Day 073 - 13 Jan 95 - Page 02
1 Friday, 13th January 1995.
2
3 MR. MORRIS: Unfortunately, we have mislaid some copies of
4 documents, but I do have originals so I will try to
5 organise a system for the Plaintiffs to have all the copies
6 of all documents. I will call Mr. Hopkins.
7
8 PETER THEODORE FRANCIS HOPKINS, Affirmed.
9 Examined by the Defendants
10
11 MR. MORRIS: Can you give your full name and address, please?
12 A. Yes, Peter Theodore Francis Hopkins. My address is
13 Newbridge Lodge, Dulverton, Somerset, UK.
14
15 Q. Can you speak slowly and loudly so that it can be
16 recorded? Is it true you are an independent environmental
17 researcher?
18 A. Yes, it is true.
19
20 Q. What are the issues you primarily work on?
21 A. I am particularly concerned with the destruction and
22 degradation of natural native forests and their growth in
23 the coniferous regions.
24
25 Q. You say in your statement "boreal forest". Can you explain
26 that, what they are?
27 A. Boreal forest is what you might call the pine forests
28 and fir forests in the north, northern hemisphere, the kind
29 of place where Father Christmas comes from, you might say;
30 places like northern Canada, northern Sweden, Finland,
31 Russia, Siberia, very north of Scotland.
32
33 MR. RAMPTON: May I make an intervention, which I hope will be
34 helpful? As matters presently stand, and having thought
35 carefully about the contents of Mr. Hopkins' written
36 statement, and having looked again at what was put to
37 Mr. Mallinson in cross-examination, so far as the written
38 statements are concerned, there are no matters upon which,
39 as presently advised, I should wish to cross-examine
40 Mr. Hopkins for reasons which, at the end of the case,
41 I will make clear to your Lordship if they are not already
42 clear on the face of the documents and the evidence.
43
44 If there are any other matters beyond what is in the
45 statement about which Ms. Steel and Mr. Morris should wish
46 to ask Mr. Hopkins, then by all means let them do so, so
47 that it may be then I should think of some question I want
48 to put to him. As matters presently stand, I see no
49 purpose on my cross-examining him on the contents of his
50 written statement.
51
52 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What I suggest you do is there are two
53 aspects for you to consider when you have got a detailed
54 statement which has been disclosed, such as that of
55 Mr. Hopkins which I have read through more than once, you
56 can, as you know, as happened in the past, take that
57 statement as read. We can follow the usual -----
58
59 MR. MORRIS: I was intending to do that.
60
