Mr. Holyoake, faced with the VUWSA allegations set out in last Monday's special Salient, has chosen to concentrate on exonerating his private secretary, Mr. P. A. Barnes.

In doing so, he has impliedly' confirmed the association's charges against the National Party official involved, and also dodged the main issue at stake.

President John McGrath says the most significant aspect of Mr. Holyoake's letter is that he makes no issue of the statements in it regarding Mr. Laurenson.

"Mr. Holyoake confirms that a purpose of Mr. Laurenson's phone call to Mr. Barnes was to secure information for the New Zealand National Party from the Security Service about Mr. Boshier," says Mr. McGrath.

But, although Mr. McGrath's letter expressly asked for an explanation of Mr. Laurenson's actions. Mr. Holyoake has not provided an explanation.

The students' association letter explicitly condemns both persons and asks for two explanations, but Mr. Holyoake's letter is phrased as if there were only one charge.