The action in which the widow of an engineer drowned through the foundering of the s.s. Alert off Jubilee Point in December, 1893, sued Huddart, Parker, and Co., Limited, for damages in consequence of the vessel being in an unseaworthy condition has resulted in a verdict of £600. The evidence showed that the steamer was of an unusually narrow build, and was con structed in such a way as to allow of water getting easy access to her interior. A family quarrel is the subject of an action which is being tried in the Victorian Supreme Court. The plaintiff is Mrs Annie Lange, widow of the late F. C. L&nge, the senior partner of the firm of Lange and Thoneman, and she is suing her son-in-law, Dr Charles Bage, of South Yarra, to recover £1,000 damages for alleged libel and slander. The statements complained of as libellous were contained in two letters, one written by the defendant to Mrs Brown, a sister of the plaintiff, and the other addressed by him to Mrs Mary C. Bage, a daughter of the plaintiff, a copy of this latter document being enclosed in the letter to Mrs Brown. In these letters the defendant expressed a fear that the plaintiff had lost her reason, and that she was no longer capable of managing her monetary affairs, or of being entrusted with the control of her younger children. As to the slander, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant had " cribbed " a sum of £250 belonging to her daughter. The defence is privilege and justification as to the alleged libels, and a denial of using the alleged slanderous words in the manner stated by the plaintiff. A political libel action was recently brought by Mr William A. Morris, boot maker, against the proprietor of the ' Age ' for the recovery of £500 damages. The plaintiff based his claim' on the statement that whilst he was before the electors of Essendon and Flemington last September as a candidate for Parliament the ' Age ' pub lished certain reports and letters, charging him with political treachery to the Liberal party in opposing the election of Mr Deakin, and splitting the Liberal vote, to the advan tage of Mr M'Cracken, the Conservative candidate. A verdict was given for a farth ing, without costs.
