ALLEGED LIBEL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 153, 10 April 1930, Page 6

ALLEGED LIBEL

NEWSPAPER SUED.

TAXI-DRIVER CLAIMS DAMACES.

SEQUEL TO BY-LAW CASE,

(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. A claim for £2OO damages for alleged libel, made by George William Goodge, a taxi-driver, against the "Sun" newspaper, was heard by Mr H A. Young. S.M,, this morning. The case arose out of a report oi a hv-law prosecution in which Goodge was fined 5s for being asleep m a The statement complained of was, "Tired taxi-drivers are evidently one of the products of the competition among taxis in Christchurch at present. George Goodge may not have been out 'on the booze' on November 18, but he certainly was asleep in his cab on the railway station stand, so Mr M. D. Mosley, S.M., fined him 5s and costs for the offence." . Mr Molonev (counsel for plaintiff) said that defendant had already paid £SO into Court. He submitted that the full amount should be awarded, as plaintiff had suffered considerably from publication of a statement, which was unwarranted, and was due to a de,'sire for sensationalism. His client was temperate in his habits and the question of liquor had never been mentioned in the original case. The case is proceeding.