Day 001 - 28 Jun 94 - Page 28


     
     1        the media for their information will recognise that
              McDonald's do not destroy the world's rain forests, they
     2        do not lay waste the environment by the over use of the
              world's resources, they do not endanger their customers'
     3        health by the food they sell, they do not exploit the
              young people, women and black people, whom they employ.
     4
              On the contrary, the plaintiffs hope that it will finally
     5        be recognised and remembered whenever McDonald's name is
              used by the media or public at large that McDonald's have
     6        never been responsible, directly or indirectly, for the
              destruction of a single rainforest tree; that they have a
     7        record awareness and responsibility in the use of
              resources of which they can be justly proud; that they
     8        sell food which as part of a balanced diet is both
              nutritious and singularly free from any kind of health
     9        risk and that they take exceptional care to ensure their
              employees are properly paid, free from the risk of injury,
    10        above all, perhaps, granted equality of opportunity to
              which, as human beings, they are entitled whatever their
    11        gender or ethnic origin.
 
    12        My Lord there is, so the plaintiffs say, an urgent need
              for the resolution of these issues.  The reasons are
    13        these:  First, my Lord, this leaflet and similar material
              has been distributed throughout the world.  Your Lordship
    14        has seen the defendants' own claims to that effect.  There
              are literally hundreds of leaflets in the two first pink
    15        bundles, 1 and 1B.  There are the group's own boasts that
              the leaflet complained of has been used over the world,
    16        and the repeated invitation (which I have drawn to your
              Lordship's attention) to readers of subsequent leaflets to
    17        copy them and use them for their own purposes.
 
    18        My Lord, following that, there are many recent
              publications affirming the truth of the words complained
    19        of and threatening to continue publication.  Only
              yesterday outside the High Court in the Strand the
    20        defendants were, or causing others, to distribute copies
              of a leaflet which I would like your Lordship to see.  It
    21        is already in your Lordship's bundle.  It is the last
              document in the main tab 1 of the pink bundle 1B.
    22
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Tab?
    23
         MR. RAMPTON:  It has a tab.  It is the last document before
    24        B2.  184 is the last tab.  It is the last document in that
              tab.  I will not read this out for the reason I gave
    25        before.  If your Lordship will forgive me, I would ask
              your Lordship just to read it.  I preface that by saying 
    26        three things about it:  In some areas it is rather more 
              guarded than some of the earlier material, perhaps for 
    27        reasons your Lordship will understand.  It mentions,
              however, an allegation which has not been made publicly
    28        before about methane and it contains at the end of it the
              injunction:  "Talk to friends and family, neighbours and
    29        workmates about these issues.  Please copy and circulate
              this leaflet as widely as you can".  That was on 27th July
    30        1984.  Perhaps your Lordship will indicate when you have
              read that document?

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