Supreme Court Defence Witnesses’ Evidence In £2000 Claim

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30302, 30 November 1963, Page 17

Supreme Court Defence Witnesses’ Evidence In £2000 Claim

He had heard Carrick Elliott Lewis accuse Alexander Borodin of making anti-Russian statements and say that he deserved to be put away, a defence witness, Eugene John Ginther, said in the Supreme Court yesterday during the hearing of Lewis’s claim for £2OOO damages against Truth (N.Z.), Ltd. for alleged libel. It was the fifth day of the hearing.

Mr P. H. T. Alpers appears for Lewis, and Mr J. H. Dunn for the defendant. Mr Justice Macarthur is on the bench. The claim concerns an article in “Truth" on July 9 entitled “Russian Couple Live in Fear,” on the committal of Borodin, a Russian now living in Christchurch, to the Sunnyside Hospital as a mental patient. -Lewis, a 26-year-old psychopaedic nurse, claims that the article falsely alleges that he supplied false information to the authorities dealing with the application for Borodin’s committal and that his purpose was to persuade or scare Borodin and his wife to return to Russia against their wishes. The first witness for the defence was Charles Frederick Paddy, formerly foreman of the blacksmith shop at the Addington Workshops. He said that Borodin, who was under his control, had always appeared to be a very keen and energetic worker. When Lewis came to the workshops to see Borodin on the day of his committal he described himself as a psychologist, a welfare worker, and a part-time worker at Templeton Farm. He described Borodin as being mentally sick, the witness said. Luke Joseph Hickey Buckley. a blacksmith at the workshops, described Borodin as a very steady worker and a thorough gentleman at the shop. He said he did not notice anything strange in Borodin's behaviour. He was a union representative and Borodin had confided in him his troubles about interference with his mail, said the witness. Two other employees at the Addington Workshops said that Borodin was a good worker and popular among other employees. Ginther, a psychiatric nurse, said that he was born in Russia and left there in 1924. Until 1949 he lived in China and later worked in Australia before coming to New Zealand. After he came to

Christchurch he joined the ' N.Z.-U.S.S.R. Society because of his interest in Russian ! films. "I remained a member for two years and resigned in great disgust after the Borodin case.” Ginther said. In February, the witness said, Lewis got in touch with him and told him of abnor- 1 mailties in Borodin’s behaviour. The witness sa id he I agreed to assist, and discussed with Lewis, Lawden. and Mrs Borodin whether Borodin should be committed. Later they went to Dr. Moody’s surgery, where he 1 acted as interpreter for Mrs ' Borodin. He acted as inter-; preter only and did not him-| self offer any information to the doctor, as he did not! know Borodin well. Court Hearing Ginther said that he attended the Magistrate’s Court on the following day for the committal application. He heard no questions put to Mrs Borodin about her husband’s state of mind. The clerk at the court said that the person signing the application form had to have seen Borodin during the preceding three days, so Lewis had to go out to file workshops.] On the way to the Adding-1 ton workshops in the car,! Lewis said that Borodin was] a traitor, had collaborated with the Germans, and had ' made anti-Russian statements ■ at meetings of the N.Z.US.S.R. Society, and that he 1 deserved to be put away, i

Ginther said. These remarks were entirely spontaneous, and he was shocked to hear them. To Mr Alpers, Ginther said that he was a member of the Communist Party for one year in Australia. He said that he was forced into joining by propaganda and by the other members of the staff when he was working at the Callen Park Hospital in Sydney. Told by Mr Alpers that Mrs Borodin had complained of an assault by members of the N.Z.-USJSJI. Society who dragged her into their car before the visit to the doctor’s surgery, Ginther said that he had no knowledge of this. Lilian Irvine said that she had known the Borodins for about nine years, and lived close to them for some of this time. They were excitable I people and quick to change their moods. She had often heard seemingly violent arguments which quickly blew over. Further witnesses wiU give evidence for the defence when the case resumes on Monday.