CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 210

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V. 19.

23rd, october, 1918.

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Dear Sir,

Yourself and The China Mail and others.

With reference to .Bowley's letter, while we still

think and Counsel thinks also, that the letter is undoubtedly

a libel and that you ought to succeed in your action, sufficient

time has now elapsed to enable us to gauge the view generally

taken in the Colony. Inasmuch as your success in an action

would depend on the verdict of a jury, it is not unimportant

to pay some attention to that view,

As far as we can discover, we think it very possible

that in spite of any undoubted right of yours to a verdict,

a jury might perversely refuse to give you one, Mr.Potter

shares this view from what he was generally learnt since the

action was instituted.

Under any circumstances if you are given a verdict there

would of course be only a question of nominal damages. The

great point so far as you are concerned in our view and in

youre alto, is to obtain a vindication.

In view of all these circumstances we think you will

be advised to consent to the actions being with drawn upon

an apology being furnished by Mr.Bọ wi@y, @ach si de paying

their om og sts. Buch apology, however, should, in our

opinion and in Mr.Potters, be published in the newspapers

otherwise it would not seem to be of much use to you, You

will remember Mr.Bo wi@y offered to publish it in the

newspapers when conducting the prior nego tiations and we do

not imagine he would stand out against doing so now. we would

recommend, therefore, if we can arrange it and we think it

quite possible that we can do so, that we consent to these

actions being withdrawn upon Mr.Bo wiøy publiming a proper

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