LIBEL CASE REVIEWED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 81, 12 April 1902, Page 3

LIBEL CASE REVIEWED.

PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION. [ Dunedin, April 11.. In ' (-a ciee Dr. Cough'rey V. Tiber ing Slwr the judge reftlsed to distur | he verdict of *&•> jury, though he sail if tbe nasi had been before him aloe he Would have given a verdict for plain tiff for a farthing. THE BANQUET TO MR. SEDDONTHE PREMIER'S BPEEOH. PBR PRESS A3t>oOIATION, Wellington, April It. Speaking at the banquet fcemierec to bim last evenings Mr Seddon, refer ting to the Cable received from th< Administrator of Fiji, said the com Branidation was only tbe forerunner o! A much closer communication witl Fiji, and was the keyDote of a Greatei New Zealand. He declared that expansion would be a bleseing\ Thb islands are important as % base of offensive and defensive "operations, and ovei gome* of them the flags of other nation: fly> If those at Home hud had tl foresight of some of our leading state men in the colonies, the danger wbi< threatens us would never have threa, ened. He next dealt at length witl South Africa, quoting his memornndun with reference to the settlement of thi Transvaal on a military basis. Wit.i reference to the encouragement whici had been given the Boers by fcht speeches of some Home statesmen, hj( said that if necessity arose and oppor tunity oflwred, he, as tbe representative of New Zealand, would speak his mind Only that day he had received a communication from the Secretary of State expressing the hope that tbe Premiei of New Zealand would arrange to staj at Home until the various conferences were completed. It was of the gteatesl moment, he said, that one opinion should be expressed, not that we should biad oar colonies, or ask for representation in the Parliament of the Mother Country, but there should be a council established to meet periodically and ditcngs questions deemed best in the laterests of the Empire. He denied the statement that Home manufacturers were not losing ground, and declared that Home exports proved that trade was not following the flag. There ought to be more capital invested and greater energy displayed, then our kinsmen would rot have to leuve the Mo'her Country in search of work. Befot m« would have to come, and we, he addfd, as advisers, knowing the facts as they existed, would have great influence ia bringing about a new order of things. Mr Seddon was loudly cheer ei on concluding.