CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH— COPYRIGHT.]

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 68, 21 March 1906, Page 7

CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH — COPYRIGHT.]

ACTION AGAINST A FEDERAL MINISTER. * — . ALLEGED SLANDER. £5000 DAMAGES CLAIMED. N SIR WILLIAM LYKE'S EVIDENCE. [PHESS ASSOCIATION.] SYDNEY, 20th March. The hearing was continued,' to-day of the case in which W. and A. M'Aifhur and Co. claim £5000 damages from Sir William Lyne, Federal Minister of Customs, who, it is aUeged, nsked in the refreshment-room of the Federal Parliamentary Buildings, within the hearing of a number of persons: "What do you think of M'Millan's firm, and David Storey's firm buying hats from Anderson and compelling him to mark them inside 'Made im England'?" Mr. J. F. M' Arthur and Sir William M'Millan, directors of the plaintiff company, and! some of the company's employees, gave evidence. They positively denied that the words "Made in England" were placed in locally-manufac-tured hats. Sir William M'Millan admitted that he and Sir William Lyne were political antagonists, but said there was nothing of that in this matter. Counsel for defendant asked for a, nonsuit on the ground that the occasion of the tittering of the" alleged slander was privileged. The application was refused. Counsel then stated that the defence was a denial that defendant had uttered the words complained of, and that other Avords were used. Sir William Lyne gave evidence that , on two occasions he visited Anderson's hat factory, and saw the process of manufacture. There was nothing in the hats to indicate wljere they were made. Anderson's managing director told him something. The alleged slander was uttered during conversation with Senator Pulsford at the time of the introduction of the Commerce Bill, which Senator Pulsford viciously opposed. Sir William Lyne>'s version of the conversation was that Senator Pulslord claimed that sufficient indication was already given as to where the goods were made, without the Bill. Sir William Lyn.e replied : "Even M' Arthur and Co. are the principal purchasers of hats from Anderson, and there is nothing to indicate that they are made in Australia. A purchaser might go and buy hats I have seen and believe they were made in " At this point Senator Pulsford interjected, "In. England," and Sir William Lyne added, "Yes, or in Germany." Defendant said he was distinctly clear that this was what actually occurred. He denied using the words attributed to him by Senator Pulsford. He made no imputation, and intended none, against M'Arthur and Co.'s honesty. The remark was made in a semi-serious fashion. Mr. Alfred 1 Deakin (Federal Premier) gave evidence that he was present at the conversation. Senator Pulsford showed great heat. He heard no such statement by defendant as that imputed to him by plaintiffs. Senator Playford (Federal Minister of Defence) was examined. He said that though he was present at the conversation he had no recollection of it.