WINSTON CHURCHILL ALLEGES LIBEL

Southland Times, Issue 23374, 4 December 1937, Page 7

WINSTON CHURCHILL ALLEGES LIBEL

ANOTHER WRIT AGAINST BOOK ON CORONATION

(Received December 3, 6.30 p.m.)

LONDON, December 3. The Daily Mail understands that a writ has been issued on behalf of Mr Winston Churchill against William Heinemann Limited, the publishers, and Geoffrey Dennis, the author, for alleged libel in “Coronation Commentary.”

The Duke ©f Windsor’s action against William Heinemann Limited, publishers of “Coronation Commentary.” was withdrawn with costs, apologies and damages which the Duke is handing over to charities.

The damages were not disclosed, but The Daily Mail believed that they would be in the neighbourhood of £lO,OOO.

The Lord Chief Justice (Lord Hewart), consenting to withdrawal of the action, said: "In my opinion it is remarkable that any man should have permitted himself and that any publisher should publish such foul, cruel libels as the subject matter in this action. There is not even on the pleadings any attempt to allege that the libellers are true in subject or fact. These particular libels, a jury might think, appear almost to invite a thoroughly efficient Stating that reluctantly and hesitantly he had allowed the action to be withdrawn, the Lord Chief Justice observed: "It might well be that a criminal prosecution will follow. I do not know.”