SEAMEN’S UNION

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1936, Page 5

SEAMEN’S UNION

LIBEL CLAIM HEARING,

[pee press association.]

WELLINGTON, July 20. In the Supreme Court to-day, Mr Justice Blair continued the hearing or an action tor libel brought by Douglas Gibson, a seaman, against Fi»lan Patrick Walsh and Felix Newfield, president and secretary respectively of the Wellington Seamen’s Union, and the New Zealand Fedetated Ceu men’s Union. The plaintiff claimed £6OO damages. The defendant, Newfield, said fie was secretary of the Wellington Seamen’s Union, and the New Zealand Federated Seamen’s Union. Mr Hay. for the defendants: Gibson has charged you with going out of the way to suggest to seamen that they should peruse the books in the union office at Wellington, where they would find what sort of a man Gibson

was. Witness: That, statement was no., true.

Mr Hay: What is your remembrance of the Waipahi incident? Witness: There was some trouble amongst the men about going to sea with Gibson, and I told the men Gibson was a financial member of the union and had as much right to go to sea with the steamer as they had. I also made a similar remark in the case of the Orepuki. .Mr Hay: Gibson has had frequent opportunities of getting jobs during the last six months? Witness: Yes, he could have got a job almost at any time. Mr Hay: Have you any animosity towards Gibson? Witness: No, and he knows it. This concluded the hearing of evidence. Counsel addressed the Court this afternoon. Speaking of damages, counsel for the defence said that in an action for wrongful expulsion begun by Gibson last year about the same time as the present case. £35 damages were awarded.

The hearing was adjourned until Saturday.