THE NORTON LIBEL CASE. Sydney, Lecember 29.

Otago Witness, Issue 2288, 6 January 1898, Page 9

THE NORTON LIBEL CASE. Sydney, Lecember 29.

In the Carruthers- Norton libel action, Mr Lsary, chief clerk in divorce, produced papers to show that the prosecutor (the Hon J. H.. Qarruthers, Minister for Lands) had obtained a decree nisi for divorce from his wife in August., 1895. He stated that the application was made on a Saturday morning. No one was present excepting wimess and Mr Tipstaff. The case, at tbe suggestion of the plaintiff, was taken early in the morning before Mr Justice Windeyer, and lasted under half: an hour. He admitted that the time and the proceedings were unusual. No report of the case appeared in the press, Mr Norton went into the box and made a statement that he had public and personal knowledge of Mr Carrutheis for 10 years. He said he bad always regarded him as a tricky, dishonest politician. He charged Me Carruthers with telling lies about him. He coasidered Borne of plaia tiff's transactions with regard to the exchange of public lands inimical to tha interests of the people. He detailed conversations with Ministers when he made certain accusations against Mr Carruthers. He told Mr Iksid that Mr Carrnthers was giviDg it out he intended to have the Premiership, and was caballing with the Labour party. Mr Reid replied that the trouble of Mr Carruthera and others was tbafc be slept too well at night, and said that if he could not hold tbe Premiership excepting at the will *of Mr Carrutbers he had better give it up.

Mr R?id, the Premier, was called as a witness in the case. Counsel for plaintiff endeavoured to elicit information regarding Norton's statement on the political relations between Carruthers and the Premier. The judge ruled it irrevelanr, and witness was not further examined.