P.M. Won't Apologise Students Angry

Last November, a few days before the General Election, Prime Minister Keith Holyoake accused an officially sponsored delegation from the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association, of "Talking a lot of Socialist and neo-Communist ideas on defence, bombs and so on."

This statement was broadcast on me national news ana appeared in the press me questions had no bias other than humanitarian. They included :

• "What specific measures does your government consider taking in order to persuade the French Government to desist from continuing the projected series of tests in the Gambia Islands?"

Possibilities suggested to the P.M. were: multilateral pressure from those countries in the South Pacific Basin, pressure to be brought to bear on the signatories of the South Pacific Commission, that New Zealand should initiate United Nations protest, and direct contact between the N.Z., Samoa and French Governments.

• "After previous discussion between the New Zealand and French Governments on the question of the Gambia Islands atomic tests, it was rumoured that the French Government's response was one of disinterest, which virtually amounted to telling the N.Z. Government to "keep their nose out of a business that does not directly concern them". How accurate are these rumours? If accurate, what immediate diplomatic exchanges are being considered?

• In the event of the French actually testing nuclear weapons, what precautions have been, or will be taken by the New Zealand Government to protect the inhabitants of their protectorates in the South Pacific against the hazards associated with radio-active fallout?

• Are you, Mr. Prime Minister, of the opinion that the testing by the French Government could be construed by the governments of the U.S.A., G.B., or the U.S.S.R. as sufficient excuse to reconsider their recently signed test ban agreement?

The Student Delegation comprised Peter Blizard, President of the Students' Association, Brian Opie, Secretary of the Students' Association and past President of the Student Christian Movement, and Robin Bell, Public Relations Officer, a man not noted for his left wing views. Two Salient reporters were present.

Following the Prime Minister's injudicious comments, President Blizard through the daily Press requested "complete withdrawal of the remarks made, or alternatively substantiation of them".

The Prime Minister made no comment.

The Students' Association President has sent two letters, one through the P.M.'s Private Secretary, requesting clarification or withdrawal. There has been no response.

Students would like to ask the Prime Minister:

• Can he substantiate the claims he made? If not then he should surely withdraw them and tender an apology as publicly as the original remarks.

• Some students believe that he attempted publicly to discredit a non-politically-aligned body; a body on which no one political label can be hung, for his own purposes. They ask Mr. Holyoake to deny it.

• That in not having the customary courtesy to reply—in any fashion at all—to two letters requesting clarification of the issues involved, has the Prime Minister shown himself to be ignorant of the elements of normal social intercourse?

In short, some students are asserting that the Prime Minister attempted to make political capital out of the issue, failed in that abjective, and has not had the courtesy to apologise to the parties which were maligned.