SGM Has Confidence

Two Positions Vacant

A Motion of no confidence in the Executive, cause of a Special General Meeting held in the gymnasium on Tuesday evening, 30fh August, was lost, and a censure motion upon the whole executive was also lost. Attendance at the meeting was about 120 at 8 p.m., dwindling to 40 at 11.5 p.m. when the chairman declared the meeting closed because of lack of quorum.

The motion of no confidence, moved by Mr. E. A. Woodfield, seconded Mr. B. C. Shaw, was the result of a petition signed by 75 members of the Association who desired a public airing of the events surrounding the resignations of the Secretary and Treasurer of the Association recently.

The executive at its regular meeting on 22nd August permitted Mr. Merchant and Mr. Whitta to withdraw their resignations. However in reply to a point raised by Mr. Shaw, who quoted from the Constitution, Mr. Iles (Chairman) ruled that in his opinion neither Mr. Marchant nor Mr. Whitta were currently members of the executive, and had ceased to be such from the time their intention to resign had been tabled.

Discussion on the no confidence motion was limited mainly to procedural motions and counter-motions, which occupied at least 70 minutes of the 2-hour debate.

Mr. Woodfield, in moving the motion, stated that he did so as a result of a petition which ho had presented to the Executive on 22nd August. The petition asked for a full enquiry into the cause of Mr. Merchant's resignation. Mr. Shaw, seconding, dwelt on the fact that he supported the motion as a basis of discussion, but did not support the sense of the motion.

Mr. Curtin asked why did Mr. Marchant resign? In what act did the individual members of the executive bring about this resignation? "In resigning from the executive. Mr. Marchant had his reasons. We want to know those reasons." Mr. it. Jansen held that the resignations were personal matters and the Association could not demand their reasons. The petition, said he had been signed by those who always wish to see their names in print, and consisted mainly in "exhibitionism. The Socialist Club, which had been in the political doldrums for two or three years, had sponsored the petition in order to make political capital.

Mr. Jansen's ill-considered and irrelevant chat was answered by Mrs. Allison (nee Munro) who said that as students we have certain interests in common and that these were not the political issues of a few. The petition, said she, was in no way requisitioned by the Socialist Club. (Jansen: officially or unofficially?) We should look to positive actions from the executive and in the past two years we have had little positive action indeed. We cannot expect all people to be experienced when they first go on a body.

Mr. de Cleene said that unlike Mrs. Allison he was not an experienced body (voice: are you a body?) and suggested that the executive had been drowned by a storm in a teacup. The executive, said he, works very hard against the apathy of the student body and in the cold light of day all should oppose the motion.

Mr. R. Polson waxed sarcastic in reply to Mr. Jansen and suggested that those who resigned from executive rejected their responsibilities on that body.

Mr. Marchant persuasively suggested that we go back to the beginning. He held that those who stood for executive office should be sincere in doing so. You cannot achieve much in 5 weeks but in that time you can see enthusiasm if it exists. "I did not see enthusiasm where I thought it should be. I therefore resigned in protest I still maintain ail that I have said."

Does Mr. Marchant think that the same situation which caused his resignation, exists today? asked Mr. P. Gibbons. Mr. Marchant considered that his protest had served its purpose, and ho was prepared to return to executive if he was reappointed.

Mr. Robertshaw asked whether Mr. Marchant referred to the whole executive or to a few, when he resigned? Mr. Marchant: To the whole.

Mr. Hubbard thanked the late Secretary for his tardy notes couched "if I may say so, in ecclesiastical terms." The closure was then moved.

It was put and carried, and Mr. Woodfield in final reply, deprecated most strongly the remarks of Mr. Jansen. He then requested leave to withdraw his motion, and move[unclear: .] a motion censuring all members of the executive except the President (W. Iles) and Men's Vice-President (J. G. Hutchison). This was ruled out of order by the Chair, Mr. Shaw disagreed with the Chair. Mr. Iles vacated in favour of Mr. Hutchison, and the chairman's ruling was upheld 37 votes to 35. The time was 9.15 p.m. and Mr. Shaw moved that the matter of the Chairman's ruling be recommitted. The Chairman ruled this out of order, Mr. Curtin disagreed with the Chairman's ruling. Mr. Iles again left the Chair, and Mr. Hutchlison moved from the agreed with the Chairman's ruling. be upheld on the question of there bring no further discussion on the matters relevant to the original motion, "just lost."

The motion was lost on a division, 49-19, and Mr. Iles returned to the Chair. Mr. Woodfield then moved "That this meeting censure all members of the executive except the President and the Men's Vice-President." Mr. Shaw seconded pro forma. Mr. Hubbard then moved "that matters of which notice of motion has been given take precedence." The motion was put and lost.

Mrs. Allison moved an amendment to read a general censure on all executive members, suggesting that other members of the executive could be excluded from the censure motion. Mr. Kent asked for a clarification, were Mr. Whitta and Mr. Marchant members of executive at the present time? The Chairman replied that he had ruled that they were not. Mr. Curden said that apart from the reports in "Salient" and discussion with members of executive there was no way of finding all the facts. The meeting, in his opinion, had not sufficient material available to vote on the matter. Mr. Shaw withdrew his pro forma seconding, Mr. Gibbons gave a firm seconding. Mr. de Cleene after stating that he opposed the amendment, moved the closure, which was carried a voce, and the amendment was declared lost. Mrs. Allison called for a division, the amendment was declared carried by 38-24.

An amendment defining the Executive as that of 22nd June was moved. Miss D. Lescher said that Mr. Marchant's resignation was intended to strike at apathy within the executive, and had done its job. Mr. Curtin agreed, said that if there were reasons for no confidence he would gladly hear them, but none had been brought forward. Mr. Hubbard quoted Burke, "Let us argue, let us contemplate, but for God's sake, let us Pass On!" and moved the closure. The amendment was put and carried. On the substantive motion. Mr. B. V. Galvin said he took a very strong stand on the matter, which had arisen through a misunderstanding. The executive consists of 13 people, and there will always be divergence of personalities and individual methods of getting things done.

We cannot judge an executive in nine weeks, said he and a little more understanding by members of executive may have prevented the entire occurrence. There was also an illusion at large that the executive had merely to move a motion in order to get a thing done. This was incorrect. Only with understanding by all concerned could there be progress. Mr. de Cleene moved that the motion be put, which was carried.

The motion of censure was declared lost and the meeting turned at 10 p.m. to consider the motion moved by Mr. R. Polson, "That this meeting joins with the AUCSA in calling for the abolition of capital punishment." Mr. Potion spoke for the motion. Mr. D. Somerset seconded it. The issue of capital punishment, suggested Mr. Polson, was of the atmost importance to the community. He failed to see how the standing of the University in the public eye could be regained unless the students took a stand on questions such as this. He would rather see 100 guilty men go free, said he, than see one innocent man sent to the gallows as had happened. Mr. Somerset said that by every indication at present available, the number of murders decreased when capital punishment was rescinded.

Mr. Curden opposed the motion, on the grounds that it was not the place of the meeting to present a minority opinion. Mrs. Allison replied to an allegation that this was a political matter by saying that it is not fair that any stigma attached to one club be transferred to a worthy motion proposed by individuals. The factual material brought forward at the meeting was worth considering. If 2300 students prefer not to attend general meetings then this meeting can well express its minority opinion as that of the active student body. Mr. de Cleene opposed the motion.

Mr. J. Whitta moved an amendment to the effect that a secret ballot of the Association be taken on the matter. Mrs. Aluson, Mr. Polson pointed out the urgency. Mr. Powles seconded the amendment Mr. Curtin then moved the closure, which was carried: the amendment was lost Mr. Polson then moved an amendment to the effect that the vote be taken at the meeting, and that a secret ballot be held afterwards. The amended motion was then put and lost, the original motion was passed 37-15. Mr. Cruden drew the attention of the Chairman to the state of the meeting and observing no quorum, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 11.5 p.m.