SCIENTOLOGY COMMISSION CONCLUDES HEARING

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31976, 1 May 1969, Page 26

SCIENTOLOGY COMMISSION CONCLUDES HEARING

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 30. Scientology’s methods of dispute could not possibly be the cause or sole reason for the estrangement between Erin O’Donnell and her parents, counsel assisting the Commission of Inquiry in Scientology, Mr G. S. Orr, said today.

Mr Orr said it was for the commission to determine, however, whether the Scientologists’ suppression order against the O’Donnells and the actions which resulted in a disconnection notice from Erin contributed to the family estrangement. He was speaking at the final day of the commission’s hearing which had resumed in Wellington after an adjournment in Auckland. Members of the commission, which is expected to announce a tentative date for its report in about a month, are the Ombudsman (Sir Guy Powles) and Mr E. V. Dumbleton.

The commission ended its inquiry about 2.30 p.m.. after having spent slightly more than three hours in hearing evidence and addresses from counsel. The assistant-guardian of Scientology in New Zealand, Joan Mary Hort, made' a brief appearance in the witness box to produce a folder of documents for the commission.

Mr F. H. Haigh and Mr R. A. Adams-Smith represented the Scientology movement, and Mr K. Ryan appeared for the O’Donnell family.

In his address to the commissio- on behalf of the

movement, Mr Haigh maintained. that all the family estrangements mentioned by witnesses could be traced to factors which had nothing to do with Scientology. He accused Mr and Mrs O’Donnell and relatives of “gangsterism” and “attempted kidnapping” and described Mrs O’Donnell as the amazon of the family and instigator of the campaign against the movement in New Zealand. Mr Ryan said the O’Donnells were “ordinary, decent parents who had had the- misfortune to lose two of their children.” “Because of the hurt caused, one can understand Mrs O’Donnell pursuing this matter to see that justice is done,” he said. There had been ample evidence which had showed pressure bad been placed on both parents, not in an acceptable way, but with a certain nastiness, My Ryan said. Mr Orr said Erin had cut off not only her father and mother, but an aunt, Mrs Whiting, by. a means, which caused distress to the recipient “It is for the commission to decide what effect a disconnection notice would have on a family already under distress," he said. It was important for the commission to bear in mind not just, the question -whether the Scientology organisation

was responsible for a child or young person leaving home. “The question is rather whether its efforts have caused or contributed to estrangements,” he said. “The mere physical parting does not normally or even generally imply an estrangement. “If parents objected to a child over 16 adhering to a particular faith or belief they could do nothing about it," said Mr Orr. "If the child chose to live away from home to pursue this religion or faith, the parents could again do nothing.”

While in law the parents were guardians of a child till the age of 21, they lost effective control when the child became over the age of 16, he said.

Mr Orr said it seemed the title “Church of Scientology of California” was used only when Scientology was being attacked. “Certainly when one comes to consider the organisation chart and chain of command which has been produced by Lady Hott, the Church of Scientology of California may not be more than a legal entity,” he said. Mr Orr said there appeared to be three chains of command in the New Zealand organisation. The first was through an assistant guardian who was responsible to a guardian in England apnointed by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder, himself. These appeared to be nothing to do with the board of directors of Scientology In California, said Mr Orr. Then there was the executive council of the organisation in New Zealand which was subject to the direction of a counterpart in England which included three of the directors of the church in California. Finally, there was a person known as the communicator who was either appointed by a communicator in England or by Hubbard himself. This person issued policy directives from Hubbard in New

Zealand and saw that they were carried but. “It may have been helpful if the New Zealand communicator hadbeen called to give evidence, but we were never told who he was. Mr Orr said there was evidence to show that from time to time pressures of various kinds had been placed on critics of Scientology, or those who had incurred the displeasure of Scientologists. There had been no disavowal of the Scientology directive to investigate such persons and disclose their crimes, he said.

Mr Orr described as “particularly heartless” letters which had been sent to Mrs O’Donnell and Mrs Whiting by a Mr Vernon Linklater, and said he felt that legislation should be enacted to stop such letters being sent in future.