SYDNEY LIBEL ACTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19718, 18 August 1927, Page 9

SYDNEY LIBEL ACTION.

NEWSPAPER LOSES APPEAL. LIABILITY FOR £BOOO COSTS. (Received August 17, 11.9 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY, Aug. 17. After a protracted legal battle Mr. T. E. Rofe, a well-known property owner and financier, has won an action which he commenced several years ago against Smith's Weekly Newspaper. The action was one in which Mr. Rofe claimed £25.000 damages for an alleged libel. At the original hearing the jury found in favour of the newspaper. Mr. Rofe then appealed to the State Full Court, which dismissed his appeal. After Mr. Rofe carried the case to the Privy Council, which upheld his appeal and ordered that all costs below should ho paid by Smith's Weekly. " Subsequently a further reference to tho Privy Council was made, to determine what was meant by tho words "all costs below." The Privy Council held that this meant all the costs of the trial in the first instance, and also the costs of the appeals to the State Full Court and to the Privy Council. After negotiations the proprietors of Smith's Weekly have now agreed to make a public apology to Mr. Rofe." The. defendant will also have to pay the costs, which amount' to £BOOO.