The Forum Resolves

Debate was keen and the spirit was good.

Motions passed (1) That exam marks in all subjects, all stages and all colleges be made available to the candidates. (2) That this congress support N.Z.U.S.A.'s request for an enquiry into the New Zealand Government's refusal to renew the permit to remain in New Zealand of Mr. Chanra Pratap Sharma, an Indian student from Fiji at Canterbury College without making public the reasons for their action; and that if the results of this enquiry give evidence of social and political discrimination, that this congress deplores the Government's action. (3) In view of the Arbitration Court's decision to increase all wages by 15 per cent, this Congress expresses the opinion that all university scolarships and bursaries should be correspondingly increased, and requests the N.Z.U.S.A. to take action to this end.

(4) That this Congress, seeking a way of living in peace with all peoples, recommend to the New Zealand Government that it recognise the spontaneous forces of Asian nationalism and the rights implied by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights for Asian peoples to select their own forms of government; and in particular that it acknowledge that the Chinese People's Republic has the support of and meets many of the needs of the great majority of people in China; and therefore that, following the Government of Great Britain, the New Zealand Government should accord diplomatic recognition and political tolerance to the Chinese people's Republic.

This above motion was debated on the issue whether a short form should be given to the motion, or the reasons set out as above. The full motion as above was carried 39-26.

(5) That this Congress regrets the approval of the New Zealand Government to rearm former enemy countries with whom no peace treaties have been signed as such action will inevitably be regarded as provocative and potentially aggressive by the Soviet Union and its satellites. Carried 33-29.

(6) That this Congress considers that the challenge to our way of life made by the communist ideology should be met by widespread endeavour to understand it, to compare the ideal with the facts of its practice, and to encourage discussion and publication to those ends, rather than by suppression (as in Australia), vague prejudiced propaganda against it, and often untrue statements about it and the nature of capitalism. Carried with only a few dissentients.

(7) That this Congress deplores the personal frustration and waste of talent among Displaced Pesons, and accordingly requests the N.Z.U.S.A. and the college asociations to sponsor selected intellectuals from D.P. camps for settlement in New Zealand and the performance of socially valuable work that may restore their personal confidence.

(8) To the effect that: All overseas students admitted to N.Z. should be allowed without discrimination to seek employment for financial gain; and that N.Z.U.S.A. be requested to take up this matter.

(9) That this Congress urge the New Zealand Government to give greater economic aid to the countries of South-east Asia; and that as a practical expression of this desire the members of this Congress take up a voluntary collection of money to be paid to N.Z. I.S.S, for relief purposes in South-east Asia. Carried with only two or three dissentient. A collection was token up from the 100 students who remained at the Congress and £54/10/- was obtained. This sum has since then been increased.

Discussion, and resolutions are of course not all that can be done, but they are something. The results of the collection showed the genuine spirit of the Congress.