A VICAR SUED

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 128, 27 November 1923, Page 8

A VICAR SUED

FOR ALLEGED LIBEL

SCHOOLMASTER SEEKS DAMAGES.

(»T MLBORAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, This Day. The Anglican vicar of Waimate North, Bay of Islands, the Rev. John William Kobmson, was sued in the Supreme Court for £500 damages for alleged libel, the plaintiff being William John May, school teacher at Waimate North. Iho- alleged libel was contained in a letter which defendant wrote to Mr. Purale, secretary of the Auckland Education Board, in the course of which he said that "May said to one of my parishioners, 'If you people do not want to see your vicar in Court you had better drop this matter altogether.' My reply hag been to publicly challenge the man to take the case to Court. I know well that he dare not. He is the most unmitigated scoundrel I have ever met, and I have met. some queer characters in my time." Plaintiff alleged that that was a false and malicious publication. The defence denied that publication was false and malicious, and further pleaded that the words were published to the secretary of the Education Board in reference to and in course of a series of complaints against plaintiff made by the School Committee and .householders to the board. Defendant believed that every, word was true when he published them, and did so with the honest desire to protect himself and the children attending the school.