Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 9. April 24 1978

Page 5

Page 5

Motorbike Registration Soars

The ACC (Accident Compensation Commission) levy in the annual motorbike reregistration fee is due to be increased from $9.90 to $70 this year. This unjustified and unfair increase is based on the rationale that motorcycle accidents are costing the ACC more than they receive in motorcycle levies.

Last year there were 3350 claims from motorcycle accidents. The Mot's own statistics found that in only 40% of these accidents was the motorcyclist completely at fault. But all motorcyclists are being made to foot the bill.

This increase goes against the fundamental spirit of the ACC. The ACC was set up as a body to which everybody contributed, and from which an individual could take compensation when an injury caused him loss of earnings. If the increase is allowed, then why aren't sports players, for example, asked to pay a levy?

Our government is supposedly concerned with energy conservation. Motorcycles consume much less petrol, cause less wear on the roads, occupy less parking space and contribute much less to traffic congestion. Surely it would make more sense to encourage the use of motorcycles for these reasons, rather than kick motorcyclists in the head.

Don't stand for the increase!

Come along to a public meeting next Wednesday (26th) in the Union Hall at 8 p.m.

Watch Saturday Night's Evening Post for details.

Brodie Thomson

(Victoria University Motor Cycle Club)

Remember the Santa graphic last week? Santa had been very rich but was now so poor he had to eat up all of his reindeer. Well, we've just discovered another part to the story:

Pols 111: the Final Compromise

One in seven students in the university is doing Pols 111. There is a severe shortage of books and lectures have been held in shockingly cramped conditions.

A couple of weeks ago the first test was held. Since then there has been a lot of controversy over the marking system adopted.

Various methods of getting round the obvious disadvantage that some students faced have been proposed, and all contained their faults.

The lecturer in charge (Les Cleveland) could not seem to discover a system which would do justice to all. The obvious one, of scrapping the first test mark altogether, did not find much favour with him.

He has now decided that every student who does better in the second test will have the first mark raised to the level of the second. This is not perfect, but perhaps the best to be expected.

Library Larceny

Are you one of the many students who leave their bags outside the library? If so you are in danger of having it stolen. The Phantom Bagsnatcher has struck again, and by now must be amassing quite a collection of valuables, notes, and books. Don't give him yours. Use the free bag-care facility offered. It's on the second floor of the Rankine Brown Building, at the south end. Try it! It's convenient, secure and free. Even if you're only going in for a few minutes, it's far less hassle than losing a year's notes. Think about it.

Accountancy Department in "Export Strategies"

Export Strategies, the theme of Victoria University's 25th Advanced Accountancy Seminar will be held at the Victoria University on 12 and 13 May 1978. The Seminar will be formally opened by the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. D.B.C. Taylor and will commence with a keynote address by the Minister of Overseas Trade and the Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Mr. B. E. Talboys.

It will then move straight into discussion on the level and structure of international trade, led by Mr. I. L. G. Stewart, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Stewart, in his paper, will examine the major factors which determine the basic routes of the modern pattern of international trade, and the internationalisation of markets.

Victoria University's Professor W. Winiata, former Chairman of the International Business Programme at the University of British Columbia, and an authority on international finance, will deliver a paper on finance in international trade. Professor Winiata will discuss the financial mechanism for settlement, and pricing and currency problems in international trade.

Saturday's programme will feature a contribution from Dr. S.J. Sawicki, a staff member of the Department of Accountancy and the Seminar convenor. The paper is entitled "Ecologic Approach to Export," with emphasis on interrelationships between products, consumers and the environmental variations in the political, cultural, economic and institutional factors in export markets. Dr. Sawicki also describes the broader issues of the relationship between the expansion of trade and the industrialisation and market strategies and economic development in less developed countries, and the role of multinational corporations.

This will be followed by four papers on the commercial law aspects of exporting by specialist legal staff of the Accountancy Department. Paper I, by Mr. CM. Arthur, is entitled "Evolving Incentives". The Government has already foreshadowed certain radical new paths which export incentives (tax or otherwise) are likely to take. Has commerce yet come to terms with the "future shock" this will entail? All previous thinking on tax incentives may now be obsolete...

Mr. F. Donovan gives Paper II which refers to the importance of certain insurance contracts in relations to exports, and mentions recent developments which may affect traditional insurance arrangements. Paper III, by Mr. R. B. McLuskie, considers aspects of international contracts and arbitration as well as standard terms and some problems encountered by New Zealand exporters. Mr. G.J. Anderson gives the fourth paper, which looks at some problems of industrial relations in an export context and discuss some implications of the export drive for the labour force.

Significant issues in each paper will be discussed by commentators who will represent commercial, professional, academic and governmental areas of interest. The commentators are Dr. I.D. Ball, Dr. I.G. Bertram (Victoria University), Mr. B.H. Smith, General Manager of the Bank of New Zealand, and Mr. E.H. Moston, New Zealand Society of Accountants.

The final feature of the Seminar will be a two-hour Open Forum, chaired by Mr. E. Millar, Deputy Managing Director of Dalgety (N.Z.) Ltd., who will introduce a panel of lead-in speakers drawn from the export oriented business community. The lead-in speakers include representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry; financial institutions; the New Zealand Society of Accountants; the Institute of Economic Research; two Trade Commisioners attached to diplomatic legations in Wellington, who will explain technical formalities of exporting in two different major trading blocks; and University students who who will focus discussion on environmental issues of industrial exporting.

Further inquiries concerning the Seminar should be addressed to Dr. S. J. Sawicki, Department of Accountancy, Victoria University of Wellington. Phone 721—000 Ext. 924. Enrolment forms can be obtained from the Secretary, Department of Accountancy, Ext. 912, or Private Bag, V.U.W.