Dumbleton–Powles Report

The Dumbleton-Powles Report is a report prepared for the government of New Zealand by E.V. Dumbleton and Sir Guy Richardson Powles, and published on 30 June 1969.^[1]

In 1959, L. Ron Hubbard set up the Church of Scientology's new headquarters at Saint Hill, England, a few miles from East Grinstead. Scientology soon spread to a number of English speaking countries and because of its controversial teachings, policies, and activities it soon attracted attention. Several official inquiries were made into Scientology in England, Australia, and elsewhere and a number of reports published by respective governments in the late sixties and early seventies.

In 1968, a petition with 716 signatures was presented to the Parliament of New Zealand calling for a board of inquiry into Scientology. The Commission of inquiry into the Hubbard Scientology organisation in New Zealand issued public notice that it would hear evidence in Auckland and Wellington in March and April 1969. The purpose of the commission was to "hear about and examine cases where it is said that Scientology has in New Zealand led to the estrangement of families, affected the control of persons under 21, or put unreasonable pressure upon former Scientologists who have left it, or other persons."^[2]

After hearing evidence, the Commission found against Scientology, concluding that "the activities, methods, and practices of Scientology did result in persons being subjected to improper or unreasonable pressures."^[3] However, on assurances that Scientology would change its practices, the Commission recommended that subject to those assurances, no immediate action be taken against Scientology.

Similar reports

• "The Foster Report" United Kingdom, 1971 Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology

• "The Anderson Report" Victoria, Australia, 1965 Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology

• "The Lee Report" Ontario, Canada, 1970 Sectarian Healers and Hypnotherapy

This list of reports is not exhaustive.

References

1. ^ "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Hubbard Scientology Organisation in New Zealand". 3 February 1969. http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/nzhome.html. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
2. ^ "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Hubbard Scientology Organisation in New Zealand". http://www.xenu.net/archive/audit/nz01.html. 
3. ^ "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Hubbard Scientology Organisation in New Zealand". http://www.xenu.net/archive/audit/nz03.html. 

External links

Scientology portal

• "The Anderson Report"
• "The Dumbleton-Powles Report"
• "The Foster Report"
• "The Lee Report"