acting "very heavy-handedly'' after a gagging order was issued against the newspaper.

Ann Frith Cartwright said she was angry that Solicitor General William Pearce told her yesterday that she was also in contempt of court for acting as a lawyer for the newspaper.

"This is getting like Alice in Wonderland. He told me I was in contempt of court for doing my job,'' she said.

"As far as I am concerned these are very heavy-handed tactics and I take grave exception to being told that I, as a legal representative, was in contempt of court.'' Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans secured an injunction against the newspaper at Supreme Court on Thursday which was served by Mr. Pearce and Crown solicitor Philip Perinchief at 9 p.m. that night.

The injunction prevents the newspaper from reporting on the contents of memoranda from Mr. Pearce to the Attorney General.

The newspaper ran a blank space where the story would have appeared yesterday.

Because the injunction was obtained ex parte , the Mid-Ocean News was not given the opportunity to challenge the application or find out the basis of the move.

The newspaper has the right to challenge the injunction in Supreme Court and Ms Cartwright said it was considering what to do next.

She said: "This afternoon I did, upon request, get a copy of the summons and supporting affidavit, which I'll be considering.'' Lawyer slams gagging order Mr. Pearce told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "The injunction is based on the fact that these were private memos between myself and the Attorney General.

"It is Crown property and we were deprived of this property improperly. It would appear that whoever provided the paper with the documents did so improperly.

"The newspaper did not have any authorisation for the possession or use of those memos.

"The memos contained privileged and confidential information and we are entitled to go to the courts and ask for a restraint in the use of unauthorised documents.

"I am not aware that it was done improperly at all, but today their lawyer did communicate with me and I provided the lawyer with the documents upon which the documents were served.'' NEWSPAPER NJ