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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 29, No. 9. 1966.

Correction

Correction

NZSPA Reporter

Christchurch,—Professor R. M. Chapman, of the Political Studies Department of the University of Auckland, has refuted several statements about a student demonstration against security agent David Godfrey, the report, by NZSPA, was published in Salient 7.

Professor Chapman told NZSPA by telephone that correspondent Dave Fleming's report contains several inaccuracies.

"The report of the events at Auckland has several faults. For example, it puts 50 people waiting outside the Political Studies house at 6pm when no-one at all was about," said the professor.

"When I arrived on the landing about 6.45pm, I asked the police and the press to leave. I was asked if the student press could stay, by a reporter from Outspoke student newspaper. I replied 'not as press, only as students.' If your reporter was not upstairs, this explains why he has ignored this explicit condition, and also explains why the sole sentence he attributes to me is like something I said, but unfortunately is not what I said," Professor Chapman said.

"I repeatedly said 'You have made your point, now would you please leave."

"Representatives of Craccum student newspaper did not check their story with many of the key actors in it, including myself. I have met no student who agrees with the report's slight, but very significant alteration of my words. If I had anticipated that I would be still laying myself open to misrepresentation by student reporters, I would certainly not have asked the press to leave.

"I did so in the hope of reducing the damage to the university that inevitably spring from wide publicity for the wrong kind of demonstration in the wrong place.

"Grave damage can equally be done to lives and reputations by faulty reporting of this kind and I should be grateful if you would publish the above corrections."