SECURITY POLICY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31188, 12 October 1966, Page 18

SECURITY POLICY

Statement Sought

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Oct. 11. A statement of policy from the Government on the role of the Security Service in New Zealand in order to placate public uneasiness was urgently required, said the president of the New Zealand University Students’ Association, Mr R. S. Mountain, tonight. Mr Mountain said the issue in the recent LaurensonBoshier security incident at Victoria University had not been raised by the students for its own sake. The aim of the disclosure was at no stage the discrediting of the Government, the National Party, the Prime Minister’s secretary or the Security Service, he said.

“What is being pointed up is the very simple principle basic to a democracy such as New Zealand’s, that the Security Service should be concerned only with matters which involve national security,” he said.

The public was uneasy over, and suspicious of, the nature of security activities but much of the criticism that had been levelled at the service itself, appeared to be misdirected, he said. It seemed the major fault lay rather with the system under which the service operated.

“We must therefore seek clarification as to the terms of reference of the service and the channels and authority through, and with which access to, security information may be gained,” he said.