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Haurongo: Smith, Shirley Hilda Stanley

Defending Bill Sutch

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Defending Bill Sutch

In 1975, Shirley Smith’s husband was accused of passing sensitive material to the Soviet Union. Charged with obtaining information that would be helpful to an enemy, he was acquitted but died a few months later. Shirley defended his reputation through her long widowhood.  Here Sutch (left) and Smith arrive at the depositions with Sutch’s lawyer Mike Bungay.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: EP-1974-6745a-8a-f

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Sarah Gaitanos. 'Smith, Shirley Hilda Stanley', Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau, i tāngia tuatahitia ki 2019. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/47190/defending-bill-sutch (accessed 4 June 2026).