Director Alleges Libel By Sydney ‘Bulletin’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30368, 18 February 1964, Page 13

Director Alleges Libel By Sydney ‘Bulletin’

MELBOURNE, Feb 17. Mr Justice Shell ruled todav that a libel action against the “Bulletin” by Raymond Lawrence Borg, a former Reid Murray director, would be tried by a Supreme Court Judge sitting alone. He held that trial by a jury which was sought by Australian Consolidated Press, Ltd., Sydney proprietors of the “Bulletin.” might prejudice Borg’s case for defamation. He said that the liquidation of Reid Murray Holdings, Ltd., and the subsequent investigation of the group’s activities had received wide adverse publicity. So many people were involved in the group’s failure that on any jury

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there might be one or more persons who were directly or indirectly concerned, the Judge said There were 10,000 Victorian shareholders, 20,000 debenture holders and 155.000 others financially involved. The group consisted of 220 companies and its financial failure cost £3O million. Mr Justice Sholl upheld an appeal by Borg. He said that generally speaking it , was desirable that a libel action should be tried by a jury because the reputation of the plaintiff was at stake. Borg was a director of a number of Reid Murray companies including Paynes Properties Pty., Ltd. He claims he was libelled in an article in the “Bulletin" on August 10, headed, “Louisiana Purchasers—Over I To The Investigators.”