At its meeting last Tuesday executive debated the full-time presidency for NZUSA.

This question was to be discussed by NZUSA council at Massey yesterday.

Constituents were asked to come forward with a positive directive from their associations.

Throughout the debate reference was made to the alternative proposed by Otago of a full-time Administrative Officer instead of a full-time president.

Support Rescinded

A motion supporting a full-time president was rescinded.

This motion had been passed at the last executive meeting, by a majority of seven, as a recommendation to Victoria's SGM.

Mr. Jamieson, Cultural Affairs officer, then moved that executive instruct its delegates to NZUSA council to oppose the full-time presidency.

In moving the motion Mr. Jamieson said that the work NZUSA was doing did not warrant a full-time president.

He admitted that he had previously supported a full-time president.

No Need

Mr. McKinnon, Public Relations officer, said that a comparison on a population basis with other countries did not reveal the need for a full-time president.

He also said that the average student did not appreciate the benefits and that the full-time presidency was the thin edge of the wedge.

Other officers would want to be full-time, he claimed.

A servant of the constituents is what Mr. McKinnon envisaged of NZUSA.

Saying this, he added that NZUSA should be more of an administrative body which would allow constituents to develop their own personality.

Not Now

Miss P. Caughley said that although she was in favour of a full-time president in principle she could not support it for the SGM.

Mr. G. Bertram, Accommodation officer, said that if constituents wanted a respectable body then they would have to pay for it.

Mr. Bertram felt that NZUSA should be more than an administrative clearing house.

He also said that the present workload on the resident executive of NZUSA was too great.

A full-time president could ease this, he added.

More Effective

As regards fund raising, a national body would be far more effective than six constituents, John Pettigrew said.

He also pointed out that an administrative secretary (which Otago proposes) would cost more than a full-time president.

An administrative clearing house could not handle this workload, claimed Tom Broadmore (International Affairs officer), waving a folder containing work mandated to NZUSA.

Overseas work camps, study tours, investigation of student accommodation problems and other student affairs required a full-time president to administer them effectively, he added.

Single Head

Roger Lawrence, secretary, claimed that when people are approached, they expect to be approached by one person from one national body, not six persons representing six different groups.

A full-time president from NZUSA could successfully handle this, he said.

Mr. Lawrence also pointed out that from experience of other unions a full-time president has had to be appointed to control a full-time administrative officer.

Incompetent, irresponsible and immature was the Capping controller's opinion of NZUSA's resident executive. Mr. McGrath went on to say that Pacific seminars and South African scholarships were not within NZUSA's sphere.

"He (i.e. Mr. Taylor) is getting these waffly things which when you analyse them come to nothing," claimed Mr. McGrath.

Vice-President Murray Boldt squashed Mr. McKinnon's idea that each constituent could handle everything NZUSA currently did.

In support of a full-time president Mr. Boldt quoted from three reports on the concept of NZUSA.

The Robins report considered that NZUSA should be a pressure group and should operate primarily on internal matters.

A full-time president could action the programme formulated by its members.

Mr. Boldt also quoted from a report delivered by Mr. Robertson, the president of Victoria.

This report outlined the duties of a president, which included travelling to constituents twice a year, organising work camps and conducting research into student problems.

He also said that the executive could not fly in the face of the opinions of the two past presidents who are strongly in favour of a full-time president.

If the motion were passed then another would have to be passed limiting NZUSA's work, he added.

Fees Rise

The general student could not be expected to pay for such things as the Pacific seminar, said the treasurer, Mr. K. Tate.

Fees would have to be raised to cover the extra cost, he claimed.

The president, Mr. Robertson, said that he still stood by his report which Mr. Boldt had used.

He felt that general opinion throughout the country was not keen on a full-time president.

The president said that we must consider whether a full-time president would be any better than a full-time unpaid president.

He admitted that the field would be much wider if the president was paid.

Mr. Robertson suggested that the extra money needed for a full-time president could be better used by pouring the money into the organisation.

Narrow Vote

On the first vote taken on the motion (that Victoria do not support a full-time president), the vote was five-all. Although the chairman had abstained from voting, he used his casting vote in favour of the motion, declaring that this would "maintain the status quo."