PROTEST AT REPORT

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20274, 17 August 1937, Page 8

PROTEST AT REPORT

ALLEGATION WITHDRAWN. BUT HANDED TO THE PREBB. “NOTHING SINISTER IN IT.” (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N., Tuesday. Directions as to what should be done were requested of the Arbitration Court by Mr R. J. Reardon, who appeared for the Hawke’s Bay Builders and General Labourers’ Union when he drew attention to the following paragraph, which appeared in a newspaper on Saturday; “Mr Butler said that local bodies in Hawke’s Bay joined with the Hawke’s Bay Union in an attempt to prevent a settlement being reached in the Wellington dispute. There were indications pointing to a conspiracy between the employers in Hawke's Bay and the Hawke's Bay Union to prevent the Wellington settlement being applicable to that area.” Mr Reardon contended that the statement had not been made in court. He submitted it was not privileged. Mr Justice O’Regan remarked that the report had been telegraphed by the Press Association. Mr Reardon said he did not know that the union could take any action at all. Mr P. M. Butler, for the Wellington Union, had withdrawn the fourth heading of his submissions. The sentence referred to had appeared in the fourth paragraph. Followed Usual Procedure. Mr Butler said he hoped Mr Reardon was not inferring that he had been responsible for the reference. The judge said the pressmen might have seen the submissions before that one was withdrawn. Mr Butler explained that he had followed ttie usual procedure of having three copies of his submissions for the court, one for the other side in the dispute, one for the press and one for himself. The copy had been given to Hie press in the usual manner. He did not wish the court to think there had been anything sinister about, tlie matter. The judge: I do not think there is.