£200 CLAIM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 117, 21 May 1925, Page 6

£200 CLAIM

FOR ALLEGED SLANDER

SUPREME COURT ACTION.

Claims of £40 each in respect to five cases in which he considered he had been slandered were made in the Supreme Court this morning by Bito A. Morton against A. Beal Pritclictt (N.Z.), Ltd., and Charles Walker Laird.. Mr. Justice Ostler was on the Bench. Mr. R. R. Kennedy represented plaintiff, and Mr. 0. C. Mazengarb appeared for both defendants. :

The papers filed in the case showed that plaintiff was an electrical engineer at Eastbourne, while the company carried on business as dealers in electrical goods, and Laird was a salesman for them. The allegation was that on about 7th March, Laird, acting on his own behalf, and as agent for the company, falsely and maliciously published of plaintiff a statement to this effect : "Morton is out of it now. He received his notice this morning. He was working for us for wages. You are not to let Morton in, or pay him any money." It .-was submitted that the five statements on these lines reflected on plaintiff as a tradesman, suggested that he was financially embarrassed, that he-was not an independent tradesman, that as a servant he had been guilty of conduct justifying dismissal, that he was an improper person to employ, and might be expected to attempt to obtain moneys to which 'he was not entitled.

Mr. Kennedy, in opening, said Morton's own men had been told that Morton was done, and that the men could work for a Mr. M'Cartnoy, who had been chosen by the company. Laird said the company would be responsiblefor the wages.

The defence was a denial of the use of the words, and a submission that even if the wordi were used they were not defamatory or actionable. The company denied that Laird had any authority to make statements on their behalf.

The case was heard by a jury of four, of which Mr. C. T. Bell was' foreman.

THE EVIDENCE.

Alan Donald M'Donald said Laird had come to the shop to take over the gear. He said who he was, ar.d that Morton had not been square. Beal Pritchetts were sending over a new contractor, and Laird advised the men to Icok after themselves: Laird said Morton had used Power Board work material on private houses. Morton came in after this, and witness asked him the jxisHiun and the prospects of wages. -Morion .said they were to continue on their worlc, and the wages were all right. (Proceeding.)