LAW'S LONG DELAY

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 247, 20 October 1942, Page 2

LAW'S LONG DELAY

CHIEF JUSTICE S PCTNTED ORITICISf I.

P.A.

PALMERSTON N, Oct. 20.

In the retrial of Charles Gough, branch secretary of the Dairy Factory Workers' Union in the Supreme Court on a charge of making a sub» yersive statement to the employees of the Oroua, Downs dairy factory on February 24, the jury disagreed for the second time.. For mai application for a third trial was made by ihe Crown Prosecutor, Mr Cooper. This was held cver in order to enable him to communicate with the AttorneyGeneral. Strong comment was made by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers about the time taken in authorising the prosecution to proceed. Whaever one might think about the case, he said, there was no> use shutting one's eyes toi the' faet that a case was available in April, the incident at Oroua Downs having taken place on February 24, but for some reason or other, it was not until August 20 that the Attorney-General gave his consent, two days before the expiration of the six months in which the law required a, prosecution to be commenced. "It would surprisie me very much if that did not have a considerable effect on the minds of the jury," said his Honour. Seven hundred years ago therei was cxtorted from a despotic recalcitrant king a charter of English liberty in which it is. stated that. Justice shall not be delayed. This man Gough was entitled to know long before the expiration. of six months whether or not. he was to be prosecuted. It was unfair to him and to the country. It is a matter which should not ha.ve taken more than 20 minutes toi decide. If that had been dorie this case would have been dealt with in May instead of October. If there is to be another trial it must. be delayed to February. V