ELECTION ECHO

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXII, Issue 141, 7 July 1926, Page 5

ELECTION ECHO

ROSKILL SEAT. ALLEGED LIBEL. AUCKLAND, To-day. Mr Justice Stringer and a special jury was occupied in the Supreme Court to-day hearing an action involving a claim for £5OOO damages, by Alfred Hall Skelton, barrister and solicitor, against Henry Hastings Seabrook and Thomas Farrell, printers, for alleged libel during the’ election campaign last year. The circular was issued by the Protestant Political Association,and. signed by Seabrook, as president of the Roskill group, in which election Mr Potter and Mr Skelton wore Parliamentary candidates. The circular attacked Mr Skelton for having publicly eulogised Michael Collins, described as the “leader of a gang of atrocious murderers,” and spoke of plaintiff as having manifested sympathy with enemies of the Empire who wished to secure its overthrow. The second cause for the action was the alleged matter in the “N.Z. Sentinel,” which plaintiff claimed set him out .as being disloyal and a representative of persons who held murder to be a sacred duty. On the first claim he asked for £2OOO, and on the second £3OOO damages. The defence will be a denial of the publication; that the ■words complained of ■were not intended to mean what was allaged, nor did they bear a defamatory meaning; that the words were not libel; and so far as they state facts were true in substance and fact; that the opinions or comments were honest criticism in the public interest; further, that publication was privileged, and defendant suffered no damage.”