ALLEGED LIBEL.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18776, 26 October 1932, Page 7

ALLEGED LIBEL.

A CLAIM FOR £IOO. DAIRY COMPANIES AT LAW. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. A claim of £IOO damages for alleged libel, in which the parties were two dairy companies, was heard at Akaroa to-day by Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M. The plaintio was the Tai Tapu Co-operative Dairy Company, and the defendant was the Akaroa Co-operative Butter Factory Company, Limited. The basis of the action was a circular alleged to have been published by defendant company, which the plaintiff company claimed referred to the operations of the Tai Tapu Company. The circular alleged in effect that a company unnamed was paying 12d a pound for butter-fat during August, while the butler was being sold in Christchurch at 10d a pound, which operation must result in a loss of lid a pound. It was claimed by the plaintiff company that ibis circular hinted at some irregular practice by the plaintiff, by which Hi is apparent loss was made up, and tiiat such suggestion bad injured the, credit and reputation of the plaintiff company. The defence was a general denial that the matter in Hie circular was libellous and a claim that it was privileged, in that it was sent, only to suppliers and past suppliers of the Akaroa factory. Decision was reserved.