ALLEGED LIBEL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20898, 30 November 1937, Page 6

ALLEGED LIBEL

ACTION FOR DAMAGES By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 29. A claim for £2,000 damages for alleged libel arising out of the issue of a circular was brought in the Supreme Court to-day before the Chief Justice Sir Michael Myers, and a special jury of 12. The plaintiffs were the New Zealand National Creditmen’s . Association (Wellington)Limited, and the defendants were Duns Agency (Wellington) Limited, and Huia Hohepa Dimond, manager of the company. The statement of claim alleged that the circular issued by the defendants was intended to destroy credit which plaintiff held and to paralyse his business. The defence admitted the publication of the circular but claimed that the contents were fair comment and privileged. Several accountants of large city firms gave evidence of their complete satisfaction with the work of the legal department of the Creditmen’s Association. More than 200 of the 325 subscribers had availed themselves of the legal department’s activities without a single complaint. The taking of debtors to Court was only as a last resort. The hearing will be continued tomorrow morning.