LIBEL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 248, 17 February 1875, Page 2

LIBEL.

Our irrepressible contemporary the Auckland Evening Star is booked for another action for libel, at the instance of Mr. John Shera of Auckland. The cause of action lies in the admission of a letter into its columns, signed “ T. B. Hannaford,” directly accusing Mr. Shera of having “ some hundreds of pounds ” in his possession which were subscribed for the relief of the orphans, widows and relations of those who perished iu the steamer Tauranga,” some years go. The following is from the Star of the sth February:— MR. JOHN SHERA AND THE EVENING STAR. We find the following letter contained in this morning’s Herald :— (To the Editor of the Herald.) Sir, —I received a letter to-day, marked “confidential and private,” from Mr. G. M. Reed, editor of the Evening Star, which contains an ample apology for the slanderous attack on me that appeared in last night’s Star. I told Mr. Reed to-day that if he would consent to my publishing his letter in the Auckland papers, and give a sum to the local charities, I would condone his offence; but as he has refused to do so, I consider it a duty I owe to my fellow-citizens to appeal to a judicial tribunal to punish the impenitent slanderer.—l am, &c., John Shera. Many people can be angry and sin not against the laws of honor that usually restrain gentlemen, but Air. Shera begins by stating that he had received a letter marked “ confidential and private,” and forthwith proceeds to make public its contents. This may be according to Mr. Shera’s code of honor, but it is not a customary thing to make such use of “private and confidential” communications Mr. Shera states that this “private aud confidential" letter contained an “ample apology for the slanderous attack on me that appeared in last night's Star." This is Mr. Shera’s published opinion of the letter, and yet with a singular inconsistency, and making use of language grossly and unwarrantably libellous, which will surely puzzle his law adviser, he adds, “ I consider it a duty I owe to my fellow-citizens to appeal to a judical tribunal to punish the impenitent slanderer.” Mr. Shera, however, having committed the unusual breach of decorum in making public what was intended as a friendly and confidential letter, wo give a copy of the letter verbatim. It reads as follows :— “private and confidential. “ Dear Mr. Shera, —I am exceedingly sorry that letter of Hannaford’s appeared

yesterday. I never saw it till it had appeared in print, and I had left the office. I think everyone in Auckland knows the circumstances of the case, and that you had used every effort to get the subscribers together to guide you as to what to do with the money, and that you and Mr. Isaacs have been puzzled what to do with it. I knew all this perfectly, and had I had the slightest idea that anything on the subject was about to appear I would have had the explanation given, and no such letter would have appeared. But I am exceedingly sorry that you held out that threat in your letter this morning I had intended making the fullest disclaimer and explanation and expression of regret in to-day’s Star. Now 1 feel difficulty as to what I ought to do. I should like to see you for a few moments. —Yours faithfully,” G. M. Reed. Such a letter written as from a friend to a friend, and not for publication will be understood by any person of ordinary sentiments ; it was succeeded by. an interview in which the matter was more fully explained to Mr. Shera, apparently to his satisfaction, and the interview was friendly until Mr. Shera spoke of apology and donation to local charities. However, there are others behind the scene, and it is but part of that “ badgering ” on which certain persons haveentered in thehopeof “putting down the Star." People are rather familiar now with the frequency with which attempts are made to make use of our legal tribunals for private revenge ; and the public perfectly understand it. We have accordingly to-day received the following letter: — “ Wyndham-strcet, Auckland, “ February 5, 1875. “ Messrs. Reed and Brett, — “Gentlemen,—Mr. Shera has instructed us to commence an action against you as the publisher, of the libel against him in the Evening Star of the 3rd inst., but before commencing proceedings he desires us to inform you that he will be content to forego any action if you will publish a satisfactory apology in the Evening Star, and give the sum of £25 to the Destitute Childrens’ Home. “We hope to receive an answer by Monday next which will prove satisfactory. “Yours faithfully, “Whitaker & Russell.” To this letter we have forwarded the following reply:— “ Evening Star office, Auckland, February' 5, 1875. “ Messrs. Whitaker and Russell, — “ Gentlemen, — Re your letter of to-day. It is quite unnecessary detaining you till Monday for our reply, which we now send. We beg to state that we are unaware of having published any libel against Mr. Shera; that therefore wo shall make no apology; and that we shall not pay £25 to the Destitute Childrens’ Hoire.—We have the honor to be, gentlemen, your obedient servants. “ Reed and Brett, per G. M. Reed.”