DEFAMATION CASE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29510, 11 May 1961, Page 16

DEFAMATION CASE

Judgment For Newspaper (N.Z. Press Association)

INVERCARGILL, May 10. Judgment for the Southland News Company, Ltd., in accordance with the jury’s findings was entered in the Supreme Court, Invercargill, today by Mr Justice Haslam. Cedric William Goomes had claimed £l5OO from the company for alleged defamation of character. The jury returned its decision in

favour of the company after about two hours—including the luncheon adjournment. Gnomes- (Mr N. B. French) , claimed that.,a photograph and accompanying article which appeared •Jn the “Southland Daily News” on May 21, 1960, implied that he spent too much time iri a hotel and was a drunkard. The company denied that the report was capable of such a defamatory meaning. When the jury retired at 12.5 p.m. today it was asked to consider whether the words and photograph comSlained of imputed that domes drank to excess. If their answer was “yes” they were to consider whether they were defamatory of the plaintiff. Finally, they were asked to assess the damages On the jury’s return, its foreman said that it had found that the Words and photograph did not impute that Goomes drank to excess.

Mr Justice Haslam then dismissed the jury and entered judgment for the defendant, with costs according to the highest scale.