An Action for Libel.

Hastings Standard, Issue 438, 29 September 1897, Page 2

An Action for Libel.

[By Telegraph.]

(Per Press Association.)

W T Ellington, This day,

A case is being heard at the Supreme Court to-day before Judge Edwards and a jury of twelve in which Mr and Mrs Campbell, farmers, Opaki, claim £505 damages from Joseph Pay ton, proprietor of the Wairarapa Daily Times, for an alleged libel some months ago. The Campbells had a lawsuit in the District Court of Masterton and, they claim that the report of Judge Kettle's judgment as published in the Wairarapa Times was not accurate, that certain statements it contained were not made by the Judge, and that they were falsely and maliciously published by defendant in order to injure plaintiffs. The defendant published a letter from the plaintiffs with reference to this matter but added a footnote stating that the report was an accurate and impartial one. Judge Kettle being appealed to, said the report was more or less inaccurate, but the plaintiffs were not satisfied with the explanation published by the defendant. The plaintiffs alleged that the report would prejudice them in a new trial which was coming off. In his statement of defence Mr Payton said the report published by him was bona fulc and without malice for the public benefit, and in the usual course of his duty as a public journalist. The statements were published by him in the honest belief of their truth.