THE LAW OF LIBEL.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 3

THE LAW OF LIBEL.

IMPORTANT RILING BY MR JUSTICE COOPER. (rim association- tet.egium.) WELLINGTON. July 0. In the Supreme Court to-i!;iy Mr Justice Coojut gave au import.iv; ruling alfectint; the. Press anl li!>ol actions. On Friday application vus made, in the case Florence. Isabella Hall v the New Zciland Times Company, a claim for £2000 lor alleged libel. Counsel for plaintiff moved for leave to put the following interrogatory: "Did defendants, before publishing the 'Sow Zealand Times' of February 12th, 1907, take any. .mid what, precautions to make enquiries ac to the truth of tho statement complained of in this case, or make any enquiries at all with respect thereto? From whom did defendants obtain the information upon which they relied in publishing the statement complained of?" In giving a lengthy judgment to-day, his Honour said: In tlie present case, the publication of tho alleged libel having been admitted, and no defence of privilege or of circumstances tantamount to privilege having been pleaded, plaintiff ought not to be permitted to administer any of the interrogatories proposed. If privilege or circumstances tantamount to a defence of privilege, had been pleaded, then, unless special circumstancos.were shown, defendants could not have been compelled to disclose by interrogatory the name of their informant. Tho summons, therefore, would be dismissed.