A LIBEL ACTION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11114, 2 December 1914, Page 5

A LIBEL ACTION.

United Press Association.- By Bleo trio Telegraph.—Copyright. Sydney, Dec. I,’ In the libel action, the AttorneyGeneral (Mr Hall) against ‘‘The Worker,” the jury awarded Hall £SOO damages. A stay of proceedings was granted. According to a statement of the case by the plaintiff’s counsel, Lestrange, the man against whom Hall declined to file a bill as organiser of the Australian Workers’ Union, allegedly gave certain advice to the. workers in connectionawith the rural workers*' strike, for which the union called him to account. The outcome of this was that Lestrange made a statutory declaration, . and on the strength of this declaration was committed for trial. When it came to a question of tiling a bill against Lestrange, Hall, being- acquainted with him, left the matter entirely in the hands of Judge Bevan, who advised that it was uselessJto file' a bill. Hall acted on this advice.Prior to giving this advice, Judge Bevan obtaiuedf-through the police a declaration as to the number of men supporting Lestrange’s case. The “Worker,” in an article referring' to Judge Bevan’s action in obtaining this evidence after the trial had been held, asked how is it that' Lestrange has been able to ascend the back stairs of the Department of Justice, place his version before the J Attorney-General, and induce him to withhold action?* The judge, in summing up, said that he thought Hall had made a mistake in not determining Lestrange’s case himself. Referring to Judge Bevau’s action in obtaining evidence outside the witness box, be said if this practice existed it was the most reprehensible he had ever heard of. The claim was for £SOOO. The ground of action was an article charging miscarriage of justice against Mr Hall in refusing to tile a bill against a man who was committed for trial for allegedly making a false declaration.