Court disrupters warned

Press, 21 December 1981, Page 6

Court disrupters warned

PA Auckland The Minister of Justice (Mr McLay) is concerned about what he regards as obviously concerted efforts by certain protest groups to make a mockery of court proceedings in which they were involved.

Mr McLay outlined his attitude to court behaviour after being told of a Press Association report of the continued interruption of a court hearing at Kawakawa. According to the report, from Whangarei, the first of the District Court hearings relating to protests staged on the Waitangi national marae in February has left in its wake a series of precedents in terms of court protocol and behaviour.

Mr McLay, who had been unaware of the incidents, echoed the sentiments of Chief District Court Judge Sullivan.

Judge Sullivan said there was an orchestrated plan by certain people to disrupt justice in New Zealand.

Judge Sullivan, who is in charge of District Courts, said he knew that the first day of hearings over Waitangi marae protests had been disrupted. He made inquiries about those disrup-

tions but’was unaware there hadbeen • further trouble after the hearing was moved from Kaikohe to Kawakawa. He , said he would make inquiries of the Kawakawa judge, Judge Paul. Mr JJcLay said, “I will obtain a report as to what happened but it does not seem to be a matter upon which I can make any comment because it falls essentially within the jurisdiction, of the presiding judge. “About two months ago, in response to reported behaviour in the District Court at Rotorua at a hearing .of depositions in respect of charges brought against Springbok tour protesters, I indicated that if the behaviour reported to me continued I would exercise a power given to me as AttorneyGeneral to lay the charges indictably, thus avoiding the sort of situation that was developing on that occasion. “I would hope that the indication of my attitude, together with that given by Chief Judge Sullivan, would be understood by everybody,” Mr McLay said that if charges were laid indictably the cases concerned would go straight to a jury without the .hearing of depositions.