Day 278 - 11 Jul 96 - Page 49
1 have a different view to your own, or when I give judgment
2 that I do have a different view to your own (notice the
3 "if"), it is too late to give evidence then.
4
5 MR. MORRIS: I understand that, yes.
6
7 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But you appreciate that, I am sure. All I
8 propose to do then is, unless there are other things you
9 want to say, is not say any more about that.
10
11 MR. MORRIS: No.
12
13 MR. JUSTICE BELL: But first thing in the morning when we come
14 back, I will ask you what your decision is. And if your
15 decision is that you propose to give evidence, I will ask
16 you to give evidence then, start giving your evidence
17 tomorrow morning.
18
19 MR. MORRIS: Right. Yes, I mean obviously if as is likely I do
20 not give evidence, then there are obviously some bits and
21 pieces to clear up before we break for preparations for
22 closing speeches. One of the things that we want to make
23 our application to join the inquiry agents as defendants in
24 this action as third parties and we have someone who is
25 advising us on this. He is prepared to make the
26 application for us. Because the original last appropriate
27 date would seem to be the 18th, which would have been the
28 last day after all the evidence, he has actually set that
29 aside to make the application on the 18th, which I think is
30 next Thursday. So I was wondering whether I can confirm
31 that with him, whether that would be acceptable to make
32 that application then. Obviously, we will want to give the
33 plaintiffs 24 hours at least, as we have said that we
34 would.
35
36 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I think you should try and do better than
37 that. This is all on the assumption that you do not give
38 evidence. If you do give evidence then I do not have any
39 problem with the 18th. If you come back tomorrow and say
40 that you do not wish to give evidence and then we have a
41 bit of discussion about whatever it is you would like to
42 talk about, then it is only six days to the 18th. But
43 notwithstanding it is only six days, I would much rather
44 the application be made before then if it possibly can be.
45 So I would like you to get on to whoever may make the
46 application on your behalf.
47
48 Mr. Rampton, there is no objection, formal objection
49 to counsel or solicitor making the application is there?
50
51 MR. RAMPTON: No.
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I have certainly no objection, any more than
54 I had when --
55
56 MR. RAMPTON: Mr. Hall came
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Mr. Peter Hall came, yes.
59
60 MR. RAMPTON: I did not make an objection then and I do not make
