£12,000 DAMAGES FOR LIBEL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7301, 3 December 1910, Page 5

£12,000 DAMAGES FOR LIBEL

LONDON COUNTY CHAIRMAN AND TEAMWAY PATENTEES.

I y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, December .1.

Damages amounting to £12,000 were awarded against Sir John Bonn for libelling the patentees of -the Stud system of electric tramway traction. Plaintiffs contended .that , Sir . John Bonn, from political motives, denounced their system, which the Moderates in the London County Council (of which he is chairman) hadexperimented with, thereby securing its abandonment. Mr Justice Kidley, in summing up.tho case, said it was not denied that , the system as installed at Mile Elnd was a failure, but this was attributed to the method Of installing it. The jury must consider whether the words impugned referred to the system as installed, or to the whole system. He emphasised the point, regarding fair comment, that a person should get hisi facts tight." The jury found that the words were defamatory and malicious; and that tho words were statements of fact, not of opinions. A stay of judgment was allowed on payment of AoOOO into court with a view to an appeal. .'.