Day 107 - 24 Mar 95 - Page 79


     
     1        residues.
     2
     3   Q.   But that is in a vegetable which is grown ------
     4        A.  Please bear with me.  The whole point is that the
     5        crystallization comes -- it also shows, as I suspected
     6        elsewhere, that the techniques are faulty in meat.  It was
     7        only last week I and my colleague became aware of a report
     8        which the government has been holding back for over a year,
     9        and we were agitating and I became aware of some of the
    10        contents of it, and I am increasingly becoming more and
    11        more concerned.  Of course, this trial tends to focus one's
    12        minds.  I did not strictly expect to be heavily burdened
    13        with discussing pesticides.  I suppose, really  -----
    14
    15   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Mr. North, what I would like to know is when
    16        you first reached the view that there was positive evidence
    17        of pesticide residues in meat for human consumption in this
    18        country, not your reserve about whether it was or the
    19        extent detectable, the positive evidence that it was there?
    20        A.  Well, I have always known it.  It was there to a very
    21        small amount -- to put in a framework, I had not really
    22        taken the time or thought to form an opinion.  I have been
    23        out there collecting a lot of evidence on issues entirely
    24        unrelated to this trial.  Very recently doing an awful lot
    25        of work on it, even up to Wednesday where I spent my whole
    26        time interviewing or listening to, I set up a meeting of
    27        victims, alleged victims, and in fact that almost certainly
    28        influenced my discussions with the Defendants the night
    29        before the trial.  It was very much on my mind that evening
    30        having spent the whole day talking about it and hearing
    31        papers on this, on pesticide related issues.  That itself
    32        crystallized my thought as to form an opinion.
    33
    34   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, those are all the questions I have at the
    35        moment.
    36
    37   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.  Thank you, Mr. North.
    38
    39                       (The witness withdrew).
    40
    41        I would like to be helped in due course as to when it is
    42        thought Mr. North might come back.  It will depend on when
    43        he can manage to draft a further statement on the two
    44        topics really which he has kindly offered to do so.  For
    45        the time being, we are going on to Miss Druce on Monday
    46        morning, are we?
    47
    48   MR. MORRIS:  Yes.  Can we clarify what we are able to talk about
    49        with Mr. North between now and the next time he gives
    50        evidence, completes his evidence? 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Pesticides you can.  What else is it that you 
    53        would -- pesticide residues you can.  What other topics are
    54        there which you might want to?
    55
    56   MR. MORRIS:  Are there any matters relating to the Preston or is
    57        that matter for -----
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, that as well.  You can talk to him,
    60        unless Mr. Rampton says otherwise, as far as I am concerned

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