ALLEGED SLANDER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 6113, 15 December 1898, Page 2

ALLEGED SLANDER.

BLAKE V. CAMERON. In the District Court at Masterton this morning, before Mr District Judge Kettle, a case was commenced in which J'aue Charlotte Blake aud Charles Blake sued Frank Cameron for JE2JI) as damages for alleged slander. The plaintiff's statement of claim sets forth that tho defendant had wilfully, falsely and maliciously, spoke and published defamatory words, to the effect that the plaintiff had stolen certain cattle, to the number of twelve, the property of the defendant, aud had rebranded aud earmarked, and afterwards sold them.

The statement of defence shows that the defendant denied that he ever uttered the words alleged to have been spoken by the plaintiffs aud also denied every allegation made in the statement of tdaim, He also sets forth that ho inspected the defendant's property and there saw a number of his cattle, That he interviewed the plaintiffs, who denied that tho animals were the defendant's, but asserted that they belonged to the plaintiffs. Mr C. A, Pownall appeared for the plaintiff's and Mr H. C. L. ltobinson (instructed by Sir W. G. Beard) for the defendant. Mrs J. 0. Blake, on oath, said that I am the wife of tho plaintiff, C. Blake, who is a dairy farmer living near the Waiugawa. Prior to October of this y«ar I had thirty-eight cows rttnuing on the property, but I lost a number during the winter. All the heifers and calves were reared by my own hand after I had bought them from other people when quite youug, I had a private brand of my own. After the cattle were mortgaged to Mowlom and Co., I had a new brand, On the sth October I sent to Mowlem and Co,'s, live steers to be sold. Mr Cameron came to our residence on the Bth, and had a conversation with my husband. He then went oyer tho property. Mr Cameron afterwards returned and on account of certain remarks nude by him I explained the brands to him. [un sirrifw.l