LIBEL ACTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 258, 22 March 1913, Page 5

LIBEL ACTION.

SCHOOLMASTER v. NEWSPAPER.

By Telegraph— Press Association,

Masterton, Thursday. At the Supreme Court a. case was brought by \\ illiam lly. Jackson, headmaster of the .Masterton District High f School, claiming from the Wairarapa - Daily News £lii)(l damages, for alleged libel. Three distinct actions were ; brought, firstly that defendant falsely . and maliciously published an anonymous- • letter stating plaintiff to be ineligible to i be a member of the Trust Lands, heinj; • personally and financially interested; i secondly, that defendant maliciously and i falsely published a leading article a'ssert- ; ing that plaintiff" had no business to be i a member of the said Trust Lands, a trust position being anomalous, if not illegal, as directly interested in discussions taking place on the said Trust; thirdly, defendant made malicious reference to plaintiff in connection with the school committee, stating plaintiff had unduly influenced his own committee. The case occupied the greater part of two days. .1 be jury, after a retirement of 3% hours, returned a verdict for defendants on the first and second counts, and for plaintiff on the second count, with £25 damages. Costs were reserved. Ten days were granted, on the application of defendant's counsel, to apply for a. non-suit or new trial. In the case Augustus John Johnson, auctioneer, versus Robert Russell, a claim for £505 damages for alleged slander, a verdict was, given for defendant, with costs as per scale.