LEADER FINED

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21364, 7 March 1941, Page 7

LEADER FINED

CONTEMPT OF COURT STATEMENT AT CONFERENCE NEWSPAPER ALSO CHARGED (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright/ BRISBANE, March 6 Cited by the Queensland Industrial Court for contempt of court, Mr E. B. Maher, Leader of the State Opposition, who is also leader of the Queensland Country Party, today was lined £2O, the Courier-Mail proprietary was fined £25, and its publisher £lO. The charge arose out of a statement made by Mr Maher, and published in the Courier-Mail, in which Mr Maher told the Country Party conference that he was not surprised at March 29 being selected as the date for the elections, which would be a day after the basic wage increase would become operative. The Industrial Court claimed that such comment implied that there was some arrangement between the Government and the Court over the basic wage, while publication in a newspaper of a prospective increase amounted to a forecast of what the Court’s judgment would be. Mr Maher’s statement, it was held, tended to bring the Court into contempt and constituted a serious setback on its honour and dignity. In defence, Mr Maher dramatically declared: “ The wrong man is in the dock. The Premier of Queensland should be here. I am a scapegoat. He goes free.” Mr Maher claimed political privilege and added that whatever embarrassment the Court had suffered was due to the Premier fixing the date of the election so close to the Industrial Court’s decision.