Day 050 - 10 Nov 94 - Page 48
1 MR. MORRIS: We were going to make the point that originally, I
2 think, the plan was that that week would be spare and not
3 used as evidence, in which case we could have three clear
4 weeks break for preparation and whatever. We would
5 certainly be requesting that rather than eating into that
6 part of it.
7
8 MR. JUSTICE BELL: It may be. If I stick to Friday,
9 16th December, the only alternative is to make it earlier
10 which you probably would not welcome. If you know you are
11 expected to do it by Friday, 16th December and you think
12 you are running into trouble, you do not have to wait until
13 16th December to mention it. You can mention it before
14 then and we can consider the situation. The same applies
15 as far as the McDonald's affidavits is concerned. But I
16 think if I put a date on it, everyone has something to aim
17 at.
18
19 MR. MORRIS: Yes, I think that is sensible. It is just, with
20 respect, I think the point I was making about when the
21 evidence actually finishes before the Christmas break, we
22 would like the evidence to finish on Friday, 16th.
23
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Let us wait and see how we go on.
25
26 MR. RAMPTON: Perhaps Mr. Morris does not understand or does not
27 know, rather, that, in fact, strictly speaking, the January
28 term does not begin until Wednesday, 11th.
29
30 MS. STEEL: I did actually try and ask when we were starting
31 again in January.
32
33 MR. RAMPTON: I know you did. I have now answered it.
34
35 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I had wondered whether we would be able to
36 start before the beginning of term, but I am not pressing
37 that on anyone.
38
39 MR. RAMPTON: No, but by that route one could shift it around
40 one way or the other.
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: If we break before the end of the term,
43 I would be inclined to start early before the beginning of
44 the next. It is always easier just to stick to normal
45 terms in vacations unless there is a very good reason for
46 doing it for administrative reasons.
47
48 MR. RAMPTON: There is one good reason to stick to it, and that
49 is that the legal vacations tend to coincide with the
50 academic vacations. I have two academics witnesses fixed
51 for Monday, 19th and Tuesday, 20th December.
52
53 MR. JUSTICE BELL: One way or another, there will be a three
54 week break at Christmas.
55
56 We will resume at 10.30 on Monday, hoping to hear
57 Miss Dibb's evidence if she feels well enough to give it.
58
59 (The court adjourned until Monday 13th November 1994)
60
