A COMPANY’S AFFAIRS,

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1921, Page 8

A COMPANY’S AFFAIRS,

J QUESTION OF PUBLICITY. ' By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Sept. 7. , The investigation into the affaire of A. R. McNeil and Co., Ltd., merchants, was continued in the Supreme Court buildings yesterday, thte Registrar, Mr. Stubbs, presiding. Mr. Mays, who represented the petitioning creditors, appeared before Mr. Justice Adame and requested that, in the interests of commercial morality, full publicity should be granted to the statements of witnesses. His Honor said it was a universal practice that such examinations as these should be held in private. In thle English Courts he knew of no order for publicity being made, except where fraud was alleged. This inquiry was not in the nature of an open Court. His Honor wished to safeguard the power and duty of the Court to have inquiries conducted to determine the details of the case. If counsel made an application, based on proper affidavits, that a good prima facie case of fraud had. been made out and that, in the interests of the public, an order for publicity should be made, his Honor would consider the facts, meantime Press reporters would be excluded.

In th«e course of his remarks Mr. Justice Adams commented upon the fact that bankrupts were commonly called before the Official Assignees for exam-, ination, Press reporters being permitted to attend and publish the statements made. “I wish to say,” he continued, “I consider that the practice of public examination is an extremely undesirable one, according to English authorities at least, and one I hope that, according to New Zealand practice in future, will b? resorted to only where there are grave reasons for such a course.”