LIBELLED IN NOVEL

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 348, 1 February 1937, Page 8

LIBELLED IN NOVEL

" VKRY SERIOUS WRONG." SUBSTANTIAL SUM TO BE PAID AS DAMAGES. Admission that "a very serious wrong had been done” was made by counsel for the defendants In a libel action which ended in the King’s Bench Division, says a London paper. It was brought by Mr Walter Marchant, butcher, of Hull, and his daughter, Miss Hllde Marchant, journalist, against the author, printers and publishers of a novel called “Anna Craft." The author -was stated to be Mr Richard Ford, the publishers Messrs. Peter Davies, Ltd., the printers ths' Guernsey Star and Gazette Company, Ltd. Messrs. McLagan and Cumming, who printed the wrapper of the' novel, were also made' defendants. Mr Valentine Holmes, for the author and the printers of the wrapper, told the Court that one of the terms of settlement was that the plaintiffs should be paid a substantial sum as damages. His clients desired to express, In ilia most unequivocal terms, their deepest' regret for the' publi.at,ion of the book and their most slnere apology to the plaintiffs for ths very serious wrung •Ali -’h had best done them. He added that the urinters and publishers had not toe slightest Idea, until the action was brought, that It was anything other than a pure work ot fiction. Mr Holmes, for the author, said his client desired lo repeat the apology which he had already made to the plaintiffs. The author now realised that his conduct —to use the words of Lord Justice Greer In an Interlocutory application—was “absolutely indefensible." He fully withdrew the allegations complained of and expressed his deepest regret. For the Guernsey Star and Gazette Company. Ltd.. Mr G. O. Slade declared that had they had the slightest conception that any character In the book could have been Identified with the plaintiffs they would n< iiavd assisted In the publication.