SLANDER ACTION

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 141, 11 December 1935, Page 19

SLANDER ACTION

CHARGE OF CHEATING

SEQUEL TO EUCHRE , TOURNEY

(By —Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, December 10.

An accusation of cheating made at a euchre tournament conducted by a toy dog and cat club on October 23 led to a slander action in the Magistrate's Court today before Mr. F. F. Reid, S.M. The plaintiff was Mrs. E. Edwardson, 159. Bealey Avenue, and the defendant, Mrs. Lily Lister, widow, 248 Lichfield Street.

At the tournament prizes were competed for and the scores were recorded by marks punched in competitors' cards. Mrs. Edwardson alleged that Mrs. Lister had said at the tourney that she (Mrs. Edwardson) had had a pair of nippers of her own and punched her own card. She claimed £10 damages. It was also alleged that Mrs. Lister had repeated the statement on the following evening at another tournament. • . .

After hearing evidence, the Magistrate said the defendant had insisted that the plaintiff had a pair of nippers, which was denied. The defendant had accused the plaintiff of a very flagrant form of cheating and allegations of that kind must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. The defendant,- he thought, had suspected irregularity and had dashed to the secretary and told him. That might have been excusable, but she had repeated her charge,on another occasion. The defendant must not .say on mere suspicion such grave things about another person.

The Magistrate awarded damages of £3 with costs. '