LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 655, 4 November 1909, Page 9

LAW REPORTS.

COURT OF APPEAL. THE CHRISTCH4HCr| LIBEL ACTIPN- * * NEW TRIAL REFUSED Tho Court of Appeal gavo judgment yostorday in tho case of jphn versus 1 homos Walter Str necr The Bench comprised their Honours Justices Williams (Acting Ohief Jus tico), Donnislon, Edwards, Copper, end Chap man ( i ' Iho appeal was argued a vyeelc ago Appel lant (wftt) Til's ropre ented bj Mr \ Sunn) sought a new trial ot tho "Truth" libel actioni in whii h judgment had been gjyen a[,a.inst him, as defonrtnnt, for .82000 damages Plaintiff (for whom Mr bkerrett, KO, ■nith him Mr A T Wright, apponrrd) had ffllcged. that ail article publisl)e4 °,n A|arch 14, 1808, meant that ho had been p.irty or privy to the payment of -CK)O f6r the purpoio of sup'prpssing the nroso cution of Prancis Ilpnry Bruges, ?olipitor, and of defeating the ends of justice, Appellant Ead mado apphcstinp in Clinstchurch tv\o months ngo to iir Jugfice Ijenniston for a retrial, but tno moiio|i Tsas dismissed An appeal from this decision v> ps then brought The President of tho Couit, in giving judg ment. stated that couusel for tho appollant had relied on thta* grounds in support of the mo tion for trial—(l) That there had been unfair anu improper practices by counsel at the trial, (2) that thero had been misdirection and nbn dire tion bv tho Judge who pre ided at tho trial, and (3) that the damages were excessive Defendant, said his Honour, complained that plaintiff's counsel, in his address to tho jury, had niado a general attack, unjustified by tnP ( evidence, on ijefondant and his newspaper '•-'Plaintiffs counsel was stated to Jnve said, (n ter alu "What was tho reason for tho pust once of such a paper? lli> would ask the jurj, vvis there in tho paper inj high mission, any pursuit ot respectable ldealt? Was there anv thing but sordid money grubbing and wicked ness within it' Lot this sort of paper in and as s'liro as I stand heio jon will have a different state of things You will have a degraded prosb and a degraded moral tone and you mil have an unclean community" Defendant had pleaded that tho article was a fair and bom fide. cam,raent on matter oi p\ibl\o interest, and. T|V«s puplished by dpfendan.t as a pubhp jOurna.h'St, bona fid? and without malice, and for the benefjl of the pnbho, and not othernjse Defendanf; ma.do no pbjeefyon at tho trial to tho remarks, of plaintiff's counsel, whos,o address amounted 1 tq nqthing more pomment and criticism His caso wag that the article was grossly defamatqfj yas. enMled to pijf tq jury that n_ newspaper lyfyoh, publithed m\ prticlo of the kind had no respectable ideals and CTW-MiP? nfl P.ftW npn fflr }{ ? e.si 9 tence ,: : -:> t ! I ,#fift?'»«' ; '-*9W?!'-''(sli!>'iHph-. mmm kg. hjmre ' V.M.a,t'it 'ft'g paper | roQmtwilput; - ekhp^iapri' Tfie ■■^ : '.^«i^vi^w?^^'-^'^-j*»>''^ f « * h ° ■■? T H-*t 91,. \t "in.fgh|;K'Epssrblo •.■.'il'iiwte W Wearing "tfi,H,.. Ip any .-^<^Wi^;^!l^ , B3lS?■N!!i■f(tW rts''tWp■li!^y.vy^th- ■ 'flwlf»P(r|& ■v' 'fityfrmtf'^M- SWffiWj , ;!?! tliav?(iv|ie3s. to the ' // ur K::ll?ft"Efi^.S^'lfiWfcPßsU-'fey• li^SF 6 WMM. iMißJlier'iwbVirtjire :/; 4;% ; defeManf'ask , th^a fi s 'Mil: -■- ■•■•■ «i¥ ;^T^Hp#'v Mra- - P, Ja -iPP J^(?J>ffl« ' : 'ste.juage'mr«« e H' the jury ■'■.■■:that;;'Up"(jß'%i\fin3"' , pfjtJe''Mtwle' a§' a" whole, : : i ft ?. W?t pi' ; <nflV: tl)cro :;.pub ( lic an.imputation'or upon tho ~;.-,conjmqt:of .'the plaintiJT; (2) that the jury were ,; : . not Properly: directeiV. r as tp rßiricommcniti ind : (8) I'latithe" jury ;vyere''npt::prop(!rly..'direct«i I ..;■■ ,-.js :\ ktW-dflftuif ipn ;t,f, a ]|bel,, Mei '£$$# held .of ; he::.direotiftn'.: a s;:to the I :, \ ">!#™o P. ' W *$WM :-Pl -that, the Jury, upre . ■.to:diasider:.v:hether.the'tead?ncy of ftVarticle > .wasUo.. : ddame,the;;nlalnti(f,-aiid 'tfialit'oonld S.'-'ioMT^^'wWy"h'aYe'^eenVmiHcKifcKxl'bj the I V'3!'Wmi.'ffly;?ther l : tha,t ' ; -*t ? '■*}*& ' ■, d}re;otc.d-;:'as t() ~ *neAdfifmiM.,i6{>fUi>rwTOnje , ni\MuJd J noi' be £u< r :-;. "is^^ fifd^Xiftaft■ therf J%H' be fair ; : ~com.nl«n.t/^hefe,must'h e a "fabt on yjWhioltfthe'. comment';'iHf^-.:fpiin<le'd, J "There 'vya3 .-..'.ceWajbe drawn'.that .'Mi'.- Stringer :'was con ; ■'■ the:inf pnnftf ion :.;inuch l to,taj»t.{(e;had:b.e«.n:gnilty c| improper , :™*<h>%m %irtlW 3 nal - .: Np;jndge ( ,o<>!i!d iav;, tlitit; attaek on lit :, :StringpK'"-«;a? > .warranted-,-" by'-- 'thp r >iaots.'': Not : ■...wtejthjere'anyjreasoa '•;to' thp }uvj •i v q>%?j,4jt':properly..'direpted, ; as t'q ■ the ' .jlof; fa-ilibel.';-- The:learned dis V. -rM vregard^tq'.^lva^cpropfeint-.that %mage 3 the';pr f 4ideiit qf.thb Cfllirt'/con .;. itinuing hia'.judgment; , ionia.rk'ei 't(iat'.th r e'plain :■::«?. vpsj^^arewtsvsptl: :solioijp,r,.;:apd \>aa .-', Crown, Prosep^tor^fpr'the, prbyincjal'dietnct. C' : ; the-charges' fquwl'-by■ the' ; ■'■."•;3.'?- r Jil^* aV «,' brts: svxere:tni(e;-'plajiitifl' ■■'S?SW?i'^-'-» nl ifeKtPWmPte: dismissed . ■ ii-prn,his. office,• but'would • havb (been liabfe to : /';be;:ubiict:qfl' the, rolls. : : of_the:Cpurt'- ksi bw-V-:mters;and 'hsive'ib'eoh ■ ..-V; "» n ?£- Pi^iw*ll^ ; '•; wquld:; never -his "h?a(rlanibng :•'.'• :S^ n^''mc . n t, ! -'NOT., , only.'wds^thjs-charge-made, ; I ?i',4F ;^wa ? vTOadqMiii^a/^vvayivjhipn; ■'^l°.!»>?-'WritCT:,pf.:,th> ; .'artq>e; : wa.s Intended" to■ ;. ; ■^•%'; i ™olting;vas:pq^iblp < i'a(i().-fhq?'writer' ; in,4u!t.-tp aoju'rjr.' -'■ '•:N,9.;';apology.-{was ever-,tenoereß!:.- .The "'aTtipta .■i'.•/^ B PfWJ^.■iß^ft■■■ttßw?papβ.^.•^)OToul|rting::■•^hroii^h■-:. ~ out,|.;the.: vvpuld'-'be' read Vaf a ':fortHn.aitely,,to- only :too. ready.Ctq. believe the ; was -said 'of ■- any, "The 'jury ;:■: w4uWrpr^erly:^Ek>-■into'' C qn4i«rat|on-?he ..whole, of-jthtj-cii-cumstancee, dnil the :fact,-tha| : i.8".11r/;Sitrfflger's -.■:_ ■..■ooMUct, : to-'!give , -;'th(» shadow -of an cxoaso.fpr' '",' ; what; ; wastlnothing:else.than : a cruel aad = wah-■:V-'tdn^attapk:'upoh::liim.:-' ';^v; : ""'i.i.iV^'"-'■'•-"'■ <*■■ ■li^l^;^B^l*quW : be'4iaral^ed > kith'wsts on ■■. *te. fI!SfI?S;SS?)Sv-<t?.' frpm :a-;dista-nc.e.., ' ; ."' "' ' ■: ■ leavey-on' ■ the v usual I i « l . rm f'v;? .appeal to. the Privy Council. :, The .-';•■' lEonClWdirected: that'the naid' iu-ip Court' ■'...;. sho.tild; remain :in ;the..'hamls of "the - Cqurt' -as ,;.- : security, ; :_and:that. ecste - in bqth C.OMta'?hfluld ■:, be(paid,,subject.tp the:unaeHaking ? 6f leapbn-' . ■; uenM,; counsel,,tliat ; .cost3 -would -bo refunded ■■'■■- ' "W',®, •'ffi 0 , 1 .? 0 ?' of .'the j.Cpurt. wjeire .-reversed.'-:■ ' : :'; ! ' :^Ci%y>.o'',^'j^''-' ; '"-''-V^'jV--. :: ;-^' : ' |v^.A%CItJCT^ : \^ ; ' ;: 'i^S^^yas^also"delivered:in■ thb case : o| ' ;■ ;mmi. i«!ynjild i s"yer3'n? .'the. -Attorney; ;;,;-General, ,:;Joh>;.^^Augustus.Huttpn, "and'. Walter-, .;; ; .iiqwlcs...-'lhis, was.the appeal'of a ciyU , servant, , been made ;, ■thejsubiect,oian inqniry. -iThe pase had'flrsi -:fc !-^tf ? e\ Cqpnep. .August .'■'. w > j'.aud • it-vwaa' a^ain^argued l -on ' October-'6 ,-jr ;It'was stated;at the-hearing that appeliant Tiad'been'nrthe^Civil ~: vicq.for 2o In June last, ),e ,waa sus- , r. :: pe.rided::by, ,tho' ; ;Collector of Custoitfs;,Wellim ; ' *mW\ ■ CertaffiJ.oiatgest- of:; in.iscpm,V-were .-;PJSfe^a ■■■Amnsk -.;him, ; 4e 4he '.■:•.%»;.'».« (consiiting :of-thq re, V i|u.ttqS-;and ;:.V . i; '-:'.h"W ,r »t'- ,ata >%'- ■...hearing the^ase.torerort-their.bniripiv to the ; ;: jllness''appcUani^ai'^in- ;,:;,: a;s O ,lioitor,.to attend on, hjs behalf," I'hq b oa r ( l : "• :.S"f* ■*». ■» low..tta:;«blf4lt6» •to"hp^S, H aml ;■■-. 5? tc1 :: f?cludin?.,him,.. proceeded to hear ;avi-■;',;;aen.ca^Y.^pnprt''bf-Hie''cha'rges,''c(illihE-.'no'de.' •■t^^'WWW 8 ". 1 W^ vtepyed in'tho'Supremo , :r Connor..B'> f rit ■ of",-prohibition io.' reatram ■~ qf fte. k-ird'.frpn,;.proceeding •: : -;with j.their.report,-and,--in':the'. J alternative,' fo?, .' : groun'd,-that the . ■.■boarjliiraa.-adjudicating"on.thq-statnij,'property, -' f«V* jTiPH'aw bi an.iadiyjdual, and was bound ".'; to/escjoise..its' functibh's according to the prin-- ■• .."Pips. W;;natiiral justice, one of v the fundame.n- ; ■■ -. tai. cailoiis;:qt whioh/ lvaa that a, man"pquld not • i.bc.i'i.oiifidonincd-UulieaVd.-. 'Couhserfor'the >e-':-'spojidente contohded ,that .the Court had no ;.j; JUviMlMiott (;q,Cpntr.qV,tlie board, evon tbougb ! v; it -proceeded ■in'fv,' : :(nann6r. contrary to iiatural j .-justice;- "He'.also cohtehdod :that,': as the report iT^ ! feocliod : -'tliq''''ClP-vei"iipr, ''it'.' ■•■too . • 'latP;' fbr-.'ptohibitiqn-pr 'fcertiqrurU Mr.' Jns- ■ ".:.ticß,Coppe|-dccldQ(l ; that, as the Governor had a >:;'dis.c'TStipn as. tb :whether the' officer "should;be i/'^disni.ißs6di'V'pwgn'--;-t^ojigh',;,foii(j\l--'gviHtj!.'-'by , .-.the' i opliiion'-of. tlja ' ; bp'ut'd.. : was riiot a-'de-:.;vc'.^ph■whichvftffectedv|(is.rijjjits, aiid tjio Court, ::'■ ■ tliofefore)' had norcoutrol over-,the, bSard;.-- .-■. :H ; 11, ? lli,;W,illiiims iifldiJlrV;H, It, O?tler .?;.. ;:fjir ; -apiel)9Jiti'.<atld' ; 'J(r,,- JJ,* ; Myers ?-',-:(Ci'oi'/h'. : solicitpii's:fpr j ..respqndcn j tsy:' ■%i,':.-'.i>:--\,:: .■■i;>.:The : :jH(}sn\pnt ; p,f,^l)j|-:Cquvt ; i-fiitr.'Jusiieo .Chapmaii.. 'His.Hq'fiour said;; that .;■';;,'the "report;".pt , '•the'..bbard,had'',been forwarded,■ ■v'jaisnarit: to - the;', regulntions.:..and:- the -Btatute,.

to: the Gpyprnor-in-Qouncil, and thq Court | could not; say' i\np it' "had • np't■ reached its ■destination; ,If this.,wer6 so, the report was hoyqnd.' reaph' of piqpess'by.' c.ortierari. Neither the Qqyernpr '. npr . fhe.' ! could be reached- by', judicial''process. Pro- , hih.ition.:could;not roach, tho judicial body 'Who's? conduct, was impeached, becauso that bogy had became absolutely funct.ionloss when ,13 .with ', -th'q" "report.. ".Thb .proper ■:.: pohclu.'ipn' from, , ts os e '■' consider*;, tions, ,: 'tho judgment, went on, "is that -i statutory body, 'the report or 'presentment of which leads ,to 1 executive ,ictio.>.on thq part pf/thp.'.tiofernorrinT.Cflundil, mayn,. I ',^.trihunul whpsq/'p'roceedings. are' capable or, being restraineq lyhen. fcuud to .bq in excess , 'of its jurisdiction upon an application niadp while iris seized of thq raattpr, but in this case the stago has been rcaohed ' when they aro no longer p'xaminable by this process.' It does not follow from this that tho, plaintiff is without redress. The record or re[/ort of.such a bodr F\"ade ■;without jurisdiction cannot bind ■ the plaintiff. It; is, , so far as ho is concerned, a nullity,•■' and it /cannot be .ised to justify plaintiff's. dismissal, "" Such may be shown to be wrongful in an "ordinary 1 - , action for damagos. The judgment appealed from will-bo' affirmed, costs on the lqwest : / r .'■■.'■; ,- ; ,: r :, \-.':" :: ■ .-"'.. ; •"•'■' ■-■''' ■ HQTEI, UJ'WQ'? Mik rij SULK,QUITE ..v.'U ':■. ■ [," v ■'.-,:■ ; ..'■ ,-■/- '. ■/ .Tliq'jriglit,pf a publicijn tqse|l beer in ,bulk. waV'dec'idecl by" the'Gburt of Appeal yesterday. \ : cln a -test case, argued a month' ago, Franpis M'Parland, ' Jjcensep.;-' of IJotfl .Cecil, made 'an "application, t'q 'thb'Sijp.reme Court.. \yhioli was heard by' Mr.' , Justice Chapman, for. an ijifejfpretatiqn of the BeejDnty ApV Proceedings' were in the form of an originating summons'.'under-• thp Declaratory Ju^gmenta I Act, r ip. plalined thijt, 'undev.-his publican's, licensed'-lie had '• the- right, upon BurphaEing .'beef; in casks from a', brewer, to dravi'oYf'Som'e' of'it, and sell it. in quantities' of gallons wjtbou£/any duty 'stanJß'.'beiqß'affl??^'* 1 -'■'."■'" . ' '^■•'"•'...■'■■'■. .'The Judge upheld plaintiff's consentioh,\ deoiding that: 'The only duty payable'.is one' ,-duty payable by 'the brewer (Section 14), who js • the'only person to, whom tho collector call sell■ sjnty..stamps (Section 15). The brewer jilone jsi commanded to affix the'stamp to the plug or'stopper of the cask (Section 16). It is not: easy..f.o,:spggest.h9>>-..the Jjublican,. cajl comply -with , the. prescribed duty... It is- argued, however, that he can sell the lot which ho h.aa hq.u.gh.t, but that ho cannot divide it in tho m.annei roprpsonted,, I do not think tbqt he is prohibited from domp so by si ec ' : J o f l m It is jiot ccirept to saj that he is selling in bijlk That expression 's a »elfi(iyo term describing a condition [)enendenp pa the ante cedept cpnptyipn Pi «'P thing pqlu vfhen a nnn has s> "sf Pf ecr nnd soils )t by divid ing 1$ into smaller jots, ho is no longer eelhrnj in bulk, buf in detail In more gereral termu, I tfrnk the "hole etatute niay be'iefprred to as 1 revenue Act and not a rep le*Ue Art purpose is tq ensure tho epilation c? duty once, and only once, »n<l tp ensure tho collec t)on of that duty frpm bfoneis only It was npf )ntended fo impose a restnehyo opligatipn pn publicans pevond those 11 ro«ed bi j the Incensing Act, ISO? M ' Mr nfysrs appeared for the npppl|ant, fhe ifmistPr for Customs, ijnt) Mi Skcireft, KO, \vi(h hirp. Mr Sharpi fpr tho respqndeqt hotel keeper The Apfipg ChioWu<-f)oe agreed uj{h f! e de pis)oij gjTon in fhe Spnremo Cqurt The Deer Dufy Act, lis Jlonpiir Saul, \vas mainly n )PTOBfle Act Unlps3 tho ijpr(|s qf Sectiqn )f \/prp absolutely clear, thej ought pot (o 1,8 pqnstrued fo extend tp bales o; beef upon lyhiph the di)tj hid bopn P- 1( l( by poisons jiatt paid fpr a Jicenso n]))oh authorised flicm lp se|l beer in ani way and m fli)j ahd wha had nothing tp. do «ifh tho manu factuje of beer oi (He payment pf tho dutj pn if In. his Honour's opimpn fhe vqvds "b'flr in Itolk ip Spctipn 17, SubsEotiQn ] could only mean beej in Jag original coming fipm the bi«.ven, to Secfion J6, l); \>?s tljo duty of tip brei\pi tp affix stamps There i\ns nq dutj impfjsod one fq stamps, excenl to original and, in deed, pa qno coiih] get sjyjips affix, Ob thoi veto onh isfflprt }o f| e preset I Honour did not think a lefercnco to previous legislation helped tho matter Tho appeal I mn<.t bo d'smi""d , Their Ilonouis Juitices Denniston and Ed I wards tp a?rcement, nprt posts ireie al lqnetl pn tho midijle scaje I