Adjudication No. 867 (June 1996) [1996] APC 41

ADJUDICATION No. 867 (June 1996)

The Press Council dismisses a complaint by C F S Corner against an article in The Courier[Dhatch]Mail on 16 March 1996 headed "DAY OF SHAME" written by Professor Ross Fitzgerald about a Trades and Labour protest march on St Patrick's Day 1948.

Mr Corner, a former police officer, complains that nowhere in his article did Prof Fitzgerald make it clear that the march was illegal. Therefore, when instructed by their superiors to use batons to control the march, the police present were entitled to do so.

Prof Fitzgerald's article is more about the unfortunate bashing of a Communist member of Parliament, Fred Patterson. The article said Mr Patterson, who was not participating in the march, was hit from behind by a police officer who was never charged.

Prof Fitzgerald has researched and written extensively on Fred Patterson and his version of events has been supported by Bill Hayden in his recently published autobiography.

Mr Corner also complains that a letter to the editor of The Courier[Dhatch]Mail on the article was not published. However, The Courier[Dhatch]Mail points out a letter from Mr Corner, containing the same information and opinion, had been published the previous October.