A LIBEL CASS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8857, 6 July 1907, Page 2

A LIBEL CASS.

Interesting Point Raised. Per Press Association. Wellington, July S. An important point was raised in the preliminary hearing of a libel action brought by Florence Isabella Hall, of Masterton, against tho Now Zealand Times, claiming .£2OO damages. Ono of interrogatories demanded fhe name of the paper’s informant. Judge Cooper said that as the paper was prepared to take the responsibility he must hesitate to order it to disclose its authority. Counsel submitted 'tho sole question was whether malice was in tho issue, Defendant denied malice and plaintiff was entitled to know the source of the information in order to prove malice. His Honor said malice was in tho issue in every libel apd tho jury should be told to infer it. It was a most important matter from the point of v|ew of tllO Press generally as well as of the particiir lar parties concerned, and ho woqld talfo time to consider tho point.