Not intended

The demonstrators also listed the grounds on which their protest was not made. It was not intended as a personal insult to Mr. Holyoake or his qualifications, it was not intended as a discourtesy to Mr. Miller, it was not a display of political partisanship, nor was it a failure to express their gratitude for the library facilities.

They categorically stated that they did not wish to discredit the university by their conduct.

However, discredit did fall, in large measure. Both Wellington dailies issued damning editorials and wrote up the incidents as an attempt to humiliate the Prime Minister.