TRIAL ON LIBEL CHARGE

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 28 July 1932, Page 7

TRIAL ON LIBEL CHARGE

REFERENCE TO POLICE OFFICER PUBLICATION OF PAMPHLET. (By Teicgraoh--Press Association.) AUCKLAND, July 28. As a sequel to the unemployed demonstration in the grounds of Parliament House on September 16, George Budd and Ernest Frederick Thompson were tried at the Supreme Court today on a charge of publishing a defamatory libel of Police Inspector Lander. The alleged libel was contained m a pamphlet entitled “War” and distributed at a meeting held in Auckland. It referred to Inspector Lander as a “liar and perjurer” when he said he was not armed while on duty during the disturbance. After detectives had given evidence counsel produced a photograph taken during the disturbances. Both detectives said they considered Inspector Lander, who could be seen in the photograph, was not armed. The man indicated by counsel was not Lander. Counsel then said it wgs cleai' a mistake had been made by accused: they had isoeii tho photograph and had believed the man carrying the baton was Lander. The trial is proceeding.