LIBEL ACTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 141, 16 June 1893, Page 4

LIBEL ACTION.

CAD UAH V. REBS.

PROCEEDINGS AT NAPIER

(r,Y lELEGBAPH. —rKESS ASSOCIATION,)

Napihr, this day. The Cadman-Reea libol action opened toI day before the Chief Justice and a special jury of twelve, the damages claimed beinj; £1,000. Sic Robert Stout and Mr Sainsbury appeared for tbo plaintiff. Mr Rees conducted his own case, Mr Theo. Goopar, of Auckland, boing unablo to c6me. Ti;o '.;bcl was contained in a mem:)' rand urn sent by (he defendant to the late Premier, alle^iner that Mr Cftdman, while Nativo Minister, was trafficking in native lands with J-lr W. C. Smith, they being the owners nf tiio Umu-a-taroa block, near Dnnevi^e, 'while land was wanted for settlement, and was unprocurable. Further, thab tkeir infiiienco- procured the appointment of Sir Ttoso, of Danovirke, ass valuator, and be undervalued their Ian:! Ly some thousands, and was now their a£"i">t for its pale. Mr Ro.?c had valued the land at 24a 6d pur acre, while other land further away from the township and nob so valuable was believed by Mr Reos to have beeu valued at £8 per aero. Further, flint during tho time Mr Gadnian was Native Minister he had fcinvirtoH all efforts of the defendant and others pledged to the Govornmeut regarding tho introduction of remedial legisI lation in connection wiiU native affaire. | Witnesses wero called by the plaintiff to j show what they thought was the meaning, of the paragraphs in memorandum. Tho impression in their minds was thab iMr Cadman and Mr Smith had ufscl their influencein the pawsageof Tahoraite Validation Act, to secure thoir title to the Umu-a-ta-roa block from the natives ; further, that they abused their positions for the purpose of acquiring wealth through trafficking in native lands, and that they had used their influence to uecure Mr Rose as valuator, and r,ith Mr Rose thoy conspired to undervalue their block, and to defraud the land tax department. MR REES' DEFENCE. H. A. Banner, commission agent, and C. B Hoadley, auctioneer, wsre tho only witnesses called, and then Mr Raoa commenced his defence, his opening address to the jury beine somewhat lengtny. He is setting out tho wholo history of tho Numatoroa Block, and Cadman a and Smith's connection with it. He was still gpeakingab two p.m.