Student magazine slated

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 24

Student magazine slated

The capping magazine debate has started again, with allegations that the recent Lincoln College magazine, “Ram,” is just as bad as ever.

Cr W. J. A. Brittenden told the Christchurch City Council’s health and general committee yesterday that he would move soon to stop sales of the magazine in Cathedral Square and on city streets next year.

Some councillors said that the magazine had not

lived up to an agreement that its editorial and cartoon content would be improved.

Cr Helen Garrett said that the magazine was worse than past issues. In a letter to the council, the director of the Integrity Centre (Mr N. M. Rush) said that it seemed his group’s concern was ‘lightly considered by the council,” because sales of “filthy” magazines had been repeated. “Our society has no

nope of restoring honesty, purity, and sanity while governing authorities, including the churches, have nothing to say about perverted student humour of this kind,” Mr Rush said. Cr Garrett said that some of the humour centred on sex with animals. The committee’s chairman (Sir Robert Macfarlane) said that Mr Rush should be advised “to solicit a bit more support” for his cause. In Sir Robert’s opinion.

the “Ram” issue was similar to previous issues. If councillors had known that the quality would not be improved they would not have allowed a selling permit, he said. The “Ram” business manager, Mr J. Mangan, has commented on the issue. One complaint, that of Mr Rush, has been made to the police. Mr Mangan told the council that the magazine had been passed through a censorship committee this year, which included students, lecturers, and a member of the Lincoln College Professorial Board. He believed that the issue was an improvement on past years. Sir Robert Macfarlane said that he did not think the agreement to improve the magazine had been fulfilled.

“It is up to other organisations, such as churches, to support Mr Rush in the action he has taken,” he said. Councillors will also examine the next Canterbury University capping magazine, which has promised to improve its contents.

Cr Brittenden said that the council could not act as a publication censor, but it could withhold permits to sell such publications in the streets.