SUPPRESSION OF NAMES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 187, 11 August 1941, Page 6

SUPPRESSION OF NAMES

NOT IN PUBLIC INTEREST VIEW OF CHIEF .11 STH E, Wellington, Aug. 9. “This suppressing of names can be carried to excess, and when it goes beyond certain limits it is contrary to the public interest and it is not in the public interest," said the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in the Supreme Court, Wellington, when counsel in domestic proceedings on appeal referred to a person concerned in the eass as "Mr. X.” His Honour said that counsel might ask the newspapers to suppress the name, but H was on the papers before the Court and he would not make an order for suppression. “Names, generally speaking, are suppressed in the public interest,” His Honour continued. "If an innocent person, for instance, is named in proceedings it would be a monstrous thing in both the interests of that person and in the interests of the public that the name should be per-j mitted abroad and that person scandalised, hut 1 do not see any reason where a person actually behaves contra bonos mores, that his name should be suppressed." His Honour directed counsel to refer to the man by name during the proceedings.