THE LAW OF LIBEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 141, 16 June 1936, Page 6

THE LAW OF LIBEL.

The desire of the Empire Press Union that libel should be placed on the same basis as slander and the law standardised throughout the Empire is easily understood, but for some reason Parliaments have always shown reluctance to deal logically with this subject. The law in Xew Zealand, for instance, is virtually the law as it existed in England nearly one hundred years ago, with some modifications, and necessary amendments which were made in England thirty years ago have still to be made here. It is commonly imagined that an improvement in the law of libel is in the nature of a concession to the newspapers. This is a mistaken view. The only considerations are public welfare and public interest, and it is the public and not the newspapers that suffer because of an unduly restrictive law. The responsibilities of the newspapers would not be affected in the slightest by amending the law of libel .011 the lines suggested by the Empire Press Union.— "Christchurcli Star-Sun."