Day 136 - 16 Jun 95 - Page 29


     
     1        sooner one knows that either of the parties would like to
     2        do it, the earlier enquiries can be made -- that there were
     3        witnesses of yours who were available in late September and
     4        not at another time or it would be difficult to call them
     5        at another time, you must say so as soon as possible.
     6
     7   MR. RAMPTON:  I said what I did, my Lord, because I think I had
     8        understood your Lordship to say at some stage that this
     9        year your Lordship was intending, other things being equal,
    10        not to sit at all during the long vacation.
    11
    12   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No, that was my intention.  I am quite
    13        willing to sit, I would like to restrict it to the second
    14        half of September.  Apart from, hopefully, having something
    15        of a break, I am sure everyone can use some of the time, or
    16        quite a lot of the time probably between the end of July
    17        and the middle of September working on the case, and that
    18        includes me.
    19
    20        But I am keen to get on with the case.  I would be willing
    21        to sit, provided appropriate arrangements could be made in
    22        the second half of September.  If any party has a
    23        particular reason for wanting to do that so that a
    24        particular witness or witnesses, for instance, can be
    25        heard, I would like them to say as soon as possible.
    26
    27        I mean, if any of the employment witnesses are students,
    28        for instance, who will be returning to studies at the end
    29        of September or the beginning of October, I would certainly
    30        be willing, provided it is not impossible for the other
    31        party, the opposing party, to dispose of them.  Right.  Is
    32        there anything else or shall we resume on Monday morning?
    33
    34   MR. MORRIS:  Regarding the summer break which, obviously, we
    35        certainly would hope to have the full break, but my son is
    36        off school in the last week of July and, specifically,
    37        I was hoping to take him to a camp which starts on the
    38        Wednesday which would be the last week of our planned
    39        term.
    40
    41        I would be prepared to come back earlier a few days before
    42        the first week in October to compensate, if that was
    43        appropriate, in order to ensure finishing on the Tuesday in
    44        the last week of July which would kill two birds with one
    45        stone, so to speak, because he is off school and there is
    46        something specific I would like him to go to, so maybe
    47        Plaintiffs can bear that in mind.
    48
    49   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I think you should raise that again when we
    50        are doing scheduling.  If it appears to me that there is an 
    51        argument for finishing earlier this term than would 
    52        otherwise be, that would be a very strong reason in my mind 
    53        for us starting early in the autumn.  Mr. Rampton, is there
    54        any difficulty, so far as you personally are concerned,
    55        with starting -----
    56
    57   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, it would depend, for me personally, only
    58        the matter of a holiday.  I hope to be back in London
    59        full-time from, I think it is about, 17th September.  So,
    60        if we are talking about a few days added on at the front of

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