LIBEL ACTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14857, 11 June 1910, Page 8

LIBEL ACTION.

VERDICT FOR THE'DEFENDANT,

(Per United Press Association.) ' PALMEESTON N., June 10. The action in which Victor M, Braund, of Wellington, claimed £501 damages ' from E. D. Iloben, proprietor and editor of the Manawatu Times, for alleged libel, wa-s concluded to-da.y. The action arose out of a. paragraph published on tho morning following the three sensational 1 fires which heralded in the Pawcllia scare. I Tho paragraph stated that an assessor dividual claiming to be an assessor .had interfered with the brigade : in j the course of its duties, Tho plaintiff brought much evidence, and after his case had been heard defendant's counsel said he would call witnesses. His Honor reserved the point as to whether j tho articlo was capable of a defamatory meaning—a point on which ho-'expressed considerable doubt, He put five issues to the jury, the first two being as to whether the plaintiff had interfered with the brigade, to which the jury returned no answer.. The other issues to whichaffirmative answers were given were to tho effect that the report in the Times was a- matter of public interest and was made bona fide and without malice in the boila lido belief that it was truo and that it was fair comment. Judgment was accordingly given for the defendant ■ with costs on the highest scale. His Honor stated' that nothing had transpired in the evidence which justified the insurance compaiiiis losing confidence in Mr Braund as an assessor.