Seddon-Taylor Slander Case.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7986, 20 December 1904, Page 5

Seddon-Taylor Slander Case.

(Per Preß* Association) < (Continued from Page 7).

CHEISTCHURCH. This day. The Seddon v. Taylor slander case was resumed this morning. Dr. Findlay put in an amendment to the statement of claim.

His Honor suggested that the allegation by Mr Laurenson should be struck out, as he knew of no case where the allegation in a spoken slander could not be put in inverted commas. The allegation of Laurenson was that Taylor had said, without reservation, that " my reference to the military court in South Africa referred to Capt. Seddon." His Honor said he did not believe that Taylor had said these words.

Dr Findlay said that that was once English law, but now it was sufficient if the words proved were equivalent to 4Jiose alleged. After further argument, Dr. Findlay withdrew Mr Laurenson's allegation and accepted the responsibility for doing so.

His Honor, in dealing with the question of privilege, said that if absolutely privileged words are used and referred to on a non-privileged occasion, they are thereby incorporated with the words said by a member of the House to a member of the House in the precincts of the House. If used on a public matter and honestly on a public matter and with a view to the public interests and are not maliciously used, the occasion would be privileged. That privilege was a limited privilege and could be negatived by proof that they were not used in the discharge of a public duty. His Honor was, also, of opinion that the words spoken to Spencer were spoken on a privileged occasion.

Dr. Findlay, in. view of a probable new trial, asked his Honor to rule differently.

His Honor noted this, and said these were new questions raised by the case, and he hoped counsel would have the opportunity of discussing them fully.

After a conference with the Judge the issues to be put to the jary were agreed on.

Mr Taylor commenced his addreas to the jury at 11 o'clock, and produced a raised map of the country over which the Blesskop Fpruio engagement was fought and explained the operations.