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Salient. Victoria University of Wellington Students' Newspaper. Volume 31, Number 18. July 30, 1968

Taylor: in Retrospect

page 5

Taylor: in Retrospect

Leadership of Victoria University students may be passing out of student hands, to non-students.

A recent attempt by a former student to influence a Special General Meeting of the Students' Association, of which he is no longer a member, ended in a motion being passed withdrawing the speaking rights which had been granted him; he tried to influence the student demonstration the next day, and only a day afterwards chaired a very important student meeting.

During the SGM which took place on the night of June 25th to discuss whether or not the Association should officially sponsor the march to Parliament, a foolscap sheet, headed "Sulient" was distributed.

Alister Taylor . . .the student politician

Alister Taylor . . .
the student politician

This publication stated what were alleged to be the incomes of the families of six executive members, and claimed that executive was not pressing higher bursaries because "They don't need higher bursaries."

A case for bursary increases was already under preparation.

Challenged by Salient editor Bill Logan to deny that he was largely responsible for "Sulient", Alister Taylor, a former student who had been granted speaking rights by the meeting, refused to reply from the platform, but admitted from the back of the meeting that he was at least partly responsible.

In response to this admission a motion was then put that Taylor's speaking rights be withdrawn. It was passed and Taylor left the meeting.

Explaining why he had proposed the motion. Publications Officer Owen Gager said "As somebody accorded certain privileges as a guest of the meeting Taylor had abused those privileges by issuing "Sulient".

"Once a President of NZUSA leaves office it is in the best interests of the Association and himself that he should not participate in student politics."

Taylor was President in 1966.

Commenting on "Sulient's" references to himself, the present President of NZUSA, John McGrath said, "I myself was not worried about the remarks directed at me, although it was offensive to some of the people and families named. I did feel however that when Taylor attempted to withdraw "Sulient's" remarks from the humourous context and make the ludicrous claim that the more scurrilous statements were actually true, that he was showing just how little responsibility he exercises in all his criticism."

Taylor addressed a large student audience the next day during the demonstration at Parliament.

In a press statement after the demonstration Victoria's Vice-Chancellor, Dr D. B. C. Taylor, said "Agitators in the crowd who were formerly students now had no connection with the University."

He declined to expand on this comment.

City Councillor A. M. Campbell was reported as saying that there was a "fair bit of evidence" that students were being stirred up by elderly former students to cause trouble.

The "Dominion" editorially referred to possible sources of trouble at the demonstration as a "largely student or ex-student grouping." As with Dr Taylor and Councillor Campbell no specific references were made.

Former NZUSA President Taylor, a non-student who addressed students at Parliament, chaired a meeting the following night which decided what Victoria students would do over the Omega issue.

Taylor's past history of influence in student affairs is remembered with bitterness by many present student leaders.

"Taylor was a whirlwind who left behind him a complete shambles," said NZUSA Vice-President David Shand. "He caused a great lack of confidence in N7USA by constituent universities by his lack of consultation personal clashes and dubious methods."

The whirlwind reaped its harvest at Easter Council 1966. Salient of the day reported Taylor's credibility crisis.

"Intent on administrative housekeeping, the constituent delegates to NZUSA's 36th annual Easter Council threw out Victoria's Alister Taylor as President," wrote Salient's reporter on April 15, 1966.

"From its start the four day council meeting took on the air of an investigation, and the delegates left no doubt who was on trial —Alister Taylor."

Later in his story, the Salient reporter wrote: "The Easier Council was not ten minutes old before the delegates passed a formal vote of censure against the resident executive" (under President Taylor) "for failing to circulate vital reports in time for consideration by the representatives to Council."

The following day Taylor presented to Finance Commission the financial report of his year in office.

Tony jaques

The minutes of the meeting record that the following motion was then put by the delegate from Otago and passed without recorded dissent; "That Resident Executive be censured for their irresponsible attitude to the financial management ol the Association." (Motion 66/137.)

Another Salient report on 1966 Easter Council said that the Otago delegate had referred to "irresponsible and disorganised affairs" and had said "As far as we are concerned the whole thing is bordering on scandal."

Taylor had been acting as treasurer of the Association since the previous February.

Calling for professional preparation of NZUSA accounts (motion 66/138) the meeting froze all funds and bank accounts administered by NZUSA under Taylor "pending full financial investigation," in the words of motion 66/144. An interim account was then opened to keep the Association going under a new administration.

The investigating public accountant reported in March of the next year "To perform a complete investigation of the Association's financial affairs for the year in question would be a considerable undertaking with the virtual total absence of properly maintained records."

A full examination was also demanded at Easier Council 1966 of Taylor's accounts for the first issue of the now defunct "Student News". A reported profit of £13.10.0 should instead have shown a loss of £31.10.0.

Said Salient "The treasurers strongly criticised the paper's linancial account, which President Taylor admitted was more accurately labelled 'arrangements'."

In the election for the first full-time paid President of NZUSA; an office Taylor largely created: Ross Mountain was elected.

A Salient editorial on June 3, 1966 said "He left behind him hundreds of pounds of unbudgetted expenditure, dozens of alienated businessmen, and an organizational chaos which is still not resolved."

The editorial went on to point out that the NZUSA Travel Scheme had incurred a loss of £38.0.0 for the previous year instead of the exepected profit of £700.0.0.

Commented NZUSA Vice-President Shand last week. "It look two years to sort out the NZUSA accounts, and they are still not finalised."

Taylor is also remembered in other ways in NZUSA. The now established and very profitable Student Insurance Scheme was originally negotiated in part by him, as was the now profitable Student Travel Bureau.

The full-time presidency is another legacy of Taylor's work, and the shift of the office from inadequate permises in Courtenay Place to its present site in Boulcott Street has been greatly appreciated by successive generations of office staff.

Alister Taylor 26.6.68

Alister Taylor
26.6.68