Fascist to Pay Damages

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 350, 3 February 1937, Page 2

Fascist to Pay Damages

ENGINEERS’ UNION OFFICIALS WIN EIBEL. ACTION

Judgment was given in the King’s Bench Division, London, in favour of Mr J. C. Little, president ot the Amalgamated Engineering Union, and seven other members of the Executive Council, who had complained of libel in an article in tile. Fascist Quarterly dealing with their expenses. The defendants were Mr John Beckett, ex-AI.P., the writer of tin article, B.U.F. Publications, Ltd., pro prietors of the magazine. Messrs Jeff coats, printers ot the Fascist Quarterly, and the Blaektriars Press, who printed a pamphlet which was also the subjec’ of complaint. Mr Little and h-s colleagues allegeo that the words printed imputed tha' they had abused their position in th. Union.

Lt was denied by Mr Beckett, B U.h Publications, and Alessrs Jeffcoats tha: the words were defamatory, and the' also pleaded fair comment on a mattei ot public interest. The BlackfriarPress apologised, and said that they had acted innocently in the matter.

Judgment for £5O each was given against Jeffcoats, and tor £25 each against MP Beckett, B.U.F. Pub'.ica tions, and Blackfriars Press.

Costs were given against all defend ants.

His Lordship said Mr Gerald Gardin er, for the defence, had made it clear that he was not attacking the honesty oi officials in drawing these amounts, but that he was criticising a system. Mr Roland Oliver, K.C., for the plaintiffs, had argued that a passage about “scratching each other’s backs’ and there being “no reasonable limit to the comfort they may enjoy or the expenses they incur” was an attack on the plaintiffs.

“Ido not so read it,” continued his lordship. • ‘ ?The article proceeds: ‘ ‘ If on top oi all this au opponent looks like defeating a good member of the executive, well, the executive appoints the paid organisers, and many a rebel has discovered that a paid organisership is preferable to a probably hopeless attack upon an executive position.

“ ‘Members of the executive of the A.E.U. are rarely defeated. When they are it is more often the revenge of fellow executive piembers because they bave been ‘‘obstructive” than the ventilation of the righteous wrath of the membership.’ ” His lordship, continuing, said he read that as an allegation of fact. He was satisfied that it was untrue, and that it was defamaory of those who at the material time constituted the executive committee.

Further statements concerning increases in salaries were unfair.

Corrupt or dishonourable motives were imputed in both articles without any ground, added the judge.