Day 292 - 01 Nov 96 - Page 35
1 the economic imperialism page and the tropical rainforest
2 page or column. It is in that column, we believe, because
3 it does relate to the ultimate conclusion of major
4 ecological catastrophe and, if you like, wrecking the
5 planet.
6
7 Again I have already stated, when we were going through the
8 tropical forest meaning, that the fast food packaging
9 materials in the sentence above the bit with the
10 parentheses, we consider do not relate to McDonald's, just
11 as the pet food does not relate to McDonald's; it relates
12 to two of the many US corporations who are active in
13 Central America.
14
15 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Say that again. You need not say it about
16 pet food; I have your point about that and at some stage I
17 will ask Mr. Rampton whether he accepts that, for whatever
18 it is worth, if anything, pet food probably relates to some
19 other US corporation entirely. He may do, he may not, but
20 just leave that on one side.
21
22 MR. MORRIS: The point about the pet food is entirely
23 that ----
24
25 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not want you to tell me about that. I
26 understand your point on that.
27
28 MR. MORRIS: The point is that the pattern of mind of the
29 person writing this, this pamphlet, and the pattern of mind
30 of the reader, would see, as soon as they read the word
31 "pet food", that the whole thing has been broadened out
32 beyond McDonald's and Burger King.
33
34 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not follow that at the moment. It says
35 burgers, which clearly relate to the two named of the US
36 corporations - pet food may not - comma, and to fast food
37 packaging materials which is one of the first things you
38 would think of when you thought of McDonald's and
39 Burger King, who are the only two named US corporations.
40 And then in parentheses, you say it is an aside, but it
41 goes straight on to refer to McDonald's and their fibbing
42 about recycled paper.
43
44 So, I mean, I have to say it looks to me as plain as a
45 pikestaff that fast food packaging draws in McDonald's, but
46 if you have a particular argument, say so.
47
48 MR. MORRIS: I mean, I have said my argument really. I think
49 there is no ----
50
51 MR. JUSTICE BELL: One has to accept it is a fact of life that
52 there are some things about which any judge is going to
53 form a strong, pretty instantaneous "provisional" view as
54 the evidence comes out, whatever anyone says to him.
55
56 MR. MORRIS: I will not spend too much ----
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: There are an awful lot of issues where he is
59 greatly helped by comment on both sides, but some of
60 them.... Anyway, is there anything more you want to say
