CANDIDATES AT LAW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 September 1938, Page 6

CANDIDATES AT LAW

LIBEL ALLEGED & DENIED. HEARING IN CHRISTCHURCH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Two candidates for the Christchurch North seat at the coming election were opposing parties in an action for' alleged libel heard before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court today. Robert Mafeking MacFarlane, Mayor of Christchurch, Labour candidate for the seat, claimed £lOO damages from Berthold Ahlfeld, Independent candidate for the same electorate, for alleged malicious libel. Mr K. G. Archer represented MacFarlane, and Ahlfeld conducted his own case. MacFarlane, in his statement of claim, said that on or about August 3 last Ahlfeld falsely and maliciously wrote and published of MacFarlane, as Mayor of Christchurch, to James Lawrence Hay, company manager, a circular which meant that plaintiff was not a fit person to hold the position of Mayor of Christchurch or any public position, or to represent the Labour Party as a candidate, that his character and conduct were such as to involve and damage the prestige of a party with which he was associated, that the Prime Minister of New Zealand was in agreement with defendant, that plaintiff was not a fit person to hold any public office, and that plaintiff was lacking in those elementary qualities of honesty and ability which were expected of a decent citizen. Ahlfeld admitted the publication, but repudiated all allegations that it was libellous. Evidence of receiving the circular from Ahlfeld in a city tearooms was given, who said Ahlfeld told him the agent, who said Ahlfeld told him the circular would “get” MacFarlane. Stacey described Ahlfeld’s attitude to MacFarlane as venomous. (Proceeding).