Argus Sues for £l,000 Damages

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 465, 21 September 1928, Page 1

Argus Sues for £l,ooo Damages

WRIT AGAINST “THE STAR” ALLEGEDLY FALSE REPORT An interesting development of the recent trial of "Argus” and his father at Whangarei is the issue of a writ by Mr. Copeland, senr., against the proprietors of “The Auckland Star” for £I,OOO for alleged libel. The words complained of are contained in the report of the cases at Whangarei, which appeared in the “Star" of September 18. They are as ’follow: . “The magistrate, Mr. J. H. Luxford, said ... It must be remembered that Copeland, senr., had been before the court in 1921, when his intention to deceive had been proved.” Mr. Copeland in his statement of claim alleges that the magistrate, Mr. Euxford, did not use the words, or any words of a similar import, and that the words are false and malicious. The following are extracts from the written decision of Mr. Boynton, S.M., in the charges heard by him in 1921: “The father believes in the boy’s telepathic powers and so there is no intention to deceive on his part. . . . Although I think an offence has been

proved. I do not wish to convict the defendant. The father is sincere in his confidence in his boy’s powers. The boy is under his father’s influence. He is a fine lad in every way and it would be wrong under circumstances to convict him.”