DETERMINED LITIGANT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15706, 7 March 1913, Page 8

DETERMINED LITIGANT.

ACTION AGAINST NEWSPAPER. THE LIBEL LAW. (Pun United Press Association.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, March 6.

In the Supreme Court to-day a farmer named James George Johnston, of Frasor road, Hawer.ij proceeded against Thomas C. List, proprietor of the Taranaki Dailv News for £501 damages for alleged libel. At the last sittings of the Supremo Court plaintiff unsuccessfully proceeded against the Taranaki Herald for an alleged libel contained in the heading and body of a report of a libel case heard at a previous sitting in which lie figured. Thereupon tho Taranaki Daily News commented editorially on the unsatisfactory state of the libel laws of the.country, which permitted a case of such a trumpery mture to be brought against a newspaper for doing its duty by the public, arguing that before a writ for libel or slander was issued the merits of the proposed action should be investigated by a magistrate and only proceeded with if the magistrate was satisfied tlint a prima facie caso had been established, and that an amount of money sufficient to cover the costs should bo deposited with the court. Johnston demanded an apology from tho News for reflecting upon his bona fides, and this was refused. Then ho issued a writ against tile News for alleged libel.' The case caused a great deal of interest and the jury, after five minutes' retirement, returned a verdict for the defendant newspaper, with costs on the highest scale. Plaintiff conducted his own case, whilst Mr M. Myers, of Wellington, appeared for tho Taranaki News.