Called To Bar Of Council

For the first time in 101 years, an Adelaide man has been summoned to appear before the Bar of the Legislative Council.

He is Mr. K. E. Klaebe, of Ridgehaven, who is alleged to have written a letter reflecting on the conduct of the chairman of the Select Committee on Scientology (Mr. Hill, MLC).

Mr. Klaebe will appear before the Bar of the House at 2.15 p.m. on Tuesday.

He said in a letter to the secretary of the select committee (Mr. I. J. Ball) that he believed Mr. Hill to be unduly biased against scientology.

Letter Tabled

The letter was tabled in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, and yesterday Mr. Gilfillan (LCP) moved that Mr. Klaebe be summoned to appear before the Bar of the House. The motion was carried.

No one has appeared before the Bar of the Legislative Council since 1867, according to Parliamentary Library records.

In that year Messrs. E. W. Andrews and W. K. Thomas were reported to the Council for having declined to answer questions put to them by the Police Force Select Committee.

Ruling

The President of the Council (Sir Lyell McEwin) yesterday ruled that evidence tabled in Parliament could not be withheld from the public through the Press.

Sir Lyell McEwin was replying in the Council to Mr. Banfield (ALP), who said he was perturbed to read in "The Advertiser" yesterday the name of a witness before the Select Committee on Scientology.

Mr. Banfield said Mr. Klaebe had been reassured by the committee that his present job would not be jeopardised as a result of his giving evidence.

"Jeopardised"

"Today we find Mr. Klaebe's name, and his letter addressed to Mr. Ball, being printed in 'The Advertiser,' which makes me think Mr. Klaebe's position will now be jeopardised as a result of the publicity," he said.

Mr. Banfield said he understood a number of other witnesses feared that if they came before the committee their positions would also be jeopardised.

"I ask if further witnesses can be assured that their identity or evidence will not be disclosed publicly, thereby jeopardising their position if they come before the committee," he said.

"I feel this man's position has now been jeopardised as a result of something contrary to what he was given to understand by the committee."