INQUIRY IN PRIVATE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 3

INQUIRY IN PRIVATE

Suggestion By Teachers

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 23. The Auckland branch of the Association of University Teachers today said it felt the inquiry into the Auckland University security agent incident should be conducted in private, but that the full evidence and findings should be published later. It also felt the university had already suffered from undue publicity and that extravagant statements had been made. No-one would benefit from protracted daily publicity. The secretary, AssociateProfessor N. Tarling, said the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) had replied to a letter from the branch protesting against statements made in the House about members of the association.

“The Minister says that so many conflicting statements have been made about the Godfrey affair that a full inquiry is needed to bring out the whole story,” he said.

“The Auckland branch agrees with Mr Shand. Moreover, it is confident that an Impartial investigation will not support extravagant assertions which have been made about the affair.

“In particular, It feels that the incessant publicity and attendant gossip and excitement are interfering with the studies of many students.”