MARRIED WOMAN’S CLAIM FOR ALLEGED LIBEL

Evening Star, Issue 26087, 29 April 1947, Page 6

MARRIED WOMAN’S CLAIM FOR ALLEGED LIBEL

(PA) PALMERSTON NORTH, April 29. Two libel claims, each for £5Ol, were brought in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North to-day against the local newspapers, the ‘ Manawatu Evening Standard ’ and the ‘ Manawatu Daily Times,’ by Irma Rosalind Hyde, a married woman, for alleged erroneous publication. The statement of claim alleged, that each paper falsely and maliciously published that on March 6, in the Supreme Court, a decree nisi had been granted to plaintiff’s husband on the grounds of plaintiff’s adultery. The defence admitted publication, but denied that it wps malicious or defamatory. The' defendants had offered to publish a public apology and explain that the report was ail innocent mistake, but the plaintiff had refused to allow them to do so. The case was, proceeding at lunch. Similar action' by the husband of the plaintiff against the Daily Times ’ ‘ yesterday resulted in the plaintiff being nonsuited. His Honour, withdrawing the' case from the jury, said that the published report contained no more than the plaintiff had asked for in his petition, and could therefore not be defamatory. The plaintiff was non-suited.