TEACHER LIBELLED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 671, 24 May 1929, Page 18

TEACHER LIBELLED

MALICIOUS STATEMENT IN LETTER AWARDED £l5O DAMAGES Damages amounting to £l5O for libel were awarded by a jury in the Supreme Court before Mr. Justice Kennedy last evening to Lawrence Topping Donaldson, formerly headmaster of the Motukaraka School, against Leonard S. Barrel!, chairman of the School Committee. Mr. Johnstone and Mr. Butler represented plaintiff and Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Prendergast defendant. Returning at 8.30 p.m., after 3J hours’ deliberation, the jury found that Barrell had made malicious defamatory statements in a letter he sent to the secretary of the Auckland Education Board on September 10 last year, accusing Donaldson of improper conduct toward his daughters whilst pupils of the school. Concluding evidence on Barren’s behalf was given by Geo. Basford, who declared he had taken his daughter from school on account of Donaldson’s conduct, and Maxwell Beazley, a committeeman, who said that defendant had shown no hostility to the headmaster. The following issues were submitted to the jury: (1) Were the words defamatory of the plaintiff? (2) Were the words true? (3) Was defendant in publishing the words actuated by malice against the plaintiff? (4) What damages is the plaintiff .to recover? His Honour told the jury they would have no difficulty in finding the words were defamatory. They must be satisfied beyond all reasonable doubt on the second quesi°n end be asked whether the jury could so decide in view of the contradiction of evidence. After the verdict was announced his Honour entered judgment for plaintiff for £l5O and costs.