SLANDER CASE

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1933, Page 5

SLANDER CASE

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE Plaintiff’s Complaint (!'■ r Press Association). WELLINGTON. June 16. I Hiring the hearing on Thursday afternoon of tlie claim f<»r alleged slander l»y li‘i‘ginal.l Charles Boddie against James Dickson Sievwright the* pl'iintifl Boddie crmplaine i ihni he li.nl been under great mental slr<*-- during the hearing. He alleged that Mr ,\. B. Sievwright. who with M r O’Leary \\uappearing fur the defendant had been sitting behind him. passing derogatory I r< marks about him. under his breath. Judge Osth-r grunt.- the defendant an joummeiit. a<l'.i<ing plaintiff to pull himself together by next day. When the Court resumed to-day His Honer saiil. ‘‘With regard to the incident that occurred yesterday; it ihardly necessary for m.. to point out that for a barrister, -iuring hearing of a case in this Court. !<• us,. <.pprobriou s terms t«» either the opposing counsel, or the opposing party, is abuse of his privilege and is a gia\<- misdemeanour ami contempt of <'"Uit. which f could have both power ;ti.| will to punish. Mr Sievwright saw nm after tin- Court adjourned last night, in company with Mr Evans S'-oit, nnJ < <>mplained that he had i.ot addrc'-si*,[ his remarks to tin* plaintiff but t<> hi- !>‘ad> r. I must accept the explanation. but it is to be hoped such an inci.i'mi will not occur again. Counsel shou’J be able to confer so that if they are using abusive or del ogatory lei ms of the opposing counsel or party, their conversation cannot be overheard. Plaint iff cont inurd hi -. \ id« , 'ii e -

PLAINTIFF S EVIDENCE. “KEEP IT UNDER YOUR HAT.” WELLINGTON, June 16. Further evidence in rebuttal was by the plaintiff in the slander action against. Sievwright. He said the formula that was being manufactured by the Nados Company in Christchurch was different from the one he gave to the Wellington syndicate. He alleged that after he met defendant and told him something about the formula, the defendant said: “Shroud it in mystery, my boy; keep it under your hat. Don’t say anything about the formula. If you let me in for a halfshare for £5O, I will put it into a company for £4OOO. There are lots of fools in Wellington who will put the money into it. because I am in it.” The witness said he told Sievwright he hr.-d already disposed of a sixth share of the business.