ALLEGED SLANDER.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13731, 20 March 1915, Page 7

ALLEGED SLANDER.

VERDICT FOR DEFENDANT.

[United Press Association.]

Gisborne, March 19. The hearing of the action in which Dr. James Mclldownie, of Portsmouth, England, claimed from his ccusin, Mrs W. J. Buttimore, nee Gibson, of Gisborne, the sum of £6000 as damages for alleged slander, was concluded at the Supreme Court, before Mr Justice Cooper and a jury, at a late hour tonight.

Dr. Bamf6rd 3 of Auckland, represented the plaintiff whose evidence, together with that cf several witnesses in England, had been taken on commission.

"Mr L. T. Burnard, of Gisborne, appeared for the defendant. It appeared that James Gibson had made a demise of property worth £6000 to the plaintiff (Dr. Mclldownie), which he subsequently revoked, ul : timately devising part of that property to Dr. Melldownie's wife and children. The doctor alleged that the defendant had influenced the testator in changing his will ; and had slandered the plaintiff by imputing drunkenness to him. The defendant absolutely denied the allegation. In. the course of her examination, the defendant admitted that she had kept "house for the testator, and that during his lifetime he had made her presents of amounts totalling between £8000 and £9000. She alleged that the change in the testator's will was brought about through his hearing of the plaintiff's domestic relations. The jury, by eleven to one, found for the defendant.

Judgment was therefore entered for the defendant with costs £138 4s, together with disbursements and witnesses' expenses to be fixed by the Registrar.