Constitutional

(Contributed by the Special Committee and Published by Arrangement.)

During July of last year a new method of electing the Students' Association Executive, namely election by means of a College of Electors, was incorporated into the constitution of the V.U.C. Students' Association. Realising that this innovation entailed that the Executive would in future be responsible to the College of Electors, the Executive, through a select committee, framed a new constitution, which was vetoed by a two-to-one majority at a special general meeting of the Association. At this meeting a new committee called "The Constitution Drafting Committee" was set up with instructions to present its findings to a general meeting not later than March 1931. This new constitution being now ready the committee considers that "Smad" is the place where its proposals should first be voiced.

The committee's first work was to send a request to numerous English speaking University Colleges that they inform us regarding their Student Union govednment. After a careful perusal of the eighteen replies received from colleges in New Zealand. Australia. Great Britain and the United States, the Committee came to a decision along the following lines. First, that the executive should be a legis-lative and executive body responsible to the student body. Second, that the present social activities of the executive be vested in a different committee to be called "The Social Committee." Third, that the present common room activities of the executive be vested in two common room committees. Fourth, that the election of all these bodies be by popular vote on a preferential basis. Fifth, that the Association is now sufficiently large to warrant the services of a paid Secretary-Treasurer.

It is suggested that the Executive now consist of the following members:—President, male or female, two Vice-Presidents, one of each sex, a Committee of live, two to be women, a representative nominated by the Professorial Board, and a paid Secretary- Treasurer, who shall have voice but no vote at meetings. This Executive win have control of Student Club activities as at present and in general will see to the common welfare of the Association. It will have, as now, control of the Association's finances; will deal with external affairs; will control the gym.; and will co-ordinate, in the best interests of all its members, the various activities of the Association.

Unlike the present system this Executive will relegate its control of social functions to the Social Committee, a body of six men and six women especially elected for their ability to manage and their interest in this very important side of College life. The President of the Executive will be chairman to the Social Committee and the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association will be its Secretary.

These elected six men and six women together with the Student Association male and female Vice-Presidents respectfully will constitute Common Room Committees. Thus the manifold duties and responsibilities of the Executive will be divided amongst these new committees making for better management and a wider distribution of the labour involved.

Deep consideration was given to the method of electing the Association's Committees. The merits of the College of Electors were carefully investigated This is no place in which to argue the matter. Be it enough to say that in this Committee's opinion a community such as ours should have universal franchise (with the exception of freshers). Everybody then has an opportunity to voice his or her opinion individually.

The question of the Secretary-Treasurer has for years been a vexed one at Victoria College. A great deal of time is involved in both positions. A student sacrifices this time that should be devoted to his studies, etc. The result has not infrequently been either (a) failure in studies; or (b) failure in office. Neither of these is desirable. The solution seems to be in the payment of some ex-student or other person fully qualified to do the work. A sum up to £50 per annum should provide a good officer whose duties would be solely secretarial. He would not be called upon to perform the manifold functions of the present overworked, unpayed Secretary and Treasurer.

It is sincerely hoped by this Committee that, when it presents its constitution in detail, every voting member of the Students' Association will become intelligently acquainted with it. The members of the committee are only too willing to discuss its provisions at length with interested students. A full knowledge of this proposed constitution will necessarily mean an intelligent debate on its merits and demirts at the special general meeting called to test the students' feelings regarding it.