RECENT LIBEL CASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 July 1926, Page 4

RECENT LIBEL CASE.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED AT AUCKLAND AIEETING

(by TELEGRAPH PKESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, July 21. A meeting held last night caustically criticised the recent libel case in which Air. Hail Skelton figured. Strong exception was taken to the attitude of the Court- throughout, while the appointment of a special jury, after two definite fixtures before a common jury had been made, was severely commented upon. A strong committee was appointed to carry out the objects of resolutions that were carried as follows: ,

(1) That this meeting presents its sympathy to Air. and Airs. Hall Skelton and family in what , they .believe to be a grave miscarriage of justice inflicted on them in the recent libel action Hall Skelton v. Seabrcok, and pledges itself to find from a national fund to be collected all the costs in connection with that case, and later to present a- cheque from New Zealand sympathisers to mark their disapproval of what is common belief among widespread public opinion that the case in question was a travesty of justice. (2) That this meeting will represent to Parliament urgently that legislation lie introduced preventing any judge in future from granting a special jury in any libel action, such being contrary tq the spirit and principles of the law, as the jury in this case had no Liberal, no Labourite, and no Irishman thereon, and as .such it was not right that they should have been asked to judge -where a stz-ong political opponent was litigating. After the plans for conducting _a campaign were concluded, over £SO was subscribed in a- few minutes to start it off. It was announced also that- one sympathiser had already sent Mr. Hall ‘Skelton direct a cheque for 25 guineas, and others had followed suit.