LIBEL ACTION FAILS.
NO EVIDENCE OF MALICE. [BT TELEGBATH. —FBESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. A libel action arising out of incidents following an election of directors of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Distributing Co., Ltd., was heard to-day before Mr. Justice Stringer and a special jury of twelve in the Supreme Court, when Arthur Leigh Hunt, of Wellington, exgeneral manager of the Distributing Company, claimed £1500 damages from H. Beresford Maunsell, of Tenui, Wairarapa, alleging that Maunsell had made libellous statements against him. After evidence had been heard, counsel for the defence asked for a nonsuit on the ground that there was no evidence of malice. »
fits Honor- said that the allegedly defamatory statements had been made on occasions admittedly privileged. In that case the onus lay upon the plaintiff to prove that privilege '-- was abused and that there was expressed malice. The question was whether 'or * riot' there was evidence to justify the jury, were the matter left in its hands, to find malice. 'There must be substantial evidence," he added. "I must confess I cannot see any _ such evidence." iV .- _ His Honor accordingly dismissed the jury and entered a nonsuit with costs.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19201209.2.29
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17649, 9 December 1920, Page 6
Word Count
193LIBEL ACTION FAILS. New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17649, 9 December 1920, Page 6
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.
Log in