DAMAGES AWARDED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 141, 16 May 1929, Page 6

DAMAGES AWARDED.

TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS. Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, May 15. In the Supreme Court to-day before His Honour, Mr Justice Smith and a jury, the hearing was continued of the case in which the Southland iarmers Cash Supply Service, sued Ronald Sim, farmer of Otaliuti, for £2OOO damages for loss of business allegedly due to a remark by defendant at a meeting of the provincial executive of the I armers’ Union that “the whole organisation was a swindle.” His Honour placed six questions before tile jury as follow; (1) Did defendant use the .words complained of iii the claim or words to the same effect? —No. (2) Did defendant use the words set out in paragraph 4 of the statement of defence or words to the same effeet (3) If defendant used such words either in the statement of claim or in the statement of defence, are the said words defamatory of plaintiff in respect of its trade or business? \es. (4) Did defendant authorise a repetition of the said words or intend that the said should be published in the newspapers?—No. (5) Did defendant authorise a repetition of the Faid words or intend that Ihe said words should be repeated to other parties by other members of the executive present when they were used?—No. . (6) What damages is plaintiff entitled to? —£25. Mr Macalister, counsel for defendant, gave notice of motion for judgment. for defendant on the ground of privilege.