UNDERTAKING BY WITNESS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 10

UNDERTAKING BY WITNESS

Sequel To Order For Committal (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 15. After conferring with his counsel, John Sverre Olsen, a company director subpoenaed as a Crown witness in a case alleging breaches of the Secret Commissions Act, gave an undertaking in the Supreme Court this afternoon that he would answer the questions he refused to answer when in the witness box yesterday. The matter arose in the Supreme Court on a motion to quash an order for Olsen’s committal to gaol for contempt made by Mr B. M. Scully, S.M., yesterday. Mr Justice Hutchison made an order nisi later yesterday to quash the committal in order to allow time to argue the matter. When the case was called this afternoon, Mr R. E. Harding, counsel for Olsen, told Mr Justice Hutchison that Olsen had been advised that it was in his own interests not to insist on the claim of privilege. His Honour: Do I understand, then, that Mr Olsen consents to give evidence and waives the claim of privilege? Mr Harding said those were his instructions, though he could not give an unqualified undertaking as some other matters might arise on which privilege should be claimed. Mr W. R. Birks, for the Crown, said that the warrant for Olsen’s committal had expired at 2.15 p.m., and it was unnecessary to take the matter further. His Honour called Olsen forward, and obtained from him an undertaking that he would answer the questions he declined to answer yesterday. His Honour said he agreed with counsel that there could be some other matter on which a claim of privilege could arise. The order nisi made yesterday was discharged by consent.