CLAIM FOR £500

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 110, 5 November 1935, Page 10

CLAIM FOR £500

AN EDITOR SUED

ARTICLE IN A JOURNAL

fßy Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, This Day.

Based on an article published ia "Why?" a journal devoted to advocacy of the Douglas Social Credit plan, William McLaren, ex-president of the Auckland Waterside Workers* Union, claimed from Albert Edward Robinson, editor of the journal, £500, for alleged defamation of character, before Mr. Justice Callan and a jury, in the Supreme Court.

Mr. Haig and Mr. Henry appear for the plaintiff, and Mr. Goulding and Mr. Secton for the defendant.

Mr. Haig said the claim arose out of an article headed: "Who should be Mayor of Auckland? Is the Labour Party running a stumer?" At the time of publication McLaren was president of the union and prominent in the activities of the Labour Party. In July of last year, continued counsel, there was a Free Speech Council and six men were arrested in Beresford Street. A question of bail arose and McLaren was asked to go to the office of Mr. Ernest Davis, where he was handed £300 for bail. After the Court proceedings the money was returned.

Mr. Haig said the implication contained in the article was that the" "Labour leaders, in selecting Mr. Sayegh as Labour candidate for the Mayoralty lit the last election, did so in the beliel that he would not be elected, and actually their desire was that Mr. Davis should be elected because they considered he would be friendly to the Labour Party.

The case is proceeding.