Censor “Required” for Students’ Press

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 255, 18 January 1928, Page 1

Censor “Required” for Students’ Press

DEPARTMENT’S REQUEST CRITICISM OF POLICY rpHE curbing of the liberty of “*■ the Training College Magazine by a “responsible censor” has been asked by the Department of Education, but the Auckland Education Board has some sympathy with the students. Following an outburst about the economic position contained in a leading article in the journal, the department wrote to the hoard saying that the article was written by a “teacher with a grievance” and that it was intended to promote discontent jimong students. "The magazine should not be allowed to comment on the policies of the board or the department, and it should be subject to the censorship of a responsible officer.” “I think every word of the article is perfectly justified,” said Mr. T. U. Wells. The chairman, Mr. A. Burns: I think members of the board have said something similar earlier in this meeting. We had better get a report from the principal on it. It was stated that the magazine was published at the students’ expense.

Mrs. Nellie Ferner: How can we appoint a censor then? The “Manuka’s” editorial which was objected to, stated: “Students come into college expecting that at the end of their course they will obtain a position yielding a salary of at least £165 for a town position and up to about £230, including all allowances, for a sole-charge school. Instead of this, the majority—say 60 per cent.—of those leaving college will receive salaries of about £145 a year. Considered from the point of view of students, this is a financial disaster. To expect a young man of about 20 or 21 to live on a salary of less than £3 a week and at the same time to keep up the standard of life which is expected of a teacher, is ridiculous.”

“If we had been cognisant of

these facts before entering college, we should have no cause for

complaint, but no warning was given, and now, after wasting at least two of the most valuable years of cur lives, we find ourselves trained for a profession which can offer nothing better than this!”