SLANDER ACTION RECALLED

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23360, 20 June 1941, Page 11

SLANDER ACTION RECALLED

Bishop Barnes And

Cement Firms

DISCUSSION IN HOUSE OF LORDS

(Received June 20, 2 a.m.)

(U.P A.) LONDON, June 19. An aftermath of the slander action in which £I6OO damages was awarded against Dr.' E. W. Barnes, Bishop of Birmingham, on May 9, was witnessed in the House of Lords, when Dr. Barnes during an angry speech sought to'justify his attitude in refusing to give evidence in that case, which was brought by cement manufacturers, whom he again attacked. He complained about Lord Wolmer, a former chairman of the cement manufacturers, ' being Director of Cement, and again emphasised the miseries the people would endure in the coming winter unless proper bombproof shelters were provided.

Lord Wolmer replying declared that Dr. Barnes had made an untrue charge and had paid £I6OO rather than avail himself of an opportunity of proving the truth of his statement.

Dr. Barnes, in a high-pitched, indignant voice, retorted; “Surely Lord Wolmer is not ignorant of the use by big business of actions for slander which has become an accepted technique for the suppression of criticism.” He proceeded to explain that his reasons for not defending the action were chiefly because of the cost, which, he said, would be a mere nothing to a multi-millionaire ring, and he disclosed that against his wish his friends had collected £llOO towards his law costs. Lord Wolmer assured the House that the’ cement trade was doin« everything the Government wanted in regard to air raid shelters.