ALLEGED SLANDER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 207, 16 August 1927, Page 5

ALLEGED SLANDER

CLAIM FOR £5OO. TWO DOCTORS IN THE CASE HEARING AT DUNEDIN. (Per Press Association). Dunedin, Aug. 16. A case of alleged slander, in which doctors are the parties, is proceeding in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Sim and a jury. Dr. James Garfield Stewart, of Milton. claims £5OO from Dr. A. C. Biggs, superintendent of the South Otago Hospital, for alleged slander contained in remarks made to the board and a deputation, stating that a woman living in the neighbourhood of Milton was expected a confinement and developed mumps and that Dr. Stewart tried to get her ihtp private maternity homes at Balclutha, Milton, and Dunedin, though suffering from a highly infectious disease.

The statement set out that these allegations had been published to the injury of the plaintiff in his profession and reputation. The defence is that the words were spoken by the defendant in the discharge of his duty as superintendent of the Hospital Board and at the board’s request, without malice and in replv to the deputation’s request for information why the board had declined to reinstate the plaintiff is medical surgeon in Milton Hospital The case is proceeding.