LIEUTENANT GRIERSON.

Taihape Daily Times, 3 September 1918, Page 3

LIEUTENANT GRIERSON.

ALLEGED LIBEL BY DR. THACKER WRIT FOR £SOOO DAMAGES. WELLINGTON, Friday. A writ claiming £SOOO damages ror alleged libel, Las been issued on behalf of Lieutenant Grierson against Dr. Thacker, member for East, as a result of a statement alleged to liave been made during the Wellington North by-election, wuen Dr. Thacker took a most active part in tn<a campaign of Mr. Poison, an Independent Liberal. It is alleged in the statement of claim that on February 27, at a public meeting, Dr. Thacker declared that he and others had suspicions about Grierson, that they had his boxes opened, and, he alleged found evidence that Grierson was an arrant German spy. It is also alleged that Dr. Thacker made the following untrue ( reflection' on plaintiff; “Sir Jamea I Allen told us he was an elegant English gentleman, coming from a family of 400 years’ standing, but he had no sooner got to the front than he went over to the enemy.” The Grierson case, as it was called, aroused great public interest tw r o years ago. A public inquiry into allegations against him resulted in clearing him j of any suggestion of disloyalty. He | went away with a reinforcement draft, I and his return on duty gives him the ■ oportunity of a hearing in the forth- 4 coming action. He is attached tc the ( Fortylifth Reinforcements, and reurns shortly to the front. |