A Question Of Treason

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 1

A Question Of Treason

(N Z Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 26. A question regarding the definition of treason with reference to the activities of the Medical Aid Committee for South Vietnamese Peoples (N.L.F.) was asked in Parliament today.

The Attorney-General (Mr Hanan) was asked by Mr D Maclntyre (Govt., Hastings) whether he would investigate the activities of the commit tee to ascertain whether they came within the definition of section 73 of the Crimes Act. 1961, which deals with treason.

Section 73 (c) of the act is concerned with a person who “assists an enemy at war with New Zealand or any

armed forces against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities, whether or not a state of war exists between New Zealand and any other country,” while section 73 (f) of the act is concerned with conspiracy “with any person to do anything mentioned in this section.” The Attorney-General said that at present it was clear there was no enemy with which New Zealand was at war within the meaning of section 73 of the act. He said that the term “armed forces” was not precise and raised the question of whether or not it included the political organisation controlling and administering those armed forces. DESTINATION

The actual destination and method of application of the moneys raised by the committee were not stated on the

subscription sheets, although an information leaflet said it was hoped to raise £3OOO as the minimum to consist of a medical team of one doctor and two nurses. “The letters N.L.F. stand for National Liberation Front, which is undoubtedly the political organisation which controls the Viet Cong,” said Mr Hanan. “But as these and certain other questions relating to the activities of this organisation are at present being explored and considered, I am unable to take the matter further at this time.” Dr. Finlay (Opp., Waitakere), in a supplementary question, asked Mr Hanan if he could readily conceive that any medical aid to people generally in need of it would be found to be treason by any court in New Zealand. Mr Hanan said in law that

could be held as assisting the enemy.

Dr. Finlay than asked Mr Hanan if, as Attorney-Gen-eral, he would authorise a prosecution for treason where the facts were that medical aid was given to an individual or body genuinelyneeding medical care. Mr Hanan: All 1 can say on the evidence before me at the present time is that I would not authorise a prosecution. “Clearly, however, there are armed forces in Vietnam against which New Zealand forces are engaged in hostilities,” said Mr Hanan. “To assist those armed forces would be treason, and, further, for two or more persons to agree together to carry out a common design, that is, to conspire to give such assistance would also be treason." PUBLIC APPEAL Earlier Mr G. G. Grieve (Govt., Awarua) asked the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) if he was aware that a public appeal was now being conducted throughout New Zealand on behalf of the committee.

' He also asked the Prime Minister if he could indicate whether any assistance which might be given would be available to all those people in South Vietnam who might be “the subject of communist aggression and terror.”

The Prime Minister said he was aware of the appeal and quoted the committee as staling: “This aid will be used without discrimination to all victims in the areas administered by the South Vietnamese National Liberation Front."

“The National Liberation Front,” Mr Holyoake said, “was, of course, the Communist Viet Cong," and it did not “administer" more than a fraction of the people of South Vietnam. “Aid to the National Liberation Front will assist the Communist Viet Cong," the Prime Minister said. “There are many channels available to those who are concerned at the suffering caused by this war.”