Day 273 - 03 Jul 96 - Page 30

     
     1        been unable to trace specific evidence concerning the
     2        connection with McDonald's and the raising of beef on
     3        former rainforests.  2, we are willing to concede that by
     4        common usage the words "murder "  and "torture" are not yet
     5        widely used in connection with the killing of animals
     6        (although by our standards this is indeed the case), and we
     7        regret any embarrassment suffered by McDonald's Hamburgers
     8        Limited due to this statement.  To be signed an dated by
     9        Veggies Limited", and then it is signed by the solicitors
    10        there.  And did you publish that statement?
    11        A.   Yes, this statement was published.
    12
    13   Q.   And was it published?
    14        A.   Veggies itself does not have, or did not have, a
    15        magazine.  The nearest equivalent sort of publication we
    16        could find was a sort of network newsletter that was
    17        actually produced by the animal rights group but the group
    18        is a confederation of all the different organisations in
    19        Nottingham involved in, sort of, likeminded issues and so
    20        retraction was published in that publication and copies
         sent, I believe, to the solicitors.
    22
    23   Q.   And were other like-minded groups made aware of this whole
    24        process you had gone through?
    25
    26   MR. RAMPTON:  Well...
    27
    28   MR. MORRIS:  It is the key question.
    29
    30   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is not.  You have spread it very broadly
    31        and if you read to the end of the statement it is very
    32        tersely and clearly set out.
    33
    34   MR. MORRIS:  Okay.
    35
    36   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Directed at London Greenpeace, which is what
    37        you want rather than all the other groups.
    38
    39   MR. MORRIS:  Okay.
    40
    MR. JUSTICE BELL:  So what I suggest you do is--
    42        A.   Carry on with the statement, perhaps.
    43
    44   MR. MORRIS:  Yes, I will carry on reading the statement.
    45
    46   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.
    47
    48   MR. MORRIS:  Carrying on reading: "We now understand that
    49        McDonald's have changed their position on this issue
    50        admitting that at the time of the alleged libel they had
    51        been using beef from rainforest areas, ex-rainforest areas
    52        though claiming that the land had been cleared at some time
    53        in the past and not directly by them.  Veggies Limited had
    54        therefore been pressed by McDonald's to make a statement
    55        that was not true.  Veggies Limited also agreed to state
    56        that "by common usage the words 'murder' and 'torture' are
    57        not yet widely used in the killing of animals."  The agreed
    58        statement did however accept that by the standards of
    59        Veggies Limited "this is indeed the case."  Throughout the
    60        period of correspondence between Veggies Limited and