FREE SPEECH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 10, 27 January 1937, Page 7

FREE SPEECH

-Preas Association. )

University Senate Refuses Endorsement "NON-EXISTENT DANGER"

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last night. Though individual members sympar thised with. the motion, th© New Zealand University Senat© to-day by 17 votes to seven refused to pass a motion endorsing the principie of ireedom of speech in universities, « The motion, moved by Mr F. A. de la Mare, pointed out that public expression of opinion within th© limits of the law on. controversial matters Was not incompafible witlu the position o£ a University teacher. The public should be educated to realise that such an ©xpression of opinion was personal and not that of th© institution. In secohding th© motion th© prochancellor, Mr H. F. von Haast, said that at a time when fr©edom of speech was curtailed in other parts of the world it was important that New 25ealand professors shouid have the rigbt to ©xpress a free opinion on any question. Dr. W. Newlands said that Mr de la Mare was figHting a non-existent danger. If Senate supported the motion it would mahe itself ridiculous. Other memhers, while expressing sympathy, said ther© was no need for the motion. Mr. W. J. Morrell said that the fact of the passing of the motion might create the impression that freedom was threatened in New Zealand, In replying, Mr de la Mar© said that three years ago there would have been reason for the motion when Auckland had made the matter prominent -} now, wiien ther© was none to attack, the time was ripe for the Senate to make a dispasslonat© s.tatement of its point of view. He said that a body representing the highest university opinion in New Zaland had refused to say that it endorsed the pricciple. of freedom oi speech in its own university.