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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 8. 19th April 1973

... And On

... And On

Sunday 5.30pm: A group of about thirty friends of the Rama Tenants organised a fleet of trucks, vans, and cars, and headed for Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt. They gained entry to a house where some of the tenants' gear was stored, and liberated it. They headed for High Street, Lower Hutt, where more gear was stored, and carted it all away to the Student Union Building, Wellington.

Students locked up goods and kept all night guard.

Monday 16th: Lower Hutt CIB investigates "burglary" of seized goods. They find out the location of the goods when it is broadcast on the radio. Fearing confrontation they do not come onto campus. It is as well — students are armed to protect the goods.

Rama's son visits flat in Upper Hutt. He seizes a guitar, claiming that it had been repossessed from Rama's storage when other goods liberated. Refused to accept woman's explanation that she had found guitar lying outside the deserted house and threatened she would be charged with receiving.

Monday afternoon: Three Salient staff members photographing Rama's ex-storage in High Street ran into Rama. Surrounded by 5 police cars and questioned by police. Kimber, head of Lower Hutt C.I.B. told them they'd be charged with wilful trespass if they entered the property again. "You see", he said, "we have this problem. There's Rama on the one hand and you on the other, and we have to decide who is right".

Monday evening: 50 students form branch of TPA at University. Graham Soughtton elected interim Chairman, Maureen Werd interim Secretary. AGM to be held next week. Main aim of branch to provide manpower for TPA and use university facilities to help organise TPA activities.

Tuesday 17th: Rata has meeting with Rama's lawyer Buddle and others (Rama lost the services of Stacey in December last year).

Thorndon Branch of the Labour Party calls on the Government to force Rama and all similar landlords to sell all their flats to the government under the Public Works Act. The flats would then be converted into state houses in line with government policy of buying houses on the private market for state rental accommodation.