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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria University College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 21, No. 11. September 17, 1958

Is NZUSA Authoritarian?

Is NZUSA Authoritarian?

Recently an article in this paper titled "The Low-Down On the I.S.C." pointed out to our readers various defects in the American-financed world student organisation known as the International Student Conference. The New Zealand University Students Association is one of the many Western student unions affiliated to this body. Unfortunately it is becoming increasingly evident that not only does the parent body, the I.S.C., contain various shortcomings, but also that our own national student union is unsatisfactory in certain respects.

Among the bodies affiliated to N.Z.U.S.A. is the New Zealand University Student Press Council, a responsible sort of body officered by past student editors and responsible for the preparation of information bulletins. N.Z.U.S.P.C. operates in accordance with a constitution imposed upon it by N.Z.U.S.A.

No more arbitrary constitution can be imagined. Virtually no scope is left for the exercise of initiative by the Press Council members. Nothing is left to their discretion. The past editors and, in some cases, past executive members associated with this body are apparently not even regarded as responsible enough to determine for themselves the overseas mailing list for their bulletins. A schedule of the constitution even lists by name all the overseas student organisations eligible to receive copies of the bulletins.

Portrait of John Marchant

Major student bodies are omitted, the most important being the International Union of Students. While this body does, in the main, appeal to be sympathetic to the Communist cause, nonetheless it cannot be written off in just so many words. At one stage the only international student organisation, it still commands the support of many Afro-Asian countries, including, for example, Japan and the Sudan. Even Canada gives some measure of support by sending observers to its meetings.

It is the policy of the reactionaries that dominate the New Zealand University Students Association to snub completely this major international student organisation. Unlike certain other Western nations and Neutralist countries such as those referred to above, N.Z.U.S.A. apparently sees no sense in trying to create a rapprochement between the two rival international bodies, but prefers to widen the gulf even more.

N.Z.U.S.A. not only pursues the hopelessly unrealistic policy of total non-cooperation, but even endeavours to keep I.U.S. misinformed by preventing the Press Council from sending them information bulletins. Thus inacuracies on the part of I.U.S. can be treated as distortions.

During August the Press Council passed a unanimous resolution (the only member opposed being absent) requesting N.Z.U.S.A. to amend the Press Council constitution to permit it to send their bulletins to the I.U.S as well as the existing bodies on the mailing list. If this had been accepted, one anomaly would have been removed. The I.U.S. would then have been able to obtain accurate information about N.Z. student activities.

In an unprecedented display of intolerance, arbitrariness, and hostility, N.Z.U.S.A. treated the Press Council resolution with contempt. A motion was introduced but lapsed for want of a seconder. Not even a proforma seconding was forthcoming, so that discussion of the motion was prevented.

It is time that N.Z.U.S.A. wakes up a bit and shakes itself out of its smugness and complacency. Less bias and prejudice and more free discussion of matters of controversy is required.

In conclusion I will repeat that the treatment given to the decisions of the Press Council is most unsatisfactory; the failure to give even a pro-forma seconding to a serious Press Council resolution is an insult to the N.Z. student press.

—T.J.K.

Drawing of man