Czech Sympathisers Voted Out at Victoria College

Chronicle (Levin), 23 March 1948, Page 7

Czech Sympathisers Voted Out at Victoria College

Press 4-ssoctatioh)

(Per

WELLINGTON. March 22. Oue of the largest gatheringa of members of tlxe Victoria .University College Students' Association in its history voted th$ executive of tlie Association out in a motion of uoconfidence tonigiit. The 'college gymuasium was packed to tli8 doors and the students aired their opinions for an liour and a lialf before the motion of no-eonlidenee was put. The motion was put as a result of the passing by the executive of a resolution tliat a letter be sent to^tke Cornmunist Premier of Czeclioslovakia congratulating Iiim.on "the triumph of democraey in Czechoslovakia. ' ' The motion was: "That the AssociatiOu had no confidence in the present e^cutive, and that it neither endorsed ihe sentiments nor the sei'ding of the. letter to the Prime Minister of Czechoslovakia. " Pamphlets distributed among the audience urged tllat students should not be "misled"' by the action of the executive in rescinding their resolution which was done last niglit. ' ' The executive say the motion was passed i'acetiously, " said the pamplilet. ' ' L>on 't fall for this. It is classic Cominunist tactics to yp&ss serious motious in a flippant nianner. The executive is merely Ixoping to be let oft' with a vote of censure. They are trying to appeal to those who may say: • Well, they have reiented. There's noi uiuch point in voting thein out'." The large college gymnasium was crovvded" an liour before the meeting was tinied to begin, and by 8 o'clock all the availuhle space was occupied. An unidentified voice Suggested before the meeting began that "we move to the teunis courts before democraey is finally beaten by the heat! " Throughout tlie meeting the speakers had difficulty in making themselves heard above the chorus of voices which greeted every expression of opinion. ihe motion was moved by Mr. B. O'Connor who did uot speak to it, and it was seconded by Mr. G. McArley. Taking the chair Mr. II. Dowrick, prosident of the executive, said tbai the tliree members who called Suaday's meeting wliich led to the rescinding oi the resolution had wanted to make their position clear," and he . was eon- : vinced that the reasons given for pass- . ing the motion were truthful. The i letter was not sent bocause the secre- ' tary of the executive would not sign : it. He himself had later refusftd to J sign it because publio feeling was then obvious. Mr. McArley said that the motion to seud the letter to ihe Czechoslovalcian Prime .Minister was b rough t before. the executive meeting without prior notice and individual - members would uot have had any opportunity of giving specilic consideratipn to the matter. ' ' The motion was moved and . seconded and before any discussion had taken place other than ah inquiry by a member as to whether or not the motion was serious a closure was applied and the motion was'car ried hy seven votes to four," said Mr. McArley. "No opportunity for discussion or protest was allowed and the only recourse the four dissenting members had left was to record their • ohjection. By such 'star chamher' methods your executive decided to ccmmit you polittcally and send a j communication to the ... head of a i European Government. They gave j the matter no consideration and did . not discuss it or make any attempt

to discover the feelings of the student body on the matter. "Subsequent developments discloscan even more amazing stale of coni'usion. On tlie following evening a member of tlie executive was so vague as to wliat had taken place that the minutes had to be ref erred to to ' flnd out what had happened. Another 'member was of the opinion that the matter was a joke. This is liow the executive looks after . the college 's interests. They send letters in its name. to the head of a Government unknowingly and for a joke! By their own action they have forfeited the riglit to your continued confidence." a The executive 's action in rescinding the motion was also condemned by Mr. McArley. "After they discovered that their impertineiit action was not to be allowed to pass' without protest they hastily called a meeting to reverse their original decision, " he said. "Wliat would tliev have doue had the student body raised no protest. 1 sug gest that the letter wouid have been sent without another thouglit or regard to its consequences. " Appeaiing to .the meeting to support the motion, Mr. McArley said that n the executive were allowed to reniain in office the Association vj ould give -them the chance of repeating their actions and would indicate that to some exterit they agreed with their actions and political sentiments. Mr. McArley 's remarks were endorsed by most of' the following speakers. Mr. P. Gardiner moved an amendment: ' That the Association as a noupolitical. body did not necessarily agree with the political opinions of tlie executive." But this was declared to Ja)ise for want of a seconder by the cliairniau (Mr. H. Dowrick). An amendment vvas moved by Mr. N. ^R. Taylor, former president of the As sociatiou: "That a motion of censure be passed on tlie executive for their activ itics relevant to the motion for sending a letter ro the Premier oi Czechoslovakia, ' ' "I agree that the executive wai? vvrong to pass the motiou, but there never lias been an executive of the Association which has. not been wrong about something, ", he said. "You have the elections coniing shortly in two or tliree months' timo. If you dis> agree with tlie executive in this you have the correct vvay of expressing thia at the timo of t.lio. nloctuinc!

Objectiug to the amendment to the motion, Mr. J. Mclver said tliat the executive siinplv wishod to use their position to abuse' their priviJoge oxic.e more. During the vacation Ihe executive met when they could not possiblv vonsult the student body and' had passed motion censuriug a Minister oi the Grown for e'xpressing anti-C'oiumun ! ist opinions. Jf the executive was pui j back again by the grounds of tlie : motion of censure they would a'gaiu ' liave the power to abuse their prnv.leges once nore. " Tliat type of motion had alreadv don • Uiuch damage to the college in tlie evcs ! of the public in Wellington, " said M : . ^ C. McLeod, opposing tlie. aniendmen'!. 1 The college already had lost the cor - 1 lideuce of the "city fathers" and of j many people in the city. Interest in ta case had become Dominion-wide an.! ' students at both the ' Auckland aui! | Otago University Colleges had exprens dd their views. The executive had for feited the right to the conlideuce o'f tlio members of the Association.' Mr. Taylor 's amendment was lost b> a large majoTity, and "the motion of no-coniidenee was then put and was declared carried by Mr. Dowrick. i