LONDON NEWSPAPER SUED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22403, 27 April 1936, Page 11

LONDON NEWSPAPER SUED

ABYSSINIAN WAR ECHO IRISH PEER'S STATEMENT LONDON, April 23 How the headline in the Morning Post, " Italy Climbs Down," led to a libel action was told in the Law Courts to-dav. The headline appeared on May 25, 1935, shortly before the ItaloAbyssinian war, when it was reported that Signor Mussolini had agreed to arbitration. Lord Kilmaine, an Irish representative peer, expressing the opinion that the headline was provocative and undesirable, drew attention to the matter in the House of Lords, declaring that it was an abuse of freedom of the press, and, at such a time of national crisis, necessitated a press censorship. The Morning Post, in an editorial article, alleged that Lord Kilmaine was only an unwitting tool of others who needed a not too sophisticated agent to further their ends. Lord Kilmaine, who interpreted this to mean that he was stupid and ignorant and unfitted to participate in public affairs, sued the Morning Post printers and editor for defamation.

Defendants pleaded fair comment on an occasion that was privileged. Counsel argued that Lord Kilmaine's speech was a gratuitous and offensive attack which the editor was entitled to resent. Lord Kilmaino denied that he acted at suggestions of others. The jury awarded Lord Kilmaine £2OOO damages.