CRIMINAL DEFAMATION.

North Otago Times, 21 October 1905, Page 2

CRIMINAL DEFAMATION.

fly Telegraph. Wellington, Oct. 20, The following amendment will bo proposed by the Government in the Crim nul Code llil l ., now before Parliament: Provided that spotyn words shall nil constitute or he held !( risnsiit.ute criminal defamation sinless such woids l,c spoken at any meeting to which persons have been .nvited to be present either by litter or notice written or printed, or

advertisement in any newspaper or in any other way, or that such words lie spoken in nr upon any road, street, tootpath., or thoroughfare of a public nature, nr ope" to lie useil by the public as ol right, and to every p.ace o? a public resort so open or used, or nny public Park, Oiirdin, reserve oilier place of public recreation or resort, or any public wimrf. pier, or jetty or any public linll, theatre or loom, or any ruceeourse, cricket ground, football ground, or oilier such place to which the public have access free or on payment of any (rate money, and within the hearing of not less than twenty persons _ and provided further, that Hie information shall |,e laid nml 'taken before a stipendiary magistrate within thiwe months from the date the defamatory words were spoken, and such magistrate shall Wore be commits, v,e satisfied that a defamatory statement has been uttered.