Special Part, Illustration. (2)

A. is the chairman of the M. Railway Company, and a chairman and director of other companies. X. and Z. are speaking of a fall in the company’s shares. Z. says, “You have heard what has caused the fall; I mean the rumour about the M. chairman having failed?” This may be a defamation of A., though such a rumour did exist, and was believed by Z. to be well founded.

Fair criticism is not defamation.35. It is not defamation to make or publish in good faith any fair comment on matters of public interest or matters otherwise fairly open to public comment.