A WELLINGTON LIBEL ACTION.

Evening Star, Issue 7428, 25 January 1888, Page 4

A WELLINGTON LIBEL ACTION.

.. » Theproprietors of the ' Evening Post' were the defendants in an action for libel which was heard in the Supremo Court at Wellington yesterday. Plaintiff (John Martin, lato licensee of the City Hotel) sought to recover LI,OOO damages for injury alleged to have been sustained in const qucncc of the publication of an article in the 'Post' of the Bth November la3t with reference- to the death of the wife of the plaintiff, who committed suicide in November last. Plaintiff alleged that the article imputed to him that he was a man devoid of ordinary humanity ; that plaintiff was an lnbitual drunkard ; that plaintiff was not a proper person to hold a publican's license; that he wa3 callous, besotted with drink, of drunken habits, devoid of humanity, and an unfit person to be a licensed publican ; that the publication was false and malicious, and defamatory of plaintiff; that, in consequence, plaintiff's interest in the City Hotel was depreciated, and the plaintiff otherwise injured in his business. Defendants admitted the publication, but denied that the words of the article had any other or further meaning than the ordinary and natural meaning of such words, or that plaintiff had sustained any special damage. The proceedings in connection with the inquest were then set out, and it was pleaded that the matter was one of public interest; that the article was fair and holiest comment upon the proceedings; and that it Wiia published without defamatory intent. jje/endimts further pleaded that the article was am? •« t™e i» substance, and in fact according to the **w *»'« , na i tlirill meaning of the words used ; an.'! l ™ * report of the proceedings at the imjuesi ?. publication thereof was made fairly and bona fide for the public good, without any sinister or malicious motive, and in the bona fide belief of the truth thereof and of every part thereof. After an hour's consideration, the special jury gave a verdict for defendants, with co-its on the highest scale.