Police given document

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 14

Police given document

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, May 20. The confidential Cabinet paper which led to a search of the home of Dr O. R. W. Sutherland at the weekend was in the hands of the police tonight.

The paper was handed to Detective Superintendent B. Wilkinson at the Auckland Central Police Station shortly after mid-day today, by Mr D. R. Lange, a lawyer acting on behalf of Dr Sutherland.

Mr Lange said tonight that Dr Sutherland was with him when he handed the document to Superintendent Wilkinson.

Superintendent Wilkinson left Auckland for Wellington during the afternoon, and is expected to meet the Commissioner of Police (Sir Angus Sharp) tomorrow morning. Dr Sutherland had no comment today on a statement by the Minister of Justice (Dr Finlay) that a search of Dr Sutherland’s home on Saturday, and police inquiries, had been carried out under the Official Secrets Act after Dr Sutherland had said he had the secret paper, a document relating to the proposed duty solictor scheme.

“I am neither confirming nor denying what the material is,” said Dr Sutherland ‘‘But I certainly stand by mv statement that it is in connection with materia) directly relating to material contained in A.C.O.R.D.’s written submissions to the Select Committee on the Children and Young Persons Bill last month.”

The Auckland Council for Civil Liberties today said that if the Government had evidence that Dr Sutherland had stolen a secret Cabinet memorandum, “he can and should be prosecuted.” “Instead, it appears the Government is using the Official Secrets Act to silence

its own critics,” said the statement. “Powers and methods under the act may be necessary in wartime. It will come as a surprise to most people to know these powers still exist in New Zealand.

“In our view, the Official Secrets Act should be drastically modified to ensure these powers are applicable only where the security of the State itself is in question. We view with concern and alarm the use of this act against Dr Sutherland, one of New Zealand’s most outspoken critics of the Departments of Justice and Police.”