SLANDER ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17712, 16 May 1929, Page 8

SLANDER ACTION

£25 DAMAGES AWARDED. WORDS CONSIDERED DEFAMATORY. (By Telegraph.—Press Associalion.) INVERCARGILL, Wednesday. The hearing was continued in the Supreme Court this morning before Mr Justice Smith and a jury of the case in which the Southland Farmers’ Cash. Supply Service sued Ronald Sim, farmet', of Otahuti, for £2OOO damages for ioss of business allegedly due to a statement reflecling on the plaintiff’s business methods, made by defendant at a meeting of the provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. His Honour sairl that- in the case brought against two newspapers the Judge had awarded £450 damages against each paper and this amount must be taken into account, although defendant’s words were a separate cause of action against himself. His Honour placed six questions before the jury and they were answered as follows: (1) Did defendant use words complained of in the claim, or words to the same effect?—No. (2) Did defendant use the words set out in paragraph 4 of the statement of defence or words to the same effect?— Yes. (3) If defendant used such words cither in the statement of claim or in the statement of defence, are the said words defamatory v of plaintiff in respect of its trade or business?— Yes. (4) Did defendant authorise repetition of Lhe said -words or intend that they should be repeated to other parties by other members of the executive present when they were used?— No. (6) What damages is plaintiff entitled to? —£25.