ACTION FOR DAMAGES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11416, 20 December 1917, Page 5

ACTION FOR DAMAGES.

DETECTIVE SUES FREE LANGE. (Per Press Association.} WELLINGTON, Last Night. ■* In the Magistrate’s Court 10-day a. case, Samuel Kraetzcr, of Christdhurch, . versus H. E. Geddis and Co., proprietors of the “Free Lance,” was called. Plaintiff claimed £IOO damages for the publication of the words: “I also ■ noticed a well-known race detective being driven to the races in a car, owned by a well-known Wellington bookmaker. Hot stuff, cM” Plaintiff claimed that the wmrds meant that ho—in breach of his- duty as a racecourse ■ detective—was intimately associated with a bookmaker, therefore rendering himself incapable of impartially performing his duty. Defendant’s counsel said that a week after the original statements wore made in the “Free Lance,” the writer of “Turf Topics,” having found the statement complained of, and which was contained in a correspondent’s letter, was wrong, published. • • - .„i — i- t _ a statement lv . having received a letter from th& . plaintiff’s solicitors, defendants put in - the “Free Lance” a full statement bjr way of explanation and retraction, but they had not brought this under the notice of plaintiff or his solicitors, who • only saw- the matter a day or two ago., -■ Plaintiff’s counsel said that if the retraction had been known to plaintiff, - who did not desire damages from thO' “Free Lanco,” he would not broiifeht the' present action, Plaintiff desired to bring ffh fiation ngfiifist tfe- - writer of the letter confining defamatory statement, but the ethic? oi r? .■journalism prevented the newspaper from divulging the name. As the “Free Lance” had published '.-I a full explanation, the present action, would be withdrawn. -r