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Salient. Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 26, No. 4. Monday, April 8, 1963

Otaki Hoods Slash Student

Otaki Hoods Slash Student

University student campers at Little Congress were dragged from their parties by a group of local lads from Otaki. They claimed that a student had drawn a knife when they had tried to stop him lying on the railway line.

After following the student knifeman up to the camp, the locals were confronted by students who thought they were trying to invade the camp. The locals retreated.

They returned with reinforcements, and ringleaders demanded a fight. Isolated battles broke out, while the majority on each side stood and watched. After one student had taken a vicious beating from several opponents and had been carried off, even the ringleaders stopped fighting. This student was taken to hospital on Sunday morning to have an eye injury treated.

A threat to call the police sent the locals back down to the river bank after a finale of abuse. There were three students hurt, while none of the locals appeared to suffer.

Some of the students recognised that the locals had been blamed for student misdemeaners of the past. The locals claimed also that they had no choice in forcing the student to get off the rails. But it appeared their ringleaders were just spoiling for a fight.

Special Correspondent.

Said M. C. Rowlands: "Someone dashed into my hut shouting that there was fighting out front. Outside a groggy young poet was being beaten into Insensibility by a white-shirted bloke. I tried to restrain him. Another bloke—I didn't see his face—hit me above the eye. He followed up with a cross to the jaw, then as I went down he put his boot into me. When he saw the blood streaming from the cut over my eye he drifted off. Students easily outnumbered bodgies but not one came to my assistance, or to the poet's. They Just stood and watched."

Said M. C. Rowlands: "Someone dashed into my hut shouting that there was fighting out front. Outside a groggy young poet was being beaten into Insensibility by a white-shirted bloke. I tried to restrain him. Another bloke—I didn't see his face—hit me above the eye. He followed up with a cross to the jaw, then as I went down he put his boot into me. When he saw the blood streaming from the cut over my eye he drifted off. Students easily outnumbered bodgies but not one came to my assistance, or to the poet's. They Just stood and watched."