A COSTLY LIBEL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13487, 30 July 1907, Page 5

A COSTLY LIBEL.

THE ,--AP TRUST ACTIONS

SETTLED.

United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. LONDON, July 29. The action for libel brought by Joseph Watson <fc Sons, soap manufacturers!, against the Daily News raid allied papers arising out of comments on the soap trust, has been settled privately. Mr Watson announces that tho damages agreed upon exceed those recently paid to Lever Bros, by the Daily Mail and Evening News. The latter papers havo now withdrawn their aspersions and apologised.

(Mr H. Lever, head of the firm of Lever Bros., instituted a prosecution against tho Daily Mail and Evening News for libel in connection with the Soap Trust. He declared that the attacks on the trust cost him in a few weeks £40,000 on sales alone, while two millions worth of £10 preference shares of the firm declined £1 each. Besides these there were other losses on ordinary shares and on the goodwill of his business. The Daily Mail and the Mirror withdrew tho imputations against Mr Lever, and the actions were settled, COO7OOO damages being given). '

HARMSWORTH PAPERS' DAMAGES.

(Received July 30, 8.25 a.m.) LONDON, July 29.

All the Soap Trust libel litigation against the Harmsworth at London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Leeds, has been settled. It is understood Messrs Joseph Watson and Sons obtained not less than £50,000 damages.