NEWSPAPER SUED

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1929, Page 5

NEWSPAPER SUED

DAMAGES JOB LIBEL. (Per Preßß Association.) AUCKLAND, December 10. ( Damages of £lO were awarded against the Sun Newspapers Ltd., in a libel action in the Supreme Court today. The claim arose out of the publica-. tion by the “Sun” on August 3 of ah account of a disturbance in Nelson Street, in which Thomas Leavy was fatally stabbed. The plaintiff, James Anderson Gallot, claimed £2OO. His name was mentioned with the names of other men in an article headed “Fracas during drinking bout,” and he claimed that the article was false and defamatory, and meant that he had been guilty of excessive drinking of intoxicating liquors, and that he associated with a person charged with murder. In evidence, he said he had no drink in the house mentioned on the night in question. One of the men was going to get drinks, and he supposed he would have had one if the unfortunate accident had not - happened. In giving judgment for £lO, Mr Justice Smith said that, on a fair reading of the article, it'did state that Gallot had been engaged in a drinking bout. He was presumed to be a sober man, and therefore, liis Honor said, he must find that there had been some reflection on Gallot’s character. Gallot clearly had been going to engage in drinking, but whether it would have developed into a drinking bout or not, the Court could not state.