CONTEMPT OF COURT

Evening Star, Issue 23560, 26 April 1940, Page 6

CONTEMPT OF COURT

COMMENT BEFORE TRIAL • PEOPLE’S VOICE ' PUBLISHER TO PAY TEN GUINEAS COSTS [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 26. Donald M'Carthy, the printer and publisher of ‘ The People’s Voice,’ a weekly newspaper, appeared before Mr Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court on a motion for committal for contempt of court in that he caused to be published on March 29 and subsequent dates in two issues of ‘ The People’s Voice’ comment coiv rning prosecutions against five me*. which prosecutions were not tried until April 12, which comment was contempt of the Magistrate’s Court inasmuch as, at the time of publication, it was calculated to prejudice, obstruct, and interfere with the due administration of justice. Mr V. R. Meredith and Mr N. I. Smith appeared for the Crown, and Mr J. Hogben for the defendant. Mr Hogben said the defendant admitted the offence and offered a sincere apology. The passages in the first issue of the paper were intended to be a campaign for funds. After hearing counsel, His Honour said he had no doubt there had been gross contempt calculated to inilucnce the course of justice. Mr Hogben had Said the offence occurred through ignorance of the law, and defendant had given an apology. There was no proof to the contrary, and he did not think it a case for imprisonment, or indeed for an exemplary fine. Justice would be done by issuing a warning to defendant that any further offence of a like kind would bring heavy punishment from the court, and ordering h:m to pay costs, 10 guineas.