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Salient. Victoria University of Wellington Student's Newspaper. Volume 31, Number 10 May 28 1968

[Letter from Michael Hirshfield to Salient Volume 31, Number 10 May 28 1968]

Owen Gager's article, criticising Labour policy, published in last week's Salient has brought replies from party members stating their views.

Sir—Mr Gager's utter arrogance could only be excused if he were also ignorant.

Although he may feel superior enough to call others ignorant, some might prefer to describe Gager with a sentence of his own— "There's nobody that loves you like yourself, as they say." Or possibly "men who seek individual power with the minimum of scruple."

Let us have a look at Gager's background.

On looking at my records I was surprised to see that Gager is not only a member of the VUW Labour Club but also an executive member. At our last meeting he was too busy to attend till the very end because he was involved in the "more important" business of student power.

No doubt he either dismisses this as nonradical (why then was he so busy?) or he has conveniently forgotten that it was the Labour Club that first raised the whole issue of student power.

But then he may well reply that he should not be judged by his friends but by his actions.

He accuses the universities of "a desire to win over the unions" but says that "trade union radicalism finds no echo in the university branches."

Without any evidence he then alleges that, in fact, the universities are attempting to use the unions.

Is all this not a little strange from one so enmeshed in university affairs as the ever popular "Owie Baby"? Why doesn't Gager make his union his main sphere of activity?

But perhaps they won't let him use them. Or is it not an accident that his Trotskyist affiliation was limited to the daytime only.

Perhaps Gager would not like to be judged by his actions?

As for Gager's accusation of "alliance with the worst elements in the Labour Party", I am sure that he must favour the exclusive participation of university students in the ivory tower branches and, heaven forbid, that they should be active among the masses.

If he wishes to call my representation of the Seamen's Union at conference a "rotten borough" then he is clearly against the close co-operation of universities and unions.

As for his information that I am doing research for them on the subject of a National Shipping Line—just what does Gager want from the universities or the Labour Party?

If he cares to put his effort to documentary constructive ideas, they will be welcome. But his negative and confounded criticism is strange from one who was only two months ago, sufficiently satisfied that the party was worth representing as Gager was happy to put his name forward for the Wellington City Council on a Labour ticket.

We are prepared to be judged by our actions and so should Gager.

In summary let me say that I am sure that many people would now like some facts on what the universities did put forward and say at the Labour Party Conference.

Then Gager can be judged by his friends, actions and ommissions of facts.

Finally, if Gager is so concerned with the lack of radical ideas in the Labour Party why didn't he produce a single issue of Labour Club magazine when appointed editor?

He cannot even claim that the party has tried to silence him.

For those (unlike Gager) who like to base their opinions on some facts I have been invited by the editor of Salient to submit a full review of the Labour Party Conference and the universities' role at it.

Michael Hirshfield.