DETECTIVES’ CLAIMS

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1935, Page 5

DETECTIVES’ CLAIMS

ALLEGATION OF LIBEL MADE. SUNDAY NEWSPAPER SUED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Four claims, each for £220 damages for alleged libel on Wellington detectives, were heard in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The defendants were the New Zealand Sunday News Publishing Company, Ltd., William Henry Bowman, publisher, and the firm of Hutcheson, Bowman and Johnson, Ltd., printers. The plaintiffs were Frank Hayhurst, Frederick Neville Robinson, William Tricklebank and William Robert Murray. The statement of claim alleged that in the issue of the newspaper dated January 19, 1935, under the heading “What Is Intended Sedition,” the defendants falsely and maliciously published and caused to be published a statement concerning the plaintiffs that the detectives were guilty of harsh and cruel conduct to inoffensive citizens, contrary to the provisions of the police regulations; that they arrested named men without preferring a charge against them; that they were guilty of harsh and cruel conduct towards one man by detaining him for five hours without water; that the plaintiffs were too ready to use a baton when other methods were open and that they were guilty of unprovoked assault. For the plaintiffs Mr. Mazengarb said the defendants had printed the libellous article and afterwards published a withdrawal in which it was admitted the story was absolutely without foundation. The statements in the article were without a grain of truth.

For the Sunday News Mr. Harding said the question was how far admittedly false statements had damaged each plaintiff. The apology was as complete and unequivocal as it could have been.

The hearing was adjourned until later in the week.