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Student paper named in damages writ

A writ has been Bled in the Wellington Supreme Court on behalf of Rodney John David Buddie, barrister and solicitor, of Lower Hutt, claiming $62,500 for alleged defamation.

The first defendant is the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association, publisher of the student newspaper Salient.

Mr Roger Steele, editor of Salient, is named as second defendant.

The third defendant is Wanganui Newspapers Ltd. the printer of Salient.

Mr Buddie is claiming $15,000 against the three defendants collectively for allegedly falsely and maliciously printing and publishing in Salient his photograph with a caption.

He claims damages of $7500 against the first and second defendants collectively for allegedly falsely and maliciously publishing words about him on a newspaper wrapper.

He seeks damages of $20,000 against the three defendants in regard to each of the two articles (making $40,000 in all) he alleges were falsely and maliciously published in Salient concerning him.

Mr Buddie is also seeking an injunction to restrain the defendants "from any further or future publication of photographs and/or articles of the nature complained of; or any matter defamatory of the plaintiff', similar to that alleged.