PROFESSOR AND NEWSPAPER.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 November 1919, Page 8

PROFESSOR AND NEWSPAPER.

CASE OP ALLEGED LIBEL. THE CLAIM UPSET. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. An application for a writ and a statement of claim in the case of George von Zeidlitz, plaintiff,'"and the New Zealand Times Company, defendant, to be set aside, was heard by Mr Justice Hosking at the Supreme Court. In giving judgment to-day he said:— This is a summons asking that a writ and a statement of claim be struck out, that is, set aside. The ground of application is that the statement of claim does not specify the amount claimed. The action is for libel and the plaintiff alleges he has suffered great damage from the alleged libel and claims to recover damages, without mentioning any figure. I think the statement of claim is irregular in not specifying the amount. It appears to me that the following rule applies: If a statement of claim seeks recovery of a sum of money the amount shall be stated as precisely as the nature of the rase admits. The phrase sum of money is appropriate, wheihrr the sum sought to lie recovered is debt or damages.

His Honor ordered that the statement of claim failed and should be set aside, and the plaintiff to have leave to file, within seven days, an amended statement of claim specifying the amount of damages sought to be recovered.