DAIRYMAN'S LIBEL CASE.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1867, 11 March 1913, Page 5

DAIRYMAN'S LIBEL CASE.

FACTORY PAYS. (Pre** Association. —By Telegraph. New Plymouth, Last Night. A case of considerable importance to dairy factories was concluded at the Supreme Court to-day. Arthur H. Playle sued the Riverdale Cooperative Dairy Factory Company for £5Ol damages for alleged libel. Plaintiff is a share milker, and the cause of the action was the posting of his tests by the company in it general store with the crmmentary words, "added water." Plaintiff's name was not mentioned, that of the owner of the herd appearing in the test book.

The jury held that this was sufficient evidence to connect plaintiff with the notice, and returned a verdict in his favour with £35 damages. Mr Morrison, K.C., who appeared for the company, raised a non-suit point on which Mr Justice Denniston reserved his decision.

Mr M. Myers defended. The Judge, in summing up, held that it was immaterial to the alleged libel whether water had been put into the milk or not. The practice of posting tests is in vogue in many districts, and the case is thus likely to have a farreaching effect.