STRANGE CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8895, 2 December 1914, Page 7

STRANGE CASE

HALL VERSUS “WORKER” VERDICT FOR £SOO DAMAGES. By-Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 1, 8.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 1. In tie libel action, Mr Rail, Attor-ney-General, .against tie “Worker,” tie jury awarded Mr Hall £SOO damages. Stay of proceedings was granted. According to the statement of tie case by plaintiii’s counsel, Lestrange, the man against whom Mr Hall declined to file a bill as organiser of the Australian Workers’ Union, allegedly gat'd certain advice to the workers in connection with tie rural workers’ strike, for which the union called him to account.The outcome of this was that Lestraiigo made a statutory declaration, and on the strength of this declaration was committed for trial, but when it came to the question of filing a bill against Lestrange, Mr Hall, being acquainted withi him, left the matter entirely in the hands of Judge Bevan, who advised that it would bo useless to file tho bill. Mr Hall acted on this advice. Prior to giving the advice. Judge Bevan obtained, through the police, declarations by a number of men supporting Lestrange’s case. Tho “Worker” article, referring to Judge Bevan’s action in obtaining this evidence after the trial had been held, asked: “How is it that Lestrange lias been able to ascend the backstairs of tho Department of Justice, and to place his version before the AttorneyGeneral and induce him to withhold action?” > The judge, in summing up, said he thought Mr Hall made a mistake in not determining Lestrango’s case himsolf. Referring to Judge Sevan’s action in obtaining" evidence outside the witnessbox, the judge said that if this practice existed it was the most reprehensible he had ever heard of.