WAS IT LIBEL?

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 25, 6 March 1914, Page 10

WAS IT LIBEL?

NEWSPAPERS AT VARIANCE. Press Association. < WELLINGTON, March 6. The hearing of the action in which the "New Zealand Times" claims from the "Dominion" the sum of £3OOO for alleged libel commenced to-day, before Mr .Justice Hosking and a jury of 12 in the Supreme Court. Sir John Findlay r K.C., opening for the plaintiffs, alleged that after the '' Dominion'' had first of all stated that the Federation of Labour stood for everything that was criminal, it had then alleged that the "Times" was an ally of the federation, and that the paper supported its policy. -Such attacks had, counsel contended, injured the plaintiffs' business. ' Counsel for defendants raised nonsuit points, the chief of whiQh was that the attack was on articles appearing iix the "Times," and not" on any member of the staff or on the business of the paper.

The judge reserved the matter to be dealt with later.