ALLEGED LIBEL.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1922, Page 4

ALLEGED LIBEL.

P. AND T. AND LABOR. MEETING ENDS ABRUPTLY. CHARGES OF DISLOYALTY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Napier, August 24. Before Sir Robert Stout, at the Supreme Court, Helmore Henry Brown, assistantsecretary and organiser of the Post and Telegraph Association, sought to recover £5Ol damages frm the Herald for alleged libel. The Herald published a report of a meeting at tea-rooms of lady members, which. Brown addressed, and which terminated abruptly by the proprietress stopping the speaker, alleging that what was being said was unloyal. Brown, in evidence, said he was bringing under the notice of lady members tho anomalous position of members of the P. and T. Service, when the proprietress came in and said he would have to discontinue the meeting, as f T was most disloyal.” The meeting terminated, those present going to another hall. Labor and Socialism were discussed at great length, and plaintiff denied that the Alliance of Labor was a political body. His Honour said the Alliance was political. It dealt with the government of the country, and he could not see what its object was except to get greater political power.

Witness stated that in the Alli an ce there might be a general strike, but support might be financial or moral. His Honour: Not a word is said about industrial arbitration and conciliation. You are going behind the law, and if that is not disloyalty I don’t know what disloyalty’ is.

Witness denied having used the words, “Join up with the Alliance of Labor, and make it so strong that the Government will have to give us what we want.” He never cast a slur on His Majesty. No reference to Auolence or the use of any but constitutional methods was made at the meeting. The jury found for defendants.