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[Wednesday, 23rd November]: Motion made, and Question

proposed, "That Mr. Merriman be discharged from the Select

Committee on the Law of Libel Amendment Bill [Lords], and

that Mr. A. R. Kennedy be added to the Committee."-(Colonel

Gibbs.)—

And, the Motion being opposed, after a brief explanatory

statement from the Member who made the Motion and from a
Member who opposed it, Mr. Speaker put the Question, pur-
suant to Standing Order No. 11 :-Question agreed to.

[Tuesday, 29th November]: Ordered, That Mr. Morgan
Jones be discharged from the Select Committee on the Law of
Libel Amendment Bill [Lords], and that Mr. Ammon be added
to the Committee.-(Major Sir George Hennessy.)

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REPORT.

The Select Committee appointed to join with a Committee of the House of Lords to whom the Law of Libel Amendment Bill [Lords] was referred, have considered the Bill and have agreed to the following Special Report.

SPECIAL REPORT.

The Committee are of opinion that the evidence adduced before them is insufficient to justify the proposed change in the Law.

14th December, 1927.

LORDS AND MEMBERS PRESENT AND MINUTES OF AT EACH SITTING OF THE

PROCEEDINGS

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No Quorum of the House of Commons Committee being present, the Committee adjourned to Wednesday next at half-past ten o'clock.

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It is moved by Sir William Bull that the Lord Warrington of Clyffe do take the Chair.

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The Law of Libel Amendment Bill [H.L.] is considered.

The Title is read and postponed.

The Preamble is read.

The Chairman informs the Committee that on Wednesday last a quorum of Members not being present no meeting of the Committee took place.

The following witnesses are then called in and examined, viz. :

Mr. W. B. Maxwell.

Mr. G. H. Thring.

(See the Minutes of Evidence.)

The Preamble of the Bill is again read and postponed.

The Clauses are read.

Clause 1 is read.

It is moved, page 1, lines 6 and 7, to leave out from ("action") in line 6 to (" for ") in line 7.

The further consideration of the said Amendment is postponed. It is moved, page 1, lines 9 to 11, to leave out from the second ("that") in line 9 to the end of line 11 and to insert (" at the date of the publication of the alleged libel he ").

The further consideration of the said Amendment is postponed. It is moved, lines 12 to 25, to leave out Sub-sections (1), (2) and (3), and to insert the following new Sub-sections:

("(1) did not know of the existence of the plaintiff or did not recollect the fact of his existence.

(2) had no reasonable grounds for anticipating and did not in fact anticipate that the alleged libel might be read or understood as referring to the Plaintiff.

(3) took every reasonable precaution to avoid it being so understood.")

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The further consideration of the said Amendment is postponed. Clause 2 is read and postponed.

Ordered, That the Committee be adjourned to Wednesday, the 14th of December next at Half-past Ten o'clock.

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The Lord WARRINGTON OF CLYFFE in the Chair.

The Order of Adjournment is read.

The Proceedings of Wednesday, the 30th of November last are read. The Law of Libel Amendment Bill [H.L.] is again considered.

The following Draft Report is laid before the Committee by the Chairman.

"That the Committee have had under their consideration the Bill intituled an Act to amend the Law of Libel and have heard evidence in ,support of the Bill.

The Committee are of opinion that the evidence adduced before them is insufficient to justify the proposed change in the law.

The Joint Committee accordingly report the Bill without amendment to the House of Lords."

The same is read and agreed to without Amendment.

The Clauses, with the proposed Amendments are again considered. It is decided in view of the decision made in the Report to Report the Bill without Amendment to the House of Lords.

The Clauses are agreed to without Amendment.

The Preamble is again read and agreed to without Amendment.
The Title is again read and agreed to without Amendment.

Ordered, That the Lord in the Chair do make the said Report to the House of Lords and that Sir William Bull do make the said Report to the House of Commons.

Ordered, That the Bill be reported without Amendment to the House of Lords.

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Mr. W. B. MAXWELL (Chairman, Incorporated Society of Authors, Playwrights and Composers) and Mr. GEORGE HERBERT THRING (Secretary, Incorporated Society of Authors, Playwrights and Composers) having been called in, are examined as follows:

Chairman.

1. Mr. Maxwell, you have come here as a witness? (Mr. Maxwell): I have, my Lord.

2. You are Mr. W. B. Maxwell, a publisher?-A writer, but I come here as Chairman of the Society of Authors.

3. The full name of the Society is The Incorporated Society of Authors, Playwrights and Composers?-That is so.

4. I think the most convenient way to begin would be to ask you to make a statement?-I shall be very glad to do so, my Lord.

5. I have your general statement here; perhaps the best way would be for you to read it? If you would allow me, i would just like to say a few words in elaboration of that statement.

6. Yes; only I do not think the other members of the Committee have seen this statement; I have a copy of it. Perhaps you would like me to read it? If you please.

7. Your statement is "On behalf of authors of fiction it is desired to submit that they are not airing an imaginary grievance or trying to attach importance to that which is not really important even to themselves. They are making a genuine appeal for relief from an always increasing difficulty and danger in carrying on the business of their trade or craft. The Society of Authors are also desirous of putting on record that in regard to this question of accidental libel they do not seek any protection for

or

foolish or thoughtless people. They have no sympathy whatever with authors who tumble into libel by carelessness negligence. But they submit that while it is possible for authors of fiction to avoid the use of names belonging to eminent or in any way prominent people, it is quite impossible, although taking every care and precaution, to avoid the occasional use of names of little-known and untraceable people. The cases in which insignificant people whose names have been thus used and who really have not suffered the least damage either commence proceedings for libel, or threaten to do so, are very numerous. But in fact very few of these cases come into Court, or are ever heard of by the public. At the present time, and as the law stands, when an author or publisher is threatened with an action for libel in these circumstances his legal advisers almost invariably advise him not to fight, but rather to compromise the matter and to buy off the complainant than face the expense and the doubtful issue of defence. The legal adviser usually points out that even in the event of winning the action and being allowed costs, the plaintiff may too probably prove to be an unsubstantial person from whom nothing is recoverable. This state of affairs is so well understood that there is a great temptation for unscrupulous solicitors to advise any client whose name has been used in a work of fiction to make immediate complaint, not truly with a view to obtaining redress for actual damage to him, but in order

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