CLOSED DOORS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 72, 18 December 1920, Page 10

CLOSED DOORS

REPLY TO AUCKLAND COMPLAINT

COURT PROCEEDINGS NOT IRREGULAR

" Complaint was made in' Auckland rocenllv that certain proceedings in die Auckland Supreme Court had been hoard while the courtroom doors were locked, with the object of preventing the newspaper reporters from being pi'cseut. Jhe Minister of«.Tustico (Hon. E..P. fae} seated •voiterdnv that ■he . had: completed nn investigation into the allegations made, mid had before him full reports- from the Court officials, iiiclilding counsel, who had been engaged in the ease• interred to It appeared that a eivil.sittiim ipf the Court, had been held in .the Arbitration Court room because the mam coiift was occupied. The. room had..three doors, ruch of which was approachcd by separate ontnuioe. ' ' "It. seems," said -Mr. I.ee, that the door for admittance of counwl and lnicrants was on this occasion-locked, during the hearing not intentionally,'for it had remained inadvertently so from tho pMccding sitting of the Court. It penned "■■ho notice ofMiie official'm Ilie other two doors wenv however, open, givin" free access .during the sitting. iiio reporter could have sained n-\"V''™n by the- nublie entrance, and tulhlW Im functions if lie attended time th« case was hoard. As to the allegation of the Court onlovlv .boing sent out and tho kev turned in the lock—lliat is cmnhaticaliv denied bv the court o'heers,, , lh« Minister added that Mie si ting,had been lixod in' onen court Ihrce days earlici.