Contempt Ruling On Clenched Fists

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32386, 27 August 1970, Page 15

Contempt Ruling On Clenched Fists

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, August 26. Clenched fist salutes were associated with philosophies and attitudes which had consistently denied the rule of law, the New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled in Sydney today. The three-man Court was giving its reasons for dis-

missing appeals by six men against'their convictions and imprisonment for contempt of Court. The men were sentenced to 14 days gaol after appearing in a Magistrate’s Court on August 7 on charges of tres-pass-arising out of a demonstration the previous day at the home of the Australian Attorney-General, Mr Thomas Hughes.

In their judgment today, the justices said each had, evidently by pre-arrange-ment, raised his left arm with the hand or fist clenched before the Magistrate. They had denied ahy intention to disturb the peace of the Court and had claimed the gestures were limited to “symbolic considerations." Judges Asprey, Holmes and Mason said that the Magistrate was entitled to regard the actions as gestures of defiance to the authority of his Court. Clenched hands had been in the past and could be still associated with philosophies and attitudes which had consistently denied the rule of law, the Judges said. The rule of law formed the basis of a truly democratic society. Krushchev’s Health Kremlin hospital doctors planned to release the former Prime Minister, Mr Nikita Khrushchev, yesterday after nearly three months of care for a heart ailment But they postponed the release for a few days at the last minute, members of Mr Khrushchev’s family said. The doctors decided they wished to run some final checks on his health. The doctors said the change of plans was no reflection on the state of Mr Khrushchev’s health, which the family says is hale and hearty for a man of his 76 years.—Moscow, August 26.