£20,000 LIBEL ACTION.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18777, 27 October 1932, Page 7

£20,000 LIBEL ACTION.

MR NORMAN SMITH’S SUIT.

FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD. CAPACITY GF THE CAR. United Pres 3 Assn.—Elec, Tel. Copyright. SYDNEY, Oct. 26. The hearing was continued to-day of the action in which Mr Norman Smith is claiming from Smith’s Weekly £20,000 damages for alleged libel in an article published on May 21. Plaintiff contends that he was publicly denounced in this article as a coward in connection with his motor speed trials on the Ninety-Mile Beach, New Zealand.

Ludwig Nudi, who accompanied plaintiff to the Ninety-Mile Beach as ignition expert, was oros-s-examined about the reasons for the violent estrangement between himself and Smith. Witness referred to reports which had been published regarding the state of the beaoh, with which he did not agree.

Mr Holman, K.C., counsel for the defence, plaimed that the real reason for the estrangement was that Smith gave certain instructions after seeing the articles witness furnished to the New Zealand press.

Donald Harkness, designer o( Smith’s car, stated that the car had a gear ratio sufficiently high to break the then record of 245 miles an hour. The hearing was again adjourned.