Day 198 - 08 Dec 95 - Page 40


     
     1        stores, for instance, Bath and you should not be reluctant
     2        (and, indeed, Mr. Morris, I do not think you have been), to
     3        discard witnesses in relation to individual stores unless
     4        you think they really add to the impact of your case on
     5        employment.
     6
     7   MR. RAMPTON:  There is quite a lot of leeway so far as the
     8        schedule is concerned, because, as your Lordship will
     9        remember, though I respectfully agree with your Lordship
    10        that it is highly desirable we finish Colchester off at the
    11        beginning of next term, I had then scheduled Bath to be
    12        dealt with the next two days of which -- it may start after
    13        your Lordship comes back because your Lordship has two days
    14        off doing something else, I think, in January, 18th and
    15        19th I have got down.  After that there are three weeks to
    16        fit in Bath, or the remains of Bath, and any other
    17        employment witnesses.  In fact, it goes through to 14th
    18        February because your Lordship gave those three days, 12th,
    19        13th and 14th, as I wrote down "allowance for overrun".
    20        Then there are five days off for Mr. Morris' half term and
    21        preparation for rainforest and we do not start Mr.  ------
    22
    23   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I said that that might be three days if the
    24        12th, 13th and 14th, or some of those days, were
    25        preparation days as well.
    26
    27   MR. RAMPTON:  Yes.  My Lord, I am not suggesting this is written
    28        in stone.  The only thing we have done, written in stone,
    29        is Mr. Cesca on 22nd February, but that does leave plenty
    30        of time to polish off employment.  But, as I say, what we
    31        need to know is when the Defendants propose calling their
    32        witnesses and, indeed, which witnesses so that we can
    33        organise our own evidence.
    34
    35   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.  Mr. Morris and Ms. Steel, I am
    36        certainly not giving any kind of direction today, even if
    37        I had power to do it, but unless you say a week today that
    38        you are going to call someone you will not be able to, all
    39        I am doing is encouraging you to reach a decision on that
    40        day so that matters can be scheduled more easily after the
    41        Christmas break.
    42
    43   MS. STEEL:   I think, I mean, if I can just say, we want to
    44        schedule our witnesses and Mr. Morris, in particular, is
    45        trying to do it so I do not why Mr. Rampton has to moan so
    46        much.
    47
    48   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Let us say no more about that now.  Just
    49        pause a moment.  Are there any other matters because -----
    50 
    51   MR. RAMPTON:  Unless your Lordship would like me to suggest a 
    52        possible agenda for next Friday, but I can easily leave 
    53        that over.
    54
    55   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What I think the best -- have you made a list
    56        of the topics you think should be dealt with on -----
    57
    58   MR. MORRIS:  Not yet, no.
    59
    60   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No.  What I suggest is we break off now.

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