Fly Away Peter

Frustrated Executive Member.

At 11 p.m. on Monday, 11th August, I tendered my resignation from the position of Secretary of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association. When the Executive accepted my resignation, I informed you that I would give you a statement in writing of my reasons for resignation.

The background to my action was as follows:

At approximately 10.40 p.m. Mr. Davy raised the question of the purchase of a new Gestetner. He spent some time giving an exhaustive analysis of the relative merits of a Gestetner and a Fordiograph (the machine that we have on trial at the moment).

Towards the end of this analysis, I asked the Office Secretary, through you, Sir, which machine was the better from her point of view. She immediately stated her preference for the Gestetner. I, Sir, then, moved: 'That we purchase a Gestetner from Messrs. Armstrong and Springhall."

You refused to accept my motion because you felt that the matter had been insufficiently discussed. I then disagreed with your ruling, and you vacated the chair in favour of Mr. Hercus. I outlined my reasons for disagreeing with you, pointing out that the matter had been discussed for some time at previous Executive and Finance Committee meetings, and that, as far as I was concerned, the position was clear-cut.

Your duty in reply, Sir, was to rebutt my arguments in the normal fashion of debate, put forward your own views on the matter, and then await the vote.

However, Sir, you saw fit to indulge in an emotional outburst, in the course of which you stated that it would appear that I had no regard for the fact that the members of the Executives were trustees of student funds, and if this was so, I was not the responsible person you had considered me. The innuendo in those remarks, Sir, was that I am irresponsible, financially reckless, and not a fit person to sit on the Executive.

As a result of those remarks I immediately tendered my resignation, to take effect effect from the end of the meeting.

You later claimed that your remarks were made in the stress of the moment, and you offered me your apologies on that ground. I refused to accept that apology, because. I felt then, and still feel, that no person, especially the President of the Association, is entitled to make such accusations, even in the stress of the moment.

It has been said that I, too, have made extravagant statements in the past. I would agree that this is true, but I would like to point out that I have never questioned the integrity of any member of the Executive or of the Association. I have often stated at times very strongly, that members of the Executive have taken the wrong view on certain matters, but, I repeat, I have never attacked any person's character while expressing my disagreement.

An apology has been offered, but this does not detract from the fact that extremely offensive remarks have been made by a person who should have known better. One would have to go back many years to find a precedent for such conduct (if one could be found), and I am unable to condone behaviour of this nature, or to accept any apology after the event has taken place.

I could point out that I considered the relative costs of the machines in question very carefully, realising that a large sum of money was involved. I am well aware of the value of money, and it was only after a lot of thought that I reached my conclusion. It is a pity that some other Executive members had not done the same!

I will complete all the work of the Association which requires to be done as a result of last night's meeting, and I would be willing to assist a new Secretary during his first few days in office.

I am sorry to leave the Executive, but I refuse to sit on any Committee where my integrity and character (if any) are to be subject to emotional tirades from the Chairman.