Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 10, No. 12. August 20, 1947

Disaffiliation Motion Squashed at Special General Meeting

Disaffiliation Motion Squashed at Special General Meeting

On Tuesday, August 1 2, a Special General Meeting of the Students' Association was called in the College Gymnasium to discuss recommendations of the special finance committee. Motions affecting these and four other constitutional matters were passed without incident. An account appears on this page.

More important on the agenda was notice of a motion that the Socialist Club be disaffiliated from the Association for sponsoring the recent City procession protesting against Dutch aggression in Indonesia. Various garbled accounts of the meeting have appeared in the daily press; comments and impressions are published here.

The Gymnasium was already packed with students at it p.m.: by 9.5 when the motion was moved, doors and even windows were opened to let some impression of the meeting filter through the conglomerate mass of bodies to the unfortunate few on the verandah.

Mr. Dowrick, President, presided. To the 350 inside, Mr. McArley spoke through a tense, smoke-laden atmosphere. . ..

"Minority sections of this College will in future speak for themselves alone and will not bring into disrepute the whole Students' Association. There is a proper course other than inept and eccentric behaviour. . . Permission from the City Council was not obtained. . . . The Dutch Minister was not in a position to receive a deputation."

Mr. McArley said that it was hardly the sort of thing to be supported by intelligent students—it could not possibly help the position of Indonesia. (Interjection: "They stopped the war.") He inquired of the likely reaction of the civic authorities when we ask to hold a Capping Procession in 1948, of the possible response to the Building Fund appeal or Winter Tournament billets. He spoke well and was supported by loud interjections from the floor. In conclusion: "They have been disseminating view both nauseous and intolerable—putting themselves on the tail-board of the Unity Centre Red Band-waggon."

Mr. Winchester replying to the motion was almost timid in comparison, and when he attempted to answer the assaults of the same interjectors who had supported Mr. McArley, the effect of an otherwise good speech was lost. "When the United Nations apologises to the Dutch, so will we." By now there was fierce competition for attention. Mr. Poole spoke for the third time of asking. He dealt with the traditional University Red, the stench of VUC in the nose of the public, and alluded to the proverbial Moscow gold. "The good name of VUC must continue, we cannot let it be destroyed by a minority of 60-odd (very odd) students."

Mr. McLeod dealt briefly with the "goodwill of the public." Agents had recently obtained additional advertisements for "Salient" and "Spike." He did not say whether this had any connection with Indonesia. In reply to a question, the Chairman pointed out that this was a fair comment—Mr. McLeod was merely denying the prejudicial nature of the activities.

The way or Mr. McCurdy was sour. The downtrodden Dutch were good allies in 1941: the Socialist Club paraded like Sister Anna carrying the banner. (Cries of "On to the Citadel" and "I carried it last [ unclear: week],")

Throughout the evening Mr. Dowrick handled the vehement speakers with all the firmness of the city gendarmerie. He now vacated the Chair to make an amendment: "That the meeting should express its disapproval of the Socialist Club's action and that the latter should apologise to the Dutch Minister. Although he was obviously sincere in his attempt to affect a compromise, and was given the active attention of all, his amendment found little support. "If the motion is passed we shall be closing the mouths of a group which have a right to be heard. The damage has been done, but the Socialist Club does not exit for the sole purpose of staging demonstrations—there are many other worthwhile activities."

Before the demonstration Mr. Dowrick had been assured that there would be no speech-making, no offensive banners, and no demonstration near the D.I.C. Buildings. He had passed the assurance on to the Police, but the last matter had not been honoured. There should be self-determination for all—but the Socialist Club had other means of expressing its opinion.

The amendment was seconded by Mr. O'FIynn who spoke rapidly for three brief minutes leaving "little doubt as to my position. The demonstration had been offensive, boorish and childish—it offended the name of democracy, but the Socialists had a right to be heard—their opinion had the whole of democracy behind it.

Mr. McConnon was vociferous, aggressive and emotive. The Communist Party, the Red Band-waggon, the Unity Centre puppet-show, and the renowned Sister Anna—all figured in the tremulant enunciation of the inherent sins of Socialists. When asked to prove Unity Centre influence, he replied: "Owing to the impossibility of substantiating the underground movements of the Communist Party. . . . The same thing was happening in Sydney. I had a letter."

Mr. Smith organised the procession. He spoke, apologising for the misunderstanding about the D.I.C: "We were marching past when a policeman stopped me. He said: 'Stop!' I said: 'No!' He said: 'You're obstructing.' I said: 'Excuse me, you're obstructing me'."

It was now 10.5 p.m. There had been many minor orations and many questions asked of the Socialist Club committee. The Chairman decided to allow two further speakers. The first was Mr. McCreary, President of the Socialist Club.

If there were any who continued to vacillate under the sway of both impassioned and rational appeals, they succumbed to the oratory or Mr. McCreary, who in a ten minute speech converted all waverers, consolidated all supporters, and if there were any who had remained immune, then their immunity was assured.

"In ten years of university life, I have not seen such support accorded any one activity as I saw that Wednesday. I am not a communist—the communists disagree with socialists even on the type of socialism they desire—but on an issue such as this there can be no dissension for any socialist." There had been disrepute in some quarters, but much greater repute from places that really mattered. There were principles that must be upheld at any expense—the college constitution gave the Socialist Club the right to self-expression and such acts of self-expression must be held in the open.

Last to catch the eye of the Chairman was Mr. Curtin, five foot three and very aggressive. "Sir—a small matter has been overlooked." He questioned the right of the Socialist Club to send a cable to the Indonesian leader—"New Zealand students express solidarity." It was pointed out that the cable had been signed by the secretary of the Socialist Club.

Mr. Dowrick then put the amendment that was lost by a large majority.

Immediately afterwards the motion was put to the meeting, 110 voting for, and 134 voting against it. All dispersed amid the loud clapping and cheers of Socialist Club members who were present.

The previous four items on the agenda were pushed through due to the overwhelming interest of all present in the above motion. The one affecting the election procedure was of comparative importance.

The statement of cash receipts and payments was moved by Miss Casey. Balance Sheet entries presented some confusion, but this was soon cleared up.

Items on the finance committee report were elucidated (without being read) by Mr. O'Brien. Recommendations were: (1) That a paid accountant be appointed at a maximum salary of £300 a year; (2) That the offices of treasurer and assistant treasurer be abolished: (3) That a committee of persons be appointed by the executive to assist the accountant. Four machinery constitutional amendments were passed to conform with the adoption of the report, one allowing for one extra man and one extra woman creating an extra vacancy on both the Men's and Women's Committee of the Executive.

A further amendment to the constitution was moved by Miss Lawrence which met with surprisingly little opposition. In future both men and women will vote for all the nominees for the Men's and Women's Committee for the executive. There will only be one ballot paper.