COURT STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 48, 26 February 1941, Page 9

COURT STORY.

OSTLER CASE ECHO.

INQUIRY BY MR. FRASER. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Solicitor-General, Mr. H. H. Cornish, has written to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in re.ferenee to an interview he ha'', with Harold Alexander Ostler before his trial in the Supreme Court in Christchurch for attempting to publish a subversive statement. Mr. Cornish's letter was by way of reply to a memorandum sent him b'v the Prime Minister.

Mr. Fraser quoted from a newspaper report of remarks made by Ostler when addressing the jury in his own defence. Mr. Fraser then continued: "After perusing the report, will you please inform me whether the. statements reported to have been made by Mr. Ostler are correct in whole or in part? In order that the Government may give immediate, consideration to the matter, please furnish me at the earliest possible moment with a full and explicit state.ment regarding anything and everything that may have transpired between you and Mr. Ostler having a bearing on the castunder review.

"\ou will, I think, agree that on the. face of it the matter is of a most serious nature, affecting as it does the administration of the law and the integrity of the Government and its officers, ami calls for a most searching and urgent examination."

Mr. Cornish's letter to Mr. Fraser, dated February 20, reads: —'I enclose the statement about the above matter which was read in Court in Christchurch and published in the. newspapers. I would like to add that, on reflection, I now recognise it was indiscreet of me to interview Ostler at all. My chief regret is, however, that as a result of what I did, Ostler was able to make the statement that I had the authority of yourself and the Attorney-General to discuss the matter with" him." In the statement read in Court Mr. Cornish said he did not have that authority, nor had he held himself out to Ostie.r a* having had it.