Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 41 No. 21. August 28 1978

President

President

Photo of Lindy Cassidy

There is a well known piece of graffiti which describes the University involvement throughout the year: "First term too early, second term too cold, third term too late". Though this saying was originally meant to justify academic inactivity it could equally be applied to political, cultural and sporting activities.

When times are hard, people tend to think of themselves first and others second. Life at university becomes even more competitive and insular. Most students : decide it is more important to get a "good degree" than participate in University life. Shortsightedly they see gains as being more immediate: a "good" job, a comfortable home, a warm loving family and money for the occasional overseas trip. But, in times of economic recession the achievement of these aims becomes more difficult as opportunities decrease. Though some people will be able to survive by themselves, the majority will be worse off, each struggling to get further up the rung by pushing others out of the way, only to be squeezed out later themselves.

When the employment market narrows, graduates, who thought they at least had job security, find themselves turning up at the Labour Department with labourers, factory workers and waitresses. Issues such as unemployment, the economic crisis and the infringement of civil liberties assume more significance. The problem and the solution are no longer seen purely in individual terms, but in the overall context of society. But sometimes, like the third term, it is too late.

By the time you read this, the latest Government infringements on civil liberties may be "old news". The Government announced that private students coming to New Zealand to study from Southern Africa would not be allowed to take part in any kind of political activity or speech. This was particularly aimed at the Southern African Scholarship, whose last recipient was Henry Isaacs. Mr Gill described him as as an "irritant" in the New Zealand community because he had spoken to a number of meetings and told his version of what was occurring in South Africa.

Now the Government has also announced that the Fretilin representitive who was planning to visit this country would only be allowed a visa on the grounds that he too would not participate in public political speaking.

Most New Zealanders used to take basic democratic rights for granted. Now it is impossible to make a political stand in our community without being labelled a "dissident", an "irritant" or a "terrorist". Freedoms such as the "right" to criticise the Government, the "right" to hear the "other side", and the right to be politically different, are rapidly being eroded.

What does this mean to students? Most of the students that have bothered to read about these Government encroachments will feel some concern. Very few will do anything about it.

Becasue the third term is academically busy, students tend to regard it as an extracurricular washout. But if students are to obtain satisfactory employment relief schemes than they must be prepared to help lobby the Government. The third term will also be busy because of the General Election fiasco in November. It is easy to say that academic work makes you too busy for involvement in any other area. But if you don't get involved now, you may not be able to later.

Lindy Cassidy

Do you vant to know about SOCIALISM ? Some people think they already do: Come to the Lounge this tuesday lunchtime to hear and debate with member of the communist Party, wgtn Marxist-leninist Organization(Milo), the striggle froup, the young Socialists and the labour party. (Organized by the Progressive student Alliance).