“BLUES” DOUBTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 953, 22 April 1930, Page 1

“BLUES” DOUBTED

STUDENTS’ UNION AND ROWING AWARDS CONSTITUTION ATTACKED A strong protest against the reported decision of the New Zei>and University Rowing Council to award New Zealand “blues" for rowing was made by the National Union of University Students of New Zealand at the first annual meeting in Auckland this morning. THE secretary of the union, Mr E. B. E. Taylor, of Canterbury University College, was instructed to write immediately to the secretaries of the constituent student organisations in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington, pointing out that the “so-called Rowing Council, having been constituted without the consent of all the student organisations, has determined to award alleged New Zealand University ‘blues’.” The union -will ask for syrong protests against the procedure, and also for whole-hearted co-operation from the student organisations in securing constitutional procedure. The president, Mr. P. S. de Q. Cabot, of Otago University, instructed Mr. Taylor to emphasise the strong feeling of the meeting. “ACTUALLY AWARDED" “I learn that these ‘blues’ have actually been awarded,” Mr. Cabot explained in a statement after the meeting. “We have not been communicated with officially on the question, and while the Press report stands, that Xew Zealand university ‘blues’ are to be awarded, our decision rules. “The position, of course, would be entirely different were the ‘blues’ college awards, but we have not been advised officially that they are college ‘blues’. “The fact remains that the prestige of the university ‘blue’ must be protected. If the Rowing Council has decided in the direction reported, then that prestige is at stake. We are by no means antagonistic to the formation of the Rowing Council; what we are concerned with is the necessity to place the organisation on a sound constitutional basis. The council was set up without the full consent of all the colleges.” Mr. Cabot mentioned that Otago, by not possessing the necessary finance and machinery, had not been able to enter a crew in the eight-oar interuniversity contest on Saturday afternoon. The decision was made unanimously by the union.