HEAVY DAMAGES FOR LIBEL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1082, 22 March 1911, Page 5

HEAVY DAMAGES FOR LIBEL

JUDGMENT REVERSED ON APPEAL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrieht London, March 20. In December last damages amounting to J512.000 were awarded against Sir John Bonn for libelling the patentees of the Stud system of tramways. A stay of judgment was allowed on payment of .£SOOO into Court; 'with a view to an. appeal. The Court of Appeal has now decided in favour of Sir John Benn, on the ground that his attack was on the system and not a personal one on tho plaintiffs. Notice of appeal has been given. In the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court, before Mr. Justice Ridley, on Deceniber 1. the jury awarded damages amounting to .£12,000 against Sir John Benn, journalist, formerly Chairman of the London County Council, for libelling the patentees of the Stud Tramways. The plaintiffs contended that Sir John Benn, from political motives, had denounced their system, with which the Moderates had experimented, thereby tecuring its abandonment. Mr. Justice Bidley, in summing up, said that it had not been denied that the system as installed at Mile End had been a failure, but this was attributed to tho method of installing. Tho jury must consider whether the words impugned referred to the system installed or the whole system. He emphasised in regard to fair comment that a person should get his facts right. The jury found that the words were defamatory nnd malicious. A stay of the judgment was allowed on payment of .£SOOO into Court, with a view to an appeal.