Shirked Duty

No doubt in good faith, the executive at its last meeting let down its future student supporters by a rush decision on the disposal of students of the new branch college at Palmerston North to Massey.

There seemed to be no realisation that the control of the college rests and will rest for some time in the university council in Wellington and any negotiations on behalf of Palmerston North students would have to be done right here.

Undoubtedly day to day contact with students at Massey will be much closer than with the home university, but executive have no right to so easily drop the mantle, of responsibility for organising a branch of the students' association for first year students, who by statute will be students of Victoria University of Wellington with all the doubtful rights that entails.

Far better would be a decision for a representative of executive (or more than one) to be on hand during enrolment to help students organise their own sub-association with ex-officio membership of the central executive.

Let the local executive have a free hand to combine for sport and cultural activities with Massey by all means, but problems arising between students and administration should be the problem of the parent body.

Some arrangement could be easily made about special fees nor it would not be a bad idea to levy a building fund fee for a Palmerston North Union Building right from the start. This at least would show a bit more foresight than our forebears had.

It is to be hoped that executive will reconsider its decision.