LIBEL CASES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1843, 22 January 1889, Page 3

LIBEL CASES.

Chbistohuech, Jan. 21. The Supreme Court to-day is occupied with the libel action brought by J. E. Eosewatne, claiming £SOO damages from ten other butcher* on account of the abatement* in an advertisement in tbe Lyttelton Time*, which were that they were not selling froaen mutton saved from the Belfast fire which Eosewarne had purchased, and described the meat as unattractive and filthy. It appear* that the butchers agreed to publish a disclaimer that they bad any of the meat, leaving the precise wording to Aherne, a reporter, who framed two sensationally worded advertisements. The defence is (1) that the advertisements wore not what the butchers intended, and (2) that the statements therein were true. Wbuihgton, Jan. 21. In the Supreme Court the libel action Larnaoh v. Proprietors New Zealand Herald, damages £3OOO, commenced this morning. Plaintiff says that on tbe 17th of July, 1888, defendants falsely and maliciously published articles commenting on the departure of the plaintiff from the colony when Parliament was in session to enter into business in Melbourne, having first asked leave of absence on the plea of illness in bis family and continuing to draw his honorarium, wherefor he claims £3OOO damage*. The defendant* admit the publication but deny malice, and say that the subject matter of the alleged libels became and was matter of public interest, and thereupon they published the comments set out in the plaintiff’s statements bona fide for the public good and without sinister or malicious motive. They also deny that the said publications are libellous. Sir B. Stout, instructed by Messrs Buckley and Stafford, appears for plaintiff, and Mr Gully, with him Mr Skerrett, for tbe defendants.