P.M. to be briefed on Sutch case

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33783, 4 March 1975, Page 2

P.M. to be briefed on Sutch case

GVetr Zealand Pre.%*

WELLINGTON, March 3.

The Acting Prime Minister (Mr Tizard) will report on the Sutch case and the subsequent public reaction to the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) when he returns to New Zealand this week.

• Mr Tizard told a I press conference tonight 3 that his report would in- ' elude the theories which r liad emerged since Dr XV. t JI. Sutch had heen acquitted of a charge r under the Official SecJets Act. He reaffirmed his personal J opposition to the Security Intelligence Service. He had found it “rather surprising" that new stories had emerged after the trial was over. ) Mr Rowling — due back on Thursday after a month in Europe — is the Minister in Charge of the Security Intelligence .Service. ‘"Disturbed"’ Mr Tizard said he would give Mr Rowling his own point of view, and he was sure the Minister of Justice (Dr Finlay) would do likewise. Asked to expand on his point of view. Mr Tizard said: “I have never heen im- P pressed with the efficiency of b our security service, and 1 r have hardly ever seen the n need for manv of the activi- 0 ties they carry out. “Nothing has happened to change .that point of view.” Mr Tizard said he could not see the use of New Zea-

lands possessing military: secrets. “The sort of secrets! we have militarily, I think would be well left with the people who lend or give them to us." He thought the country had been “quite disturbed”

>by the case, and still had not] igot all the answers. “What really emerges is a questioning of the need for! a security service in an open society, and the question of how open our society really is.” |