Spying On Students

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 10

Spying On Students

Sir, —New Zealanders may not realise it, but, with our restrictive admiration of the status quo, we are building the framework of a police State. What better example of this than the spying on students at Auckland? Freedom of thought is one of the most valuable aspects of democratic societies, and the place to encourage freedom of thought is among the thinking minds of a university. Yet we have spies at a university to ensure that we do not think unacceptable thoughts. This in itself seems to be a communistic, authoritarian approach to life which must finally be far more damaging than a few students who have chosen to think for themselves. Progress in a society implies change, change implies questionin’, of beliefs, which in turn implies treading on at least someone’s toes. If people are not allowed to question accepted tenets, society cannot progress; lack of progress is regress.—Yours, etc., J. S. TANNER. June 9, 1966.

Sir, —New Zealand is supposedly a democratic country. Mr Holyoake and his Government are meant to administer this democracy for everyone. Apparently this does not apply to Communists. The Communist countries of the Soviet Union and China are progressing faster than most countries in the world. When students from those countries come here to study at our university they must be spied on. Why? It is my opinion that the New Zealand Government fears any oncome of socialism. By spying on Communist students Mr Holyoake is insulting the students and their country. This may cause diplomatic damage to countries with whom trade should be established.—Yours, etc, STUDENT.

June 9, 1966. [This correspondence is now closed. Ed, “The Press.”]