\yp3— at jail °eveMS'allowed by ,tlie <J t„w--in ing or speaking' about public matters and public v sei_* ehgaged| in public life, it necessary for r or the rights and liberties'of the Bujt at the same timd--\vliil'_ the discussion and commehfc i was allowed to a verylarge "e_terit', eVdry one must see ihat ther*?- limits, beypncL. ,wjpich \ 119 person ought to be permitted tojgo'V andiii'this respect there was noSis-* ■tinction between a private person ,_md- thp- proprietor .of -&, aiewepaper. 'A/priiyatetjersqij m/ghi' .cliscussTtTie" public conduct'_bf a public manj "as $pely : jmf jthie pr^pric^frQ£a;jJie\v_pa-; pe'r. ''lt did not"maWany difference ,in or priyiledges f ..membe**.'pf.'-thjej.-. f community ; (ie' J happened tq..bc''' £he .'.owo.ef,j.. of" a < BFr\#.W.JIWJ&A .'newspaper, j As hejjfid sjiicl,' pertain lines , to go, aiid/.tjie'line of clemarcation] w : £\s plainly.'.m>rj{ed."'out. in,.'.this , way •„ •M$ cliai*g;cj:l ;a:.,'m,anj enfga&ed jn/pulft6^ 31 Wfth. Imything approaching,jtiem, h'e^Would . .beVgoi'ng beypnc} 1-fje--fair;' jjis't • and'i > ■■_WW f ii^}^'M^\ I 7ar\d. , -idisc^ssioji.. ( . j were real grbuiid's'fbVcliarging' VMinis-; ter of the Crown, or any otlier I per-' chshonesty or. corruption, the} proprietor of a, newspaper or any other individual in t'jie community would : be of spch a transaction, an'd,to comment freely upon \t^ki^o\jign r il was, to be as'slii_iedtiya_'public JuiW holding public' positions' would act honestly." "People mjght think such ' views! and their policy ? and they might conden.n' their policy arid 'd.S„prove altogether , f£ tji^ii\publicproceedings; but.''if ' ; .tlieyj cjjarged [ theik with 1 'they' unclbuD teclly^wc^'n'.''-Jeyorid7,tne - they were prepared to show that! su.ijh' opublic0 public men,'.were _njltyrxi£ th 4 .';ss., hbiiesty* br< 4 Gwrupttoh> r iw_th {which they were charged.' 1 j